|
Exhibit 10.18
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
This Indemnity Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of December
13, 2006 between Interpool, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and Martin Tuchman ("Indemnitee").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to
serve as directors or in other capacities unless they are provided
with adequate protection through insurance and adequate
indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions
against them arising out of their service to and activities on
behalf of the corporation.
WHEREAS, Article VI of the Amended and Restated By-laws of the
Company and Article XII of the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company provide for indemnification of the
officers and directors of the Company. Officers and directors may
also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to applicable
provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL"). The
indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and
contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of
the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to
indemnification.
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company
contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance
expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted
by applicable law, as a supplement to and in furtherance of Article
VI of the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company and the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company,
so that Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as a member of
the Board of Directors free from undue concern that Indemnitee will
not be so indemnified.
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as a
member of the Board of Directors and to continue to accept the
duties, responsibilities and burdens of such service, the Company
wishes to provide Indemnitee with the compensation and
indemnification arrangements set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to
take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the
condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified hereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants
contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and
agree as follows:
1. Service on the Board
. Indemnitee hereby agrees to continue to serve as a
member of the Board of Directors. Indemnitee may, however, resign
from such position at any time and for any reason or no reason. The
Company’s obligation to indemnify Indemnitee as set forth in
this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect
notwithstanding any such termination of appointment or
resignation.
2. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement:
(a) With the exception of Section 21 of
this Agreement, references to "agent" shall mean any person who is
or was a director, officer, or employee of the Company or a
Subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company
to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such
capacity as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or other
official of another corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, trust or other business operation at the
request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests
of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company.
(b) "Delaware Court" shall mean the Court
of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(c) "Disinterested Director" shall mean a
director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the
Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification
is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) "Expenses" shall include
attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript
costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating
costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage,
delivery service fees, and all other reasonable disbursements or
expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to
prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a
witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses
also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal
resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the
premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond,
supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses,
however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee
or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(e) "Independent Counsel" shall mean a law
firm or a member of a law firm that is experienced in matters of
corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five
years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or
Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than
with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this
Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification
agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise
to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the term "Independent Counsel" shall not include any
person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct
then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing
either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine
Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(f) The term "Proceeding" shall include any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration,
alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry,
administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed
proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or
otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or
unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or
investigative nature, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be
involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was a director or agent of the Company or by
reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of
any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while
acting as a director or agent of the Company, in each case whether
or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or
Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or
advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(g) The term "Subsidiary," with respect to
any person, shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a
majority of the voting power or the voting equity securities or
equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that
person.
3. Indemnity in Third-Party
Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify and hold
harmless Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a
party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any
Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the
Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this
Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses,
judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges
paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses,
judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement)
actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on
Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any
claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith
and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a
criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that
Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
4. Indemnity in Proceedings
by or in the Right of the Company. The Company
shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is
threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or
otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to
procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4,
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf
in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter
therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be
made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter
as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court
to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any
court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court
shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of
liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnification.
5. Indemnification for
Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a
participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in
any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein,
in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless
Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly
successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or
otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or
matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify and hold
harmless Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in
connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.
If the Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the
Company also shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against
all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue
or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which the
Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section and without
limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a
Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed
to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6. Intentionally
Omitted
7. Additional
Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in
Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law if Indemnitee is a party
to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a
Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment
in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee
in connection with the Proceeding.
(b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the
meaning of the phrase "to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law" shall include, but not be limited to:
i. to the fullest extent permitted by the
provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional
indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any
amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and
ii. to the fullest extent authorized or
permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted
after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which
a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
8. Contribution in the Event
of Joint Liability.
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under
applicable law, if the indemnification and hold harmless rights
provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in
whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of
indemnifying and holding harmless Indemnitee, shall pay, in the
first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether
for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be
paid in settlement or for Expenses, in connection with any
Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such
payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right
of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any
settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable
with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless
such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims
asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully
indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee from any claims for
contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or
employees of the Company who may be jointly liable with
Indemnitee.
9. Exclusions.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the
Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any
indemnity in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been
received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy
or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess
beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy,
contract, agreement, other indemnity provision or otherwise;
(b) except as otherwise provided in Section
14(e) hereof, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any
Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or
any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the
Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees,
unless the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any
Proceeding) prior to its initiation;
(c) if such indemnification is not
lawful;
(d) if Indemnitee’s conduct giving
rise to the claim with respect to which indemnification is
requested was knowingly fraudulent, a knowing violation of law,
deliberately dishonest or in bad faith or constituted willful
misconduct;
(e) in respect of any claim based upon or
attributable to Indemnitee gaining in fact any personal profit or
advantage to which Indemnitee was not legally entitled.
10. Advances of Expenses; Defense of
Claim.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, and to the fullest extent not prohibited
by applicable law, the Company shall advance the Expenses
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by
Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in
connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the
receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such
advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final
disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and
interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to
Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard
to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under
the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any
and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to
enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred
preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the
advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify for advances, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, solely upon the
execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking providing
that the Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent
that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to
be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this
Agreement, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Company, the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company,
applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to
any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded
pursuant to Section 9.
(b) The Company will be entitled to
participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any
action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) that would impose
any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on the
Indemnitee without the Indemnitee’s prior written
consent.
11. Procedure for Notification and
Application for Indemnification.
(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in
writing promptly upon being served with any summons, citation,
subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document
relating to any Proceeding or matter that may be subject to
indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The
failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve
the Company of any obligation that it may have to the Indemnitee
under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a
written application to indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee in
accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be
delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems
appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a
written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, the
Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be
determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12. Procedure Upon Application for
Indemnification.
(a) A determination, if required by
applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to
indemnification shall be made in the specific case by
|
