Exhibit 10.2
Execution Copy
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS
AGREEMENT (this
“Agreement” ) is dated November 15, 2005,
by AJUTA INTERNATIONAL PTY. LTD. , an Australian company, as
Trustee of Hypatia Trust, a trust created under the laws of
Victoria, Australia ( “Seller” ), and EPIQ
SYSTEMS, INC. , a Missouri corporation (
“EPIQ” ).
RECITALS:
1.
Seller is the sole shareholder of nMatrix, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ( “nMatrix U.S.” ) and nMatrix
Australia Pty. Ltd., an Australian company ( “nMatrix
Australia” ). nMatrix Australia is in turn the sole
shareholder of nMatrix Ltd., a United Kingdom company (
“nMatrix U.K.,” nMatrix U.S., nMatrix Australia
and nMatrix U.K. are herein collectively called the
“nMatrix” );
2.
Seller has agreed to sell to EPIQ and EPIQ has agreed to purchase
from Seller, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock of nMatrix U.S. and of nMatrix Australia (collectively, the
“Acquired Shares” ), all on the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in a Stock Purchase Agreement
between Seller and EPIQ dated the date hereof (the
“Purchase Agreement” ).
3.
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, EPIQ will issue to Seller,
Seller’s nominee or the Escrow Agent referred to below an
aggregate of 1,228,501 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value, of
EPIQ (the “EPIQ Shares” ) as payment of a
portion of the consideration for the purchase of the Acquired
Shares by EPIQ.
4.
Pursuant to an Escrow Agreement dated the date hereof (the
“Escrow Agreement” ) among Seller, EPIQ and
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as escrow agent (the “Escrow
Agent” ), Seller has deposited 245,700 of the EPIQ Shares
with the Escrow Agent to be held in accordance with the terms of
the Escrow Agreement.
5.
This Agreement is being entered into by EPIQ in accordance with the
Purchase Agreement to provide for certain registration rights of
Seller with respect to the EPIQ Shares and to provide limited price
protection to Seller with respect to certain sales of the EPIQ
Shares by Seller, all in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
NOW THEREFORE,
in consideration of the foregoing
and the mutual covenants and agreements set forth below, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1.
DEFINITIONS. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following
meanings:
“EPIQ Shelf
Registration” has
the meaning given that term in Section 3(a) of
this Agreement.
“Exchange
Act” means the U.S.
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other similar
U.S. federal statute, and the rules and regulations of the SEC
thereunder, as may be in effect from time to time.
“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by any
prospectus supplement (including any prospectus supplement with
respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the
Registrable Shares covered by the Registration Statement),
and
all other amendments and supplements to the
Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material
incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus.
“Registrable
Shares” means
(a) the EPIQ Shares issued to Seller pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement, whether held by Seller, by any nominee on behalf of
Seller or by the Escrow Agent under the Escrow Agreement, and
(b) any shares of capital stock issued or issuable, from time
to time, upon any reclassification, share combination, share
subdivision, stock split, share dividend, merger, consolidation or
similar transaction or event or otherwise as a distribution on, in
exchange for or with respect to the EPIQ Shares, in each case held
at the relevant time by Seller.
“Registration
Period” means the
period not exceeding, the earlier of (i) the second
anniversary of the date of this Agreement, (ii) the date on
which Seller may sell all the EPIQ Shares then held by Seller
without restriction by the volume limitations of
Rule 144(e) of the Securities Act, or (iii) when all
Registrable Shares held by Seller have been sold (A) pursuant
to a registration statement, (B) to or through a broker or
dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or a public
securities transaction, or (C) in a transaction exempt from
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act under Section 4(1) thereof so that all
transfer restrictions and restrictive legends with respect thereto,
if any, are removed upon the consummation of the sale.
“Registration
Statement” means
the EPIQ Shelf Registration, the Seller Shelf Registration, or both
the EPIQ Shelf Registration and the Seller Shelf Registration, and
for purposes of Section 6 includes any final
Prospectus, exhibit, supplement or amendment included in or
relating to the Registration Statement.
“Sale
Price” has the
meaning given that term in Section 13 of this
Agreement.
“Securities
Act” means the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar U.S. federal
statue, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder,
as may be in effect from time to time.
“Seller Shelf
Registration” has
the meaning given that term in Section 2(a) of
this Agreement.
“Selling
Expense” means all
underwriting discounts and selling commissions and stock transfer
fees and taxes applicable to the sale of the Registrable Shares,
and all fees and expenses of counsel and advisors to Seller or any
affiliate of Seller. If Seller uses an underwriter for
purposes of any sale of Registrable Shares under
Section 2 , Selling Expenses will also include all
expenses of the underwriter and all expenses of EPIQ directly
related to the participation of an underwriter in the offering,
including incremental legal and accounting costs of EPIQ to satisfy
any customary requirements of the underwriter.
“Selling
Stockholder” for
purposes of Section 6 means Seller and any affiliate of
Seller.
“Share
Price” means
$20.35, determined as set forth in the Purchase Agreement, subject
to adjustment after the date hereof to give effect to any
reclassification, share combination, share subdivision, stock
split, share dividend, merger, consolidation or similar transaction
or event or otherwise as a distribution on, in exchange for or with
respect to the EPIQ Shares.
“Suspension” has the meaning given that term in
Section 5(b) of this Agreement.
“Suspension
Notice” has the
meaning given that term in Section 5(b) of this
Agreement.
“ untrue statement
” for purposes of Section 6 includes any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement, or any omission or alleged
omission to state in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
a
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material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
2.
REGISTRATION; REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. EPIQ shall:
(a)
subject to receipt of necessary information from Seller, prepare
and file with the SEC, as soon as practicable after March 1,
2006, but not later than April 15, 2006, a registration
statement (the “Seller Shelf Registration” ) on
Form S-3 or any other available form to enable the resale of
the Registrable Shares by Seller, Seller’s nominee and the
Escrow Agent on a delayed or continuous basis under Rule 415
of the Securities Act, provided, however, that EPIQ will not be
responsible for any delay beyond the control of EPIQ in the filing
of the Seller Shelf Registration due to delay in the preparation of
audited financial statements of nMatrix required to be filed with
the SEC in accordance with Form 8-K;
(b)
use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become
effective as soon as reasonably practicable after the filing of the
Registration Statement;
(c)
use its best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC such
amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus used in connection therewith and take all such other
actions as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement
current and effective during the Registration Period;
(d)
promptly furnish to Seller with respect to the Registrable Shares
registered under the Registration Statement that number of copies
of the Registration Statement, Prospectuses and Preliminary
Prospectuses (in electronic form) in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act and such other documents as
Seller may reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public
sale or other disposition of the Registrable Shares by
Seller;
(e)
promptly take such action as may be necessary to qualify, or
obtain, an exemption for the Registrable Shares under such of the
state securities laws of United States jurisdictions as is
necessary to qualify, or obtain an exemption for, the sale of the
Registrable Shares in states specified in writing by Seller;
provided, however, that EPIQ shall not be required to qualify to do
business or consent to service of process in any jurisdiction in
which it is not now so qualified or has not so
consented;
(f)
advise Seller, within two business days by e-mail, fax or other
type of communication, and, if requested by such person, confirm
such advice in writing: (i) after it receives notice or
obtains knowledge of the issuance of any stop order by the SEC
delaying or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for that
purpose, or any other order issued by any state securities
commission or other regulatory authority suspending the
qualification or exemption from qualification of the Registrable
Shares under state securities or “blue sky” laws; and
it will promptly use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any stop order or other order or to obtain its withdrawal at the
earliest possible moment if such stop order or other order should
be issued; (ii) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with
respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; and
(iii) after EPIQ receives notice or obtains knowledge of the
existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any
statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any
document incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires
the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein
not misleading; and
(g)
otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable
rules and regulations of the SEC that could affect the sale of
the Registrable Shares; and
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(h)
use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Shares to be listed
on the Nasdaq National Market or any other securities exchange or
market, if any, on which equity securities issued by EPIQ are then
listed.
3.
EPIQ SHELF REGISTRATION.
(a)
If EPIQ (i) proposes to file a registration statement to
enable the sale of shares of common stock by EPIQ on a delayed or
continuous basis under Rule 415 of the Securities Act (the
“EPIQ Shelf Registration” ), and
(ii) proposes to immediately after the effectiveness of the
EPIQ Shelf Registration to sell common stock pursuant to the EPIQ
Shelf Registration to or through an underwriter or placement agent
(whether a firm commitment underwriting, a best efforts
underwriting or a placement to institutional investors), EPIQ will
notify Seller no less than 15 days prior to the filing of the EPIQ
Shelf Registration and offer to include the Registrable Shares then
held by Seller in the EPIQ Shelf Registration. Seller will
have 5 days after receipt of written notice of EPIQ’s
intention to file the EPIQ Shelf Registration to elect to include
the Registrable Shares in the EPIQ Shelf Registration.
(b)
If Seller elects to include Registrable Shares in the EPIQ Shelf
Registration, EPIQ will take all steps specified in
Section 2(b) through (h) with respect to the
EPIQ Shelf Registration as EPIQ is otherwise required to take with
respect to the Seller Shelf Registration.
(c)
If EPIQ proposes to sell shares of common stock for EPIQ’s
account under the EPIQ Shelf Registration through an underwriter or
placement agent, EPIQ will, to the extent permitted by the
underwriter or placement agent, include some or all the Registrable
Shares held by Seller in the offering by the underwriter or
placement agent on behalf of EPIQ. If any proposed
distribution under the EPIQ Shelf Registration will be by or
through a placement agent or underwriter, the right of Seller to
participate in the distribution will be subject to the following
conditions: (i) Seller enters into, and perform its
obligations under, an underwriting agreement in customary form with
the managing underwriter selected for the underwriting;
(ii) during the course of the public offering or institutional
placement, Seller cooperates with EPIQ and takes such actions as
are customarily required by underwriters in those circumstances;
(iii) during the period that the Registration Statement is
effective, Seller makes no other distribution of Registrable
Shares; and (iv) if the underwriters for the public offering
of securities of EPIQ so request in writing of Seller and certain
officers and directors of EPIQ, Seller agrees not to sell any EPIQ
common stock held by Seller (other than Registrable Shares being
registered in the offering), without the consent of the
underwriters, for a period of not less than the period during which
the requested officers of EPIQ agree not to effect such
sales. If EPIQ is advised in writing in good faith by any
managing underwriter of the common stock being offered in a public
offering or institutional placement that the number of shares of
common stock proposed to be offered is greater than the amount that
can be offered without adversely affecting the offering, EPIQ may,
at its sole discretion, reduce the number of Registrable Shares
included in the offering, it being understood that the securities
to be included in the offering will first be allocated to EPIQ and
then pro rata among Seller and any other stockholders seeking to
include securities in the offering.
4.
SELLER OBLIGATIONS.
(a)
In connection with the filing of either Registration Statement,
Seller will furnish to EPIQ as expeditiously as possible, such
documents or information with respect to itself and the proposed
sale or distribution of the Registrable Shares, as is reasonably
necessary in order to assure compliance of U.S. federal and
applicable state securities laws. In addition, as a condition
to any proposed sale or distribution of the Registrable Shares,
Seller agrees that, in connection with any proposed sale or
distribution of Registrable Shares, Seller will comply with
applicable prospectus delivery requirements,
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and that such shares of Registrable Shares will
be sold or distributed in accordance with the method of sale set
forth in the Registration Statement.
(b)
Seller will promptly notify EPIQ in writing of any changes in the
information set fo