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MARCHFIRST, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of this 22nd day of
May, 2000 by and between marchFIRST, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and ______________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty
in obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting officers and
directors to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability
and coverage of liability insurance has been severely limited; and
WHEREAS the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and directors
of the Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to provide
them with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration for Indemnitee's services as an officer
or director of the Company, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as
follows:
1. INDEMNIFICATION.
a) THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or any alternative
dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by
reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or
agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, or by reason of the
fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (if such
settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good
faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed
to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal
action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct
was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by
judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of NOLO CONTENDERE
or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that
Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had
reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful.
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b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be
made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the
request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) and, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or
suit if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, except
that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or
matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Company unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State
of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall
determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in
view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and
reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.
c) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. To the extent that Indemnitee has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
proceeding referred to in Subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 1, or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith.
d) INDEMNIFICATION AS WITNESS. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement, to the extent the Indemnitee is, by reason of the fact
that he is or was an agent of the Company, a witness in any proceeding, the
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against any and all expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by or for him in connection therewith.
2. AGREEMENT TO SERVE. In consideration of the protection afforded by
this Agreement, if Indemnitee is a director of the Company he agrees to serve
at least for the six months after the effective date of this Agreement as a
director and not to resign voluntarily during such period without the written
consent of a majority of the Board of Directors. If Indemnitee is an officer
of the Company not serving under an employment contract, he agrees to serve
in such capacity at least for the balance of the current fiscal year of the
Company and not to resign voluntarily during such period without the written
consent of a majority of the Board of Directors. Following the applicable
period set forth above, Indemnitee agrees to continue to serve in such
capacity at the will of the Company (or under separate agreement, if such
agreement exists) so long as he is duly appointed or elected and qualified in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bylaws of the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company or until such time as he tenders his resignation in
writing. Nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to create in
Indemnitee any right to continued employment.
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3. EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.
a) ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company shall advance all expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense,
settlement or appeal of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding
referenced in Section 1(a) or (b) hereof (but not amounts actually paid in
settlement of any such action, suit or proceeding). Indemnitee hereby
undertakes to repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it
shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be
indemnified by the Company as authorized hereby. The advances to be made
hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee within thirty (30) days
following delivery of a written request therefor by Indemnitee to the Company.
b) NOTICE/COOPERATION BY INDEMNITEE. Indemnitee shall, as a
condition precedent to his right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give
the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made
against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under
this Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the President of
the Company at the address shown on the signature page of this Agreement (or
such other address as the Company shall designate in writing to Indemnitee).
Notice shall be deemed received three business days after the date postmarked
if sent by domestic certified or registered mail, properly addressed, five
business days if sent by airmail to a country outside of North America;
otherwise notice shall be deemed received when such notice shall actually be
received by the Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such
information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be
within Indemnitee's power.
c) PROCEDURE. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
Section 1 and this Section 3 shall be made no later than thirty (30) days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws providing for indemnification, is not
paid in full by the Company within thirty (30) days after a written request
for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee may,
but need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company to
recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, subject to Section 14 of this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for the expenses
(including attorneys' fees) of bringing such action. It shall be a defense
to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for
expenses incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding in
advance of its final disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the standards
of conduct which make it permissible under applicable law for the Company to
indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. However, Indemnitee shall be
entitled to receive interim payments of expenses pursuant to Subsection 3(a)
unless and until such defense may be finally adjudicated by court order or
judgment from which no further right of appeal exists. It is the parties'
intention that if the Company contests Indemnitee's right to indemnification,
the question of Indemnitee's right to indemnification shall be for the court
to decide, and neither the failure of the Company (including its Board of
Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination that
indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because
Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct required by applicable
law, nor an actual determination by the Company (including it Board of
Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such
applicable
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standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has
not met the applicable standard of conduct.
d) NOTICE TO INSURERS. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of
a claim pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, the Company has director and officer
liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the
commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall
thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to
pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such
proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
e) SELECTION OF COUNSEL. In the event the Company shall be
obligated under Section 3(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding
against Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume
the defense of such proceeding, with counsel approved by Indemnitee, upon the
delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After
delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the
retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to
Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred
by Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that (i)
Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his counsel in any such proceeding
at Indemnitee's expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by
Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee
shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest
between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C)
the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense
of such proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's counsel shall
be at the expense of the Company.
4. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION RIGHTS; NONEXCLUSIVITY.
a) SCOPE. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not
specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or by statute.
In the event of any change, after the date of this Agreement, in any
applicable law, statute, or rule which expands the right of a Delaware
corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer,
such changes shall be, ipso facto, within the purview of Indemnitee's rights
and Company's obligations, under this Agreement. In the event of any change
in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a Delaware
corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer,
such changes, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or
rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have no effect on this Agreement
or the parties' rights and obligations hereunder.
b) NONEXCLUSIVITY. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be
entitled under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any
agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors, the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or otherwise, both as to action in
Indemnitee's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while
holding such office. The indemnification provided under this Agreement shall
continue as to Indemnitee for any
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action taken or not taken while serving in an indemnified capacity even
though he may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any
action, suit or other covered proceeding.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the expenses, judgments, fines or penalties actually or reasonably
incurred by him in the investigation, defense, appeal or settlement of any
civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding, but not, however, for the total
amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the
portion of such expenses, judgments, fines or penalties to which Indemnitee
is entitled.
6. MUTUAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may
prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this
Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee un derstands and acknowledges that the
Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the
Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification
to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company's
right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
7. OFFICER AND DIRECTOR LIABILITY INSURANCE. The Company shall, from
time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is
practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of
insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the officers and
directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to
ensure the Company's performance of its indemnification obligations under
this Agreement. Among other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs
of obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such
coverage. In all policies of director and officer liability insurance,
Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide
Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably
insured of the Company's directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of the
Company's officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an
officer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation
to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company determines in good faith
that such insurance is not reasonably available, if the premium costs for
such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, if
the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to
provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is covered by similar
insurance maintained by a subsidiary or parent of the Company.
8. SEVERABILITY. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or
shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in
violation of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court
order, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a
breach of this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable
as provided in this Section 8. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall
be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted
by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been
invalidated, and the balance of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be
enforceable in accordance with its terms.
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9. EXCEPTIONS. Any other provision herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
a) CLAIMS INITIATED BY INDEMNITEE. To indemnify or advance expenses
to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought
voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to
proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, but such indemnification
or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases
if the Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such
suit; or
b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses
incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by the
Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
c) Insured Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or
liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments,
fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which
have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy
of officers' and directors' liability insurance maintained by the Company.
d) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses
and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee
of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.
10. CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PHRASES.
a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company" shall
include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and
employees or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at
the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions
of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as
Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its
separate existence had continued.
b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other enterprises"
shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any
excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan;
and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall include any
service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which
imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee
or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or
beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants
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and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to
have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as
referred to in this Agreement.
11. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
13. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms
hereof, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses,
including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to
such action, unless as a part of such action, the court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by
Indemnitee as a basis for such action were not made in good faith or were
frivolous. In the event of an action instituted by or in the name of the
Company under this Agreement or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of
this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and
expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of
such action (including with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and
crossclaims made in such action), unless as a part of such action the court
determines that each of Indemnitee's material defenses to such action were
made in bad faith or were frivolous.
14. NOTICE. All notices, requests, demands and other communications
under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i)
if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party addressee, on the date of
such receipt, or (ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with
postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked.
Addresses for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of
this Agreement, or as subsequently modified by written notice.
15. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of
Delaware for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which
arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action
instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of
the State of Delaware.
16. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to
contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed
entirely within Delaware without regard to the conflict of law principles
thereof.
17. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS. No legal action shall be brought and no
cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against
Indemnitee, Indemnitee's estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or
legal representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of
accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the
Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the
timely filing of a legal action within
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such two-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of
limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter
period shall govern.
18. SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the
rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required
and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to
enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
19. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. No amendment, modification, termination
or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing
signed by both the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a
continuing waiver.
20. INTEGRATION AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement sets forth the
entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all
previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and
agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.
marchFIRST, Inc.
By:_____________________________________
President and Chief Executive Officer
Address: 311 South Wacker Drive
Suite 3500
Chicago, Illinois 60606
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
INDEMNITEE:
_____________________________________
(signature)
Address:
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