Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNITY
AGREEMENT
This Indemnity Agreement (“
Agreement ”) is made as of ____________ , 20[__] by
and between Conceptus, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”), and __________ _______ (“
Indemnitee ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons
have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as
directors or in other capacities unless they are provided with
adequate protection through insurance or 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, the Board of Directors of
the Company (the “ Board ”) has determined that,
in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company
will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense,
liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its
subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the
furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread
practice among U.S.-based corporations and other business
enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market
conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the
future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At
the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to
corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly
subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to,
among other things, matters that traditionally would have been
brought only against the Company or business enterprise
itself. The Amended and Restated By-laws (the “
By-laws ”) of the Company require indemnification of
the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may
also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to applicable
provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “
DGCL ”). The By-laws and the DGCL expressly
provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are
not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be
entered into between the Company and members of the board of
directors, officers and other persons with respect to
indemnification;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating
to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the
difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined
that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such
persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s
stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons
that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the
future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent
and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to
indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will
serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that
they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a
supplement to and in furtherance of the By-laws of the Company and
any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a
substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of
Indemnitee thereunder;
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WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard
the protection available under the Company’s By-laws and
insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be
willing to serve as an officer or director without adequate
protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such
capacity. 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 he be so indemnified.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and
Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
1.
Services to the
Company .
Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director
or key employee of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly
elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his
resignation.
2.
Definitions
. As used
in this Agreement:
(a)
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 enterprise at the request of, for the convenience
of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of
the Company.
(b)
The
terms “ Beneficial Owner ” and “
Beneficial Ownership ” shall have the meanings set
forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined
below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c)
A
“ Change in Control ” shall be deemed to occur
upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any
of the following events:
(i)
Acquisition of
Stock by Third Party .
Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial
Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the combined voting
power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the
change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s
securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the
aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such
acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as
defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change
in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii)
Change in Board
of Directors .
Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board,
and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for
election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote
of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who
were directors on the date hereof or whose election for nomination
for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “
Continuing Directors ”), cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of the members of the
Board;
(iii)
Corporate
Transactions . The
effective date of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the
Company (a “ Business Combination ”), in each
case, unless,
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following such
Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the
individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of
securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors
immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power
of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business
Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as
a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or
substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or
through one or more Subsidiaries) in substantially the same
proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business
Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors; (2) no Person (excluding any corporation
resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner,
directly or indirectly, of twenty percent (20%) or more of the
combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors of such corporation
except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the
Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of
Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business
Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution
of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of
Directors, providing for such Business Combination;
(iv)
Liquidation
. The
approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete
liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements
for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially
all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the
Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such
approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with
such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a
series of related transactions); or
(v)
Other
Events . There
occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be
reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A
(or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form)
promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or
not the Company is then subject to such reporting
requirement.
(d)
“
Corporate Status ” describes the status of a person
who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner,
managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of
any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was
serving at the request of the Company.
(e)
“
Delaware Court ” shall mean the Court of Chancery of
the State of Delaware.
(f)
“
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.
(g)
“
Enterprise ” shall mean the Company and any other
corporation, constituent corporation (including any
constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger
to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a
party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of
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which
Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member,
fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h)
“
Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended.
(i)
“
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 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 (as defined below). Expenses
also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal
resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), 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.
(j)
References to
“ fines ” shall include any excise tax assessed
on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan; references
to “serving at the request of the Company” shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or
fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves
services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary
with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or
beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests
of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan,
Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not
opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to
in this Agreement.
(k)
“
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 (as defined below) 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.
(l)
The
term “ Person ” shall have the meaning as set
forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect
on the date hereof; provided , however , that
“Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any
Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any
employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as
defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly
or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company;
and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an
employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined
below) of the Company or of a corporation owned
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directly or
indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the
same proportions as their ownership of stock of the
Company.
(m)
A
“ Potential Change in Control ” shall be deemed
to have occurred if (i) the Company enters into an agreement or
arrangement, the consummation of which would result in the
occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) any Person or the Company
publicly announces an intention to take or consider taking actions
which if consummated would constitute a Change in Control; (iii)
any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 5% or more of
the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding
securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors
increases his Beneficial Ownership of such securities by 5% or more
over the percentage so owned by such Person on the date hereof; or
(iv) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes
of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has
occurred.
(n)
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 officer of the Company, by
reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by him or of any
action (or failure to act) on his part while acting as a director
or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or
agent of any other Enterprise, 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.
(o)
The
term “ Subsidiary ,” with respect to any Person,
shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of
the voting power of 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
his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue
or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner he 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 his 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
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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 him or on his behalf in
connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter
therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he
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 him 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
him or on his 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.
Indemnification
For Expenses of a Witness .
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the
extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a
witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he
shall be indemnified and held harmless against all Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in
connection therewith.
7.
Additional
Indemnification .
(a)
Notwithstanding
any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify
and hold harmless Indemnitee 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, 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 in
connection with the Proceeding. No indemnity shall be made
under this Section 7(a) on account of Indemnitee’s conduct
which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to
the Company or its stockholders or is an
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act
or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional
misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
(b)
Notwithstanding
any limitation in Sections 3, 4, 5 or 7(a), the Company shall
indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee 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, 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 in
connection with the Proceeding.
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 and/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 other than
Indemnitee 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, cont
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