Exhibit 10.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT
This AMENDED AND RESTATED
STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT (including Appendix A hereto, as such
Appendix A may be amended from time to time pursuant to the
provisions hereof, this “ Agreement ”), is made
and entered into as of November 6, 2006, by and among LAZ-MD
Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability corporation (“
LAZ-MD ”), the individuals listed on the signature
page hereto, and, solely for the purposes of Articles I, II, IV and
V hereto, Lazard Ltd, an exempted Bermuda limited company (“
Lazard Ltd ”).
W I T N E S S E T
H:
WHEREAS, the Covered Persons (as
defined below) are beneficial owners of Class II Interests (as
defined below) of LAZ-MD; and
WHEREAS, LAZ-MD holds the
outstanding share of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of Lazard Ltd (“ Class B Common Stock ”);
and
WHEREAS, LAZ-MD and Lazard Ltd are
parties to that certain Master Separation Agreement (the “
Master Separation Agreement ”), dated as of
May 10, 2005, with Lazard Group (as defined below) and LFCM
Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as amended,
pursuant to which, inter alia , the parties thereto have
agreed to the exchange of Class II Interests effectively for
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Lazard Ltd
(the “ Common Stock ”); and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto have
entered into that certain Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as
of May 10, 2005 (the “ Original Agreement
”), in order to provide for certain voting arrangements with
respect to the Class B Common Stock and to grant certain
registration rights to the Covered Persons; and
WHEREAS, the parties to the Original
Agreement desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement to
read in its entirety as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and of the mutual agreements, covenants and provisions
herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER
MATTERS
Section 1.1 Definitions .
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement without other definition
shall, unless expressly stated otherwise, have the meanings
specified in this Section 1.1:
(a) “ Agreement ”
has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals.
(b) A “ beneficial
owner ” of a security includes any person who, directly
or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding,
relationship or otherwise has or shares: (i) voting power,
which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such
security and/or (ii) investment power, which includes the
power to dispose, or to direct the disposition of, such security,
but for purposes of this Agreement a person shall not be deemed a
beneficial owner of (A) Covered Interests solely by virtue of
the application of Exchange Act Rule 13d-3(d) or Exchange Act Rule
13d-5 as in effect on the date hereof, (B) Covered Interests
solely by virtue of the possession of the legal right to vote
securities under applicable state or other law (such as by proxy or
power of attorney), or (C) Covered Interests held of record by
a “private foundation” subject to the requirements of
Section 509 of the Code. “ Beneficially own
” and “ beneficial ownership ” shall have
correlative meanings.
(c) “ Board ”
means the Board of Directors of LAZ-MD.
(d) “ Board Review
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.4(b).
(e) “ Class B Common
Stock ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Recitals.
(f) “ Class II Interest
” means, with respect to any Covered Person, such Covered
Person’s “Class II Interest” as defined in the
Operating Agreement.
(g) “ Common Stock
” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Recitals.
(h) “ Continuing
Provisions ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 5.1(b).
(i) “ Covered Interest
” means, with respect to a Covered Person, such Covered
Person’s Class II Interest or Lazard Group Common Interest,
as the case may be.
(j) “ Covered Persons
” means those persons from time to time who are listed on
Appendix A hereto and who have become parties to this Agreement, in
each case in accordance with the terms hereof.
(k) “ Damages ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.
(l) “ Delaware Arbitration
Act ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.4(d).
(m) “ Demand Notice
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.2(a).
(n) “ Demand
Registration ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.2(a).
(o) “ Demand Requesting
Covered Persons ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.2(a).
(p) “ Disputes ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
(q) “ Exchange Act
” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and as each of
the foregoing may be further amended from time to time.
(r) “ Filing ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5.
(s) “ Governmental
Authority ” means any national, local or foreign
(including U.S. federal, state or local) or supranational
(including European Union) governmental, judicial, administrative
or regulatory (including self-regulatory) agency, commission,
department, board, bureau, entity or authority of competent
jurisdiction.
(t) “ ICC ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
(u) “ ICC Rules ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(b).
(v) “ Indemnified Party
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8.
(w) “ Indemnifying
Party ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.8.
(x) “ IPO Date ”
means the closing date of the initial public offering of the Common
Stock, which occurred on the date hereof.
(y) “ LAZ-MD ”
has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals.
(z) “ Lazard Ltd
” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Recitals.
(aa) “ Lazard Group
” means Lazard Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company.
(bb) “ Lazard Group Common
Interest ” means, with respect to any Covered Person,
such Covered Person’s “Common Interest” as
defined in the Lazard Group Operating Agreement.
(cc) “ Lazard Group
Operating Agreement ” means the Operating Agreement of
Lazard Group LLC, as amended and restated as of May 10, 2005,
and as amended and further amended from time to time
hereafter.
(dd) “ LFCM ”
means LFCM Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company.
(ee) “ LFCM Operating
Agreement ” means the Operating Agreement of LFCM
Holdings LLC, as amended and restated as of May 10, 2005, and
as amended and further amended from time to time
hereafter.
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(ff) “ Master Separation
Agreement ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Recitals.
(gg) “ Minimum Demand
Number ” means, as of any particular date, that number of
shares of Common Stock equal to the lesser of (a) the quotient
obtained by dividing (i) $50,000,000 by (ii) the Stock
Price as of such date; provided , however , that on
and after the six months following the nine-year anniversary of the
IPO Date, “$50,000,000” in this definition shall be
replaced with “$20,000,000,” and
(b) 2,000,000.
(hh) “ Minimum Share
Number ” means that number of shares of Common Stock
equal to the lesser of (a) the quotient obtained by dividing
(i) $50,000,000 by (ii) the Stock Price as of the
applicable anniversary of the IPO Date and
(b) 2,000,000.
(ii) “ Operating
Agreement ” means the Operating Agreement of LAZ-MD
Holdings LLC, as amended and restated as of May 10, 2005, and
as amended and further amended from time to time
hereafter.
(jj) “ Periodic Filing
Date ” means the date of the first to occur following the
applicable anniversary of the IPO Date of the filing of the Form
10-K or Form 10-Q of Lazard Ltd with the SEC under the Exchange
Act.
(kk) “ Permitted
Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.1(c).
(ll) “ Piggyback
Registration ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.3(a).
(mm) “ Preliminary Vote
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.
(nn) “ Public Offering
” means an underwritten public offering pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act, other
than pursuant to a registration statement on Forms S-4 or S-8 or
any similar or successor form.
(oo) “ Registration
Expenses ” means any and all expenses incident to the
performance of or compliance with any registration or marketing of
securities, including all (i) registration and filing fees,
and all other fees and expenses payable in connection with the
listing of securities on any securities exchange or automated
interdealer quotation system, (ii) fees and expenses of
compliance with any securities or “blue sky” laws
(including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in
connection with “blue sky” qualifications of the
securities registered), (iii) expenses in connection with the
preparation, printing, mailing and delivery of any registration
statements, prospectuses and other documents in connection
therewith and any amendments or supplements thereto,
(iv) security engraving and printing expenses,
(v) internal expenses of Lazard Ltd (including, without
limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees
performing legal or accounting duties), (vi) reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for Lazard Ltd and customary fees and
expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by
Lazard Ltd (including the expenses relating to any comfort letters
or costs associated with the delivery by independent certified
public accountants of any comfort letters requested pursuant to
Section 4.5(h)), (vii) reasonable fees and expenses of
any special experts retained by Lazard Ltd in connection with such
registration, (viii) reasonable fees, out-of-pocket costs and
expenses of the Covered Persons, including one counsel for all of
the Covered Persons participating in the offering selected by the
Covered Persons holding the majority of the Registrable Securities
to be sold for the account of all Covered Persons in the offering,
(ix) fees and expenses in connection with any review by the
NASD of the underwriting arrangements or other terms of the
offering, and all fees and expenses of any “qualified
independent underwriter,” including the fees and expenses of
any counsel thereto, (x) fees and disbursements of
underwriters customarily paid by issuers or sellers of securities,
but excluding any underwriting fees, discounts and commissions
attributable to the sale of Registrable Securities, (xi) costs
of printing and producing any agreements among underwriters,
underwriting agreements, any “blue sky” or legal
investment memoranda and any selling agreements and other documents
in connection with the offering, sale or delivery of the
Registrable Securities, (xii) transfer agents’ and
registrars’ fees and expenses and the fees and expenses of
any other agent or trustee appointed in connection with such
offering, (xiii) expenses relating to any analyst or investor
presentations or any “road shows” undertaken in
connection with the registration, marketing or selling of the
Registrable Securities, (xiv) fees and expenses payable in
connection with any ratings of the
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Registrable Securities, including
expenses relating to any presentations to rating agencies and
(xv) all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by Lazard
Ltd or its appropriate officers in connection with their compliance
with Section 4.5(l).
(pp) “ Registrable
Securities ” means all shares of Common Stock (and any
securities issued or issuable in respect of such Common Stock by
way of conversion, exchange, stock dividend, split or combination,
recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, other
reorganization or otherwise) that are received by Covered Persons
(or then eligible for receipt by Covered Persons pursuant to an MD
Exchange under the Master Separation Agreement (to the extent that
such Covered Persons’ LAZ-MD Holdings Class II Interests or
Lazard Group Common Interests (or applicable portions thereof) is
exchangeable pursuant to an MD Exchange), assuming compliance with
applicable procedural requirements) in exchange for (1) Class
II Interests of Covered Persons or (2) Lazard Group Common
Interests of Covered Persons (collectively, “ MD
Exchangeable Interests ”) that are received in exchange
for such Covered Persons’ Class II Interests, in each case,
pursuant to Section 7.04 of the Operating Agreement (“
Covered Shares ”) and that may be deemed
“restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144(a)(3)
under the Securities Act; provided , that Covered Shares
that are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k) of the Securities Act
shall cease to be Registrable Securities; provided ,
however , that in the event that a Covered Person
beneficially owns Covered Shares that, in the aggregate, total a
number of shares of Common Stock equal to or greater than the
quotient obtained by dividing (x) $25,000,000 by (y) the
Stock Price as of five Business Days prior to the expected
effectiveness of the applicable registration statement, any such
Covered Shares that would have ceased to be Registrable Securities
pursuant to the immediately foregoing proviso shall continue to be
Registrable Securities so long as such Covered Person beneficially
owns Covered Shares totaling at least such value as of each such
applicable measurement date. A share of Common Stock (and any
securities issued or issuable in respect of such Common Stock by
way of conversion, exchange, stock dividend, split or combination,
recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, other
reorganization or otherwise) shall cease to be a Registrable
Security upon any sale of such share of Common Stock (or, as
applicable, such securities issued or issuable in respect of Common
Stock by way of conversion, exchange, stock dividend, split or
combination, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation,
other reorganization or otherwise) to the public pursuant to, and
in accordance with, a registration statement, including any
registration statements contemplated hereby, or pursuant to Rule
144 under the Securities Act, Regulation S under the Securities Act
or Section 4(1) of the Securities Act.
(qq) “ Restricted
Person ” means any person that is not (i) a Covered
Person or (ii) a director, officer or employee of LAZ-MD
acting in such person’s capacity as a director, officer or
employee.
(rr) “ SEC ”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(ss) “ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder, and as each of the
foregoing may be further amended from time to time.
(tt) “ Stock Price
” means, as of any particular date, the closing price as of
such date of a share of Common Stock on the primary national
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is traded, as
reported by Bloomberg L.P. or, if Bloomberg L.P. is not available,
as determined by another reputable third-party information source
selected by Lazard Ltd.
(uu) “ Subsidiary
” means, with respect to any person, any corporation, limited
liability company, company, partnership, trust, association or
other legal entity or organization of which such person (either
directly or through one or more subsidiaries of such person)
(a) owns, directly or indirectly, a majority of the capital
stock or other equity interests the holders of which are generally
entitled to vote for the election of the board of directors or
other governing body of such corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, trust, association or other legal entity or
organization, or (b) is otherwise entitled to exercise
(1) a majority of the voting power generally in the election
of the board of directors or other governing body of such
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust,
association or other legal entity or organization or
(2) control of such corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, trust, association or other legal entity or
organization.
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(vv) “ Transfer ”
means, with respect to any Covered Interests, (i) when used as
a verb, to sell, assign, dispose of, exchange, pledge, encumber,
hypothecate or otherwise transfer such Covered Interests or any
participation or interest therein, whether directly or indirectly,
or agree or commit to do any of the foregoing, and (ii) when
used as a noun, a direct or indirect sale, assignment, disposition,
exchange, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, or other transfer of
such Covered Interests or any participation or interest therein or
any agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing.
Section 1.2 Definitions
Generally . Wherever required by the context of this Agreement,
the singular shall include the plural and vice versa, and the
masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders and
vice versa, and references to any agreement, document or instrument
shall be deemed to refer to such agreement, document or instrument
as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time. When used
herein:
(a) the word “or” is not
exclusive;
(b) the words
“including,” “includes,”
“included” and “include” are deemed to be
followed by the words “without limitation”;
(c) the terms “herein,”
“hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of
similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular section, paragraph or subdivision;
(d) the word “person”
means any individual, corporation, limited liability company,
trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership or other
legal entity or a government or any department or agency thereof or
self-regulatory organization; and
(e) all section, paragraph or clause
references not attributed to a particular document shall be
references to such parts of this Agreement, and all exhibit, annex
and schedule references not attributed to a particular document
shall be references to such exhibits, annexes and schedules to this
Agreement.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
Section 2.1 Representations and
Warranties of Covered Persons .
(a) Each Covered Person severally
represents and warrants to each of LAZ-MD and Lazard Ltd, as of the
date hereof and as of the date of the registration of any of such
Covered Person’s Registrable Securities and as of the date of
any Demand Notice delivered by or on behalf of such Covered Person,
that: such Covered Person has good, valid and marketable title to
the Covered Interests and Registrable Securities, as applicable, in
each case free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest,
charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind, other than
(A) pursuant to this Agreement or another agreement with the
issuer of the Covered Interest or Registrable Securities, as the
case may be, by which such Covered Person is bound and to which the
Covered Interest or Registrable Securities, as applicable, are
subject, and (B) in the case of Covered Interests, the
Operating Agreement or Lazard Group Operating Agreement, as
applicable; and
(b) Each Covered Person severally
represents and warrants to each of LAZ-MD and Lazard Ltd, as of the
date hereof and as of the date of the registration of any of such
Covered Person’s Registrable Securities and as of the date of
any Demand Notice delivered by or on behalf of such Covered Person,
if the Covered Person is other than a natural person, with respect
to subsections (i) through (x), and if the Covered Person is a
natural person, with respect to subsections (iv) through
(x) only: (i) such Covered Person is duly organized and
validly existing in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of such Covered Person’s formation;
(ii) such Covered Person has full right, power and authority
to enter into and perform this Agreement; (iii) the execution
and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of the
transactions contemplated herein have been duly authorized, and no
further proceedings on the part of such Covered Person are
necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement; and this Agreement has been duly executed by such
Covered Person; (iv) the person signing this Agreement on
behalf of such Covered Person has been duly authorized by such
Covered Person to do so; (v) this
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Agreement constitutes the legal,
valid and binding obligation of such Covered Person, enforceable
against such Covered Person in accordance with its terms (subject
to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity
principles); (vi) neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by such Covered Person nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein conflicts with or results in a
breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any
agreement or instrument to which such Covered Person is a party or
by which the material assets of such Covered Person are bound
(including the organizational documents of such Covered Person, if
such Covered Person is other than a natural person), or constitutes
a default under any of the foregoing, or violates any law or
regulation; (vii) such Covered Person has obtained all
authorizations, consents, approvals and clearances of all courts,
governmental agencies and authorities, and any other person, if any
(including the spouse of such Covered Person with respect to the
interest of such spouse in the Covered Interests or Registrable
Securities of such Covered Person if the consent of such spouse is
required), required to permit such Covered Person to enter into
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
herein; (viii) there are no actions, suits or proceedings
pending, or, to the knowledge of such Covered Person, threatened
against or affecting such Covered Person or such Covered
Person’s assets in any court or before or by any federal,
state, municipal or other governmental department, commission,
board, bureau, agency or instrumentality which, if adversely
determined, would impair the ability of such Covered Person to
perform this Agreement; (ix) the performance of this Agreement
will not violate any order, writ, injunction, decree or demand of
any court or federal, state, municipal or other governmental
department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality to
which such Covered Person is subject; and (x) no statement,
representation or warranty made by such Covered Person in this
Agreement, nor any information provided by such Covered Person for
inclusion in a report filed pursuant to Section 4.5 hereof or
in a registration statement filed by Lazard Ltd, contains or will
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, representations or warranties contained herein or
information provided therein not misleading.
Each Covered Person shall promptly
notify LAZ-MD and Lazard Ltd of any breaches of such
representations or covenants.
ARTICLE III
VOTING AGREEMENT
Section 3.1 Preliminary Vote of
Covered Persons . Prior to any vote of the stockholders of
Lazard Ltd, there shall be a separate, preliminary vote, on each
matter upon which a stockholder vote of Lazard Ltd is then proposed
to be taken (each, a “ Preliminary Vote ”), of
the Covered Interests beneficially owned by the Covered Persons.
The Preliminary Vote shall be conducted pursuant to procedures
established by LAZ-MD, including meetings or by proxy or written
instruction by or of the Covered Persons.
Section 3.2 Voting of the Covered
Interests . Each Covered Person shall be entitled to instruct
LAZ-MD to vote the Class B Common Stock in proportion to the number
of votes represented by the shares of Common Stock into which such
Covered Interests are then exchangeable under the terms of the
Operating Agreement, the Lazard Group Operating Agreement and the
Master Separation Agreement on the matter in question by the
Covered Interests in the Preliminary Vote, provided ,
however , that notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary the Board shall have the ability to vote the Class B
Common Stock in its discretion (including in a manner different
than as instructed by the Covered Persons) if it determines in good
faith that such action is in the best interests of LAZ-MD. In the
event that a Covered Person fails to participate in the Preliminary
Vote, the votes of that Covered Person will be abstained and
excluded from the vote for such matters. LAZ-MD shall be obligated
(a) to attend as proxy, or cause a person designated by it and
acting as lawful proxy to attend as proxy, each meeting of the
stockholders of Lazard Ltd and to vote or to cause such designee to
vote the Class B Common Stock over which it has the power to vote
in accordance with the results of the Preliminary Vote as set forth
in this Section 3.2, and (b) to develop procedures
governing Preliminary Votes.
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Section 3.3 Acknowledgements;
Determinations .
(a) Each Covered Person acknowledges
and agrees as follows: (i) in the event that any matters shall
come before a meeting of stockholders of Lazard Ltd, or of any
class of stockholders of Lazard Ltd, or any adjournment or
postponement thereof (including matters related to adjournment or
postponement thereof), that were not voted upon in a Preliminary
Vote, LAZ-MD may vote on such matters as LAZ-MD sees fit in its
sole discretion, (ii) LAZ-MD shall be the sole record holder
and legal and beneficial owner of the Class B Common Stock and,
notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement
shall not confer any right, title or interest in, to or under the
Class B Common Stock to any Covered Person, and (iii) except
as expressly provided in this Article III with respect to the
voting of the Class B Common Stock, LAZ-MD shall have the right to
take all action, and exercise all rights, with respect to the Class
B Common Stock in its sole discretion if it determines in good
faith that such action is in the best interest of LAZ-MD, and,
notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Covered Person
shall, by virtue of being a party to this Agreement, have any right
to direct LAZ-MD to exercise, or otherwise directly or indirectly
exercise, any rights relating to the Class B Common Stock, whether
arising under the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda and Bye-Laws of
Lazard Ltd or otherwise, including the right to nominate directors
of Lazard Ltd, propose business for meetings of stockholders of
Lazard Ltd or otherwise submit stockholder proposals, call any
special meetings of stockholders (or any class thereof) of Lazard
Ltd, tender or otherwise transfer the Class B Common Stock or to
take any other action in respect of the Class B Common
Stock.
(b) Each Covered Person acknowledges
and agrees that all determinations necessary or advisable under
this Article III shall be made by the Board, whose determinations
shall be final and binding. The Board’s determinations and
actions (including waivers) under this Article III need not be
uniform and may be made selectively among Covered Persons that are
not similarly situated.
(c) The provisions of
Section 9.1 of the Operating Agreement of LAZ-MD are hereby
incorporated by reference into this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing, each Covered Person acknowledges and agrees that the
members of the Board in acting under this Agreement shall at all
times be acting in their individual capacities and not as directors
or officers of LAZ-MD, Lazard Group or Lazard Ltd and, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, in so acting or failing to act
under this Agreement shall not have any fiduciary duties to the
Covered Persons as a member of the Board by virtue of the fact that
one or more of such members may also be serving as a director or
officer of LAZ-MD, Lazard Group, Lazard Ltd or
otherwise.
Section 3.4 Voting Related
Expenses . LAZ-MD shall be responsible for all expenses of
LAZ-MD and the Board incurred in the operation and administration
of Article III, including expenses of proxy solicitation for and
tabulation of the Preliminary Vote, expenses incurred in preparing
appropriate filings of LAZ-MD and correspondence with the SEC,
lawyers’, accountants’, agents’,
consultants’, experts’, investment banking and other
professionals’ fees, expenses incurred in enforcing the
provisions of this Agreement and expenses incurred in maintaining
any necessary or appropriate books and records relating to this
Agreement.
Section 3.5 Governmental
Authorities . LAZ-MD acknowledges that it is solely responsible
for any Filings arising solely as a result of its holdings of
capital stock of Lazard Ltd. Each Covered Person hereby
acknowledges and agrees that, unless otherwise directed by LAZ-MD
or Lazard Ltd in writing, such Covered Person shall be solely
responsible for making, and shall in a timely manner make, any and
all reports, filings or other notifications with any Governmental
Authorities, including any reports of beneficial ownership on
Schedule 13D or 13G under the Exchange Act, with respect to any
rights or interests of such Covered Person under this Article III
(each a “ Filing ”) and shall be solely
responsible for the cost and expense thereof. Such Covered Person
understands and agrees that neither LAZ-MD nor Lazard Ltd has any
related obligations relating to or responsibility for any such
Filings. Such Covered Person shall cooperate fully with the other
Covered Persons to achieve the timely filing of any such Filings
and any amendments thereto as may be required, and such Covered
Person agrees that any information concerning such Covered Person
which such Covered Person furnishes in connection with the
preparation and filing of any such Filing will be complete and
accurate. No fewer than five business days prior to the submission
of a Filing, each Covered Person submitting such Filing
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shall furnish to LAZ-MD and Lazard Ltd copies of
such Filing as proposed to be filed. LAZ-MD and Lazard
Ltd
shall each have the right to request that the
filing Covered Person modify any information contained in such
Filing or amendment or supplement thereto, and such Covered Person
shall use his reasonable best efforts to comply with such request;
provided that compliance with such request shall not cause
any Covered Person to violate applicable law or
regulation.
Section 3.6 Adjustment upon
Changes in Capitalization; Adjustments upon Changes of Control
. In the event of any business combination, restructuring,
recapitalization or other extraordinary transaction involving
LAZ-MD or Lazard Group as a result of which securities of a person
other than LAZ-MD or Lazard Group that are exchangeable for Common
Stock shall be issued or distributed in exchange for or in
replacement of Covered Interests, LAZ-MD and the Covered Persons
agree that this Agreement shall also continue in full force and
effect with respect to such securities of such other person, and
the terms “Covered Interests,” “Class II
Interests,” “Lazard Group Common Interests,”
“LAZ-MD” and “Lazard Group” shall refer to,
as applicable, such securities and such person, respectively. If
the Board deems it desirable, any such adjustments may take effect
from the record date or another appropriate date. In the event of
any business combination, restructuring, recapitalization or other
extraordinary transaction involving Lazard Ltd that affects the
capital stock of Lazard Ltd, the Board may, in its sole discretion,
(a) terminate the provisions of this Article III or
(b) adjust the voting structure set forth in this Article III
as necessary to preserve the initial intent of such
provisions.
Section 3.7 Further
Assurances . Each Covered Person agrees to execute such
additional documents and take such further action as may be
reasonably necessary to effect the provisions of this Article
III.
ARTICLE IV
REGISTRATION
RIGHTS
Section 4.1 Annual
Registration .
(a) With respect to each of the
third through the ninth anniversaries of the IPO Date, Lazard Ltd
shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration
under the Securities Act of sales by Covered Persons of the
following Registrable Securities: (i) all Registrable
Securities issuable to Covered Persons in respect of the exchange
of Covered Interests in connection with such anniversary date
pursuant to the Master Separation Agreement for such period
(provided that such Covered Persons shall have complied with the
notice provisions with respect thereto set forth in the Master
Separation Agreement) and (ii) all other Registrable
Securities of any Covered Persons which Registrable Securities are
reasonably expected to continue to be Registrable Securities at the
expected filing date for the registration statement with respect to
such registration and which Covered Persons shall have provided
Lazard Ltd with a written request for registration at least 20
business days prior to the applicable anniversary date requesting
registration of such Registrable Securities (each such
registration, an “ Annual Registration ”);
provided , however , that Lazard Ltd shall not be
obligated to file any such registration statement or effect such
registration if the amount of all such Registrable Securities does
not equal or exceed the Minimum Share Number (including, for
purposes of calculating such Minimum Share Number, any Registrable
Securities that are issuable pursuant to an MD Exchange in
accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in the Master Separation Agreement such that such Registrable
Securities would be capable of being sold in such Annual
Registration) as of the date of such filing or registration. Lazard
Ltd shall use its reasonable best efforts, subject to the
restrictions in Section 4.1(d), to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act with respect to each Annual
Registration as promptly as reasonably practicable following the
applicable Periodic Filing Date.
(b) An Annual Registration may, at
the option of Lazard Ltd, be conducted either as a Public Offering
or as a shelf registration; provided, however, that, if Lazard Ltd
elects to conduct such offering as a shelf registration, the Board
of Directors of LAZ-MD may request within five (5) days after
notice thereof that such Annual Registration be conducted as a
Public Offering, in which case Lazard Ltd shall conduct
such
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Annual Registration as a Public
Offering. If an Annual Registration prior to the seventh
anniversary of the
IPO Date involves a Public Offering
and the managing underwriter advises Lazard Ltd that, in its view,
the number of shares of Common Stock required to be included in
such Public Offering would adversely impact offering or the market
for the Common Stock, Lazard Ltd may in its discretion reduce the
number of shares of Common Stock included in such Public Offering,
provided that Lazard Ltd shall consult with the Board of Directors
of LAZ-MD with respect to such reduction (and shall use reasonable
efforts to so consult prior to such reduction). If an Annual
Registration on or after the seventh anniversary of the IPO Date
involves a Public Offering and the managing underwriter advises
Lazard Ltd that, in its view, the number of shares of Common Stock
requested to be included in such Public Offering exceeds the
largest number of shares that can be sold within the price range
(or 10% below the end of such range) that was included in the
“red herring” registration statement for such Public
Offering (provided that the Board of Directors of LAZ-MD shall not
have objected to such price range prior to the filing of such red
herring registration statement after notice thereof), the number of
shares of Common Stock included in such Public Offering shall be
reduced to such largest number of shares. In the event that the
number of shares of Common Stock requested to be included in such
Public Offering is reduced in accordance with this
Section 4.1(b), Lazard Ltd shall include in such Public
Offering, in the priority listed below, up to the applicable
maximum number of shares to be included in such Public Offering as
determined in the immediately preceding two sentences:
(i) first, all Registrable
Securities that are requested to be registered in the Annual
Registration by any Covered Persons and were issued or are issuable
in respect of MD Exchangeable Interests that, pursuant to the
Master Separation Agreement, first became capable of being
exchanged pursuant to an MD Exchange on or prior to the third
anniversary of the IPO Date (allocated, if necessary for the
offering not to exceed the Maximum Offering Size, pro rata among
such Covered Persons on the basis of the relative number of shares
of such Registrable Securities so requested to be included in such
registration by each such Covered Person);
(ii) second, all Registrable
Securities that are requested to be registered in the Annual
Registration by any Covered Persons and were issued or are issuable
in respect of MD Exchangeable Interests that, pursuant to the
Master Separation Agreement, first became capable of being
exchanged pursuant to an MD Exchange on or prior to the fourth
anniversary (but after the third anniversary) of the IPO Date
(allocated, if necessary for the offering not to exceed the Maximum
Offering Size, pro rata among such Covered Persons on the basis of
the relative number of shares of such Registrable Securities so
requested to be included in such registration by each such Covered
Person);
(iii) third, all Registrable
Securities that are requested to be registered in the Annual
Registration by any Covered Persons and were issued or are issuable
in respect of MD Exchangeable Interests that, pursuant to the
Master Separation Agreement, first became capable of being
exchanged pursuant to an MD Exchange on or prior to the fifth
anniversary (but after the fourth anniversary) of the IPO Date
(allocated, if necessary for the offering not to exceed the Maximum
Offering Size, pro rata among such Covered Persons on the basis of
the relative number of shares of such Registrable Securities so
requested to be included in such registration by each such Covered
Person);
(iv) fourth, all Registrable
Securities that are requested to be registered in the Annual
Registration by any Covered Persons and were issued or are issuable
in respect of MD Exchangeable Interests that, pursuant to the
Master Separation Agreement, first became capable of being
exchanged pursuant to an MD Exchange on or prior to the sixth
anniversary (but after the fifth anniversary) of the IPO Date
(allocated, if necessary for the offering not to exceed the Maximum
Offering Size, pro rata among such Covered Persons on the basis of
the relative number of shares of such Registrable Securities so
requested to be included in such registration by each such Covered
Person); and
(v) fifth, all Registrable
Securities that are requested to be registered in the Annual
Registration by any Covered Persons and were issued or are issuable
in respect of MD Exchangeable Interests that, pursuant to the
Master Separation Agreement, first became capable of being
exchanged pursuant to an MD Exchange after the sixth anniversary of
the IPO Date (allocated, if necessary for the offering not
to
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exceed the Maximum Offering Size,
pro rata among such Covered Persons on the basis of the
relative
number of shares of such Registrable
Securities so requested to be included in such registration by each
such Covered Person) (the priority among Covered Persons set forth
in clauses (i)-(v) shall be referred to herein as the “
Covered Persons Priority ”).
In determining, for a Covered
Person, the number of such Covered Person’s MD Exchangeable
Interests that first became capable of being exchanged pursuant to
an MD Exchange in relation to a certain date (and the corresponding
number of Registrable Securities issued or issuable in respect of
such MD Exchangeable Interests), any exchanges of such Covered
Person’s MD Exchangeable Interests for shares of Common Stock
prior to the relevant date of determination shall be deemed to
reduce, first, the number of such Covered Person’s MD
Exchangeable Interests that first became capable of being exchanged
and, thereafter, the number of such Covered Person’s MD
Exchangeable Interests that next became capable of being exchanged
(until each such group shall be exhausted).
(c) Lazard Group shall be liable for
and pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any Annual
Registration, regardless of whether such Registration is effected.
Lazard Ltd shall have the right (but not the obligation) to
register additional shares of Common Stock and other securities
together with such Annual Registration, provided that such shares
shall be included in such registration in a priority after the
shares included in the Covered Persons Priority.
(d) Upon notice to each Covered
Person participating in the applicable Annual Registration, Lazard
Ltd may postpone effecting a registration pursuant to this
Section 4.1 on one occasion during any period of six
consecutive months for a reasonable time specified in the notice
but not exceeding 120 days (which period may not be extended or
renewed), if (i) Lazard Ltd shall determine in good faith that
effecting the registration would materially and adversely affect an
offering of securities of such company the preparation of which had
then been commenced or (ii) Lazard Ltd is in possession of
material non-public information the disclosure of which during the
period specified in such notice Lazard Ltd believes in good faith
wo