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SOCKET MOBILE, INC. [FORM OF] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

Indemnification Agreement

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This Indemnification Agreement involves

SOCKET MOBILE, INC.

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Title: SOCKET MOBILE, INC. [FORM OF] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Delaware     Date: 1/27/2009
Industry: Computer Hardware     Sector: Technology

SOCKET MOBILE, INC. [FORM OF] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT, Parties: socket mobile  inc.
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Exhibit 10.1

 

SOCKET MOBILE, INC.
[FORM OF]
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Indemnification Agreement (" Agreement ") is made as of [ date ] by and between Socket Mobile, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the " Company "), and [ name of indemnitee ] (" Indemnitee "). The Indemnification Agreement replaces Indemnification Agreements previously in effect.

WHEREAS, Indemnitee's service to the Company substantially benefits the Company;

WHEREAS, competent and experienced individuals are reluctant to serve as directors or officers of corporations or in certain other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or indemnification against the risks of claims and actions against them arising out of such service;

WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the Company's governing documents and any insurance as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to continue to serve in such capacities without additional protection;

WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to contractually obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee as permitted by applicable law; and

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Company's certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and this Agreement shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor shall this Agreement be deemed to limit, diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

NOW THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby agree as follows:

1. Definitions .

       (a) 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 (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities;

              (ii) Change in Board Composition . During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Company's board of directors, and any new directors (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 1(a)(i), 1(a)(iii) or 1(a)(iv)) whose election by the board of directors 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 either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Company's board of directors;

 

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              (iii) Corporate Transactions . The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;

              (iv) Liquidation . The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets; and

              (v) Other Events . 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 in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

              (vi) Definitions with Respect to this Section 1(a) . For purposes of this Section 1(a), the following terms shall have the following meanings:

                     (1) " Person " shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; provided , however , that " Person " shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) 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.

                     (2) " Beneficial Owner " shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; provided, however, that " Beneficial Owner " shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of (i) the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity or (ii) the Company's board of directors approving a sale of securities by the Company to such Person.

       (b) " Corporate Status " describes the status of a person who is or was a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise.

       (c) " DGCL " means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.       

 

 

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       (d) " Disinterested Director " means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

       (e) " Enterprise " shall mean the Company and any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.

       (f) " Expenses " shall include all reasonable attorneys' fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees and costs of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred 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 (i) 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 their equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 12(c), Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee's rights under this Agreement or under any directors' and officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

       (g) " Independent Counsel " means a law firm, or a partner or 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 Indemnitee under this Agreement, or matters concerning 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.

       (h) " Proceeding " means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or other proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, including any appeal therefrom and including without limitation any such proceeding pending as of the date of this Agreement, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of (i) the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, (ii) any action taken by Indemnitee or any action or inaction on Indemnitee's part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or (iii) the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or 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 or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.

 

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       (i) Reference to " other enterprises " shall include employee benefit plans; references to " fines " shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person 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 or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner " not opposed to the best interests of the Company " as referred to in this Agreement.

2. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings . The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant 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 2, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

3. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company . The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law 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 he or she 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 3 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought 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 for such expenses as the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful . To the extent that Indemnitee is a party to or a participant in and is successful (on the merits or otherwise) in defense of any Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee's behalf in connection therewith. To the extent permitted by applicable law, if Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee's behalf in connection with (a) each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter and (b) any claim, issue or matter related to any such successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. 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.

 

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5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee's behalf in connection therewith.

6. Additional Indemnification .

       (a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 2, 3 or 4, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if Indemnitee is a party to or is threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including, if permissible, 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 or on his or her behalf in connection with the Proceeding.

       (b) For purposes of Section 6(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.

7. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):

       (a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any statute, insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any statute, insurance policy or other indemnity provision;

       (b) for an accounting or disgorgement of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

       (c) for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the " Sarbanes-Oxley Act "), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

 

 

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       (d) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Company's board of directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law, (iii) otherwise authorized in Section 12(c) or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law; or

       (e) if prohibited by applicable law.

8. Advancement of Expenses . The Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days, after the receipt by the Company of a written statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditure made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice). Advances shall be unsecured and interest free and made without regard to Indemnitee's ability to repay such advances. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay any advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company, which undertaking shall itself be sufficient without the need for further evaluation of any credit aspects of the undertaking or with respect to such advancement. This Section 8 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to this Agreement.

9. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim .

       (a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of written notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company hereunder will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement, except to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.

       (b) If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a Proceeding pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt not


 
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