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Exhibit 10.4
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:
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(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:
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(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 .
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(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 .
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(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 .
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(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:
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(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).
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(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 would not be in the
best interests of Lazard Ltd.
Section 4.2 Demand Registration .
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(a) If at any time following the third anniversary of the IPO
Date, Lazard Ltd shall receive a written request (a " Demand
Notice ") from a Covered Person or group of Covered Persons (a
" Demand Requesting Covered Person ") that Lazard Ltd effect
the registration under the Securities Act of all or any portion of
such Covered Person’s Registrable Securities (including 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 Registr
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