PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP
S-1, 2000-03-28
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<PAGE>

     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2000
                                                        Registration No. 333-
===============================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                --------------

                                    FORM S-1
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                --------------

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                --------------

   California                        6712                         33-0898238
(State or other         (Primary Standard Industrial          (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of          Classification Code Number)         Identification No.)
incorporation or
 organization)

                      450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100
                        Newport Beach, California 92660
                                 (949) 644-8040
  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                   registrant's principal executive offices)

                                --------------

                              RAYMOND E. DELLERBA
                      450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100
                        Newport Beach, California 92660
                                 (949) 644-8040
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:
          BEN A. FRYDMAN, ESQ.                    JOHN J. HALLE, ESQ.
    Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth                 Stoel Rives LLP
  660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600     900 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Suite 2600
    Newport Beach, California 92660           Portland, Oregon 97204-1268
             (949) 725-4000                          (503) 224-3380

                                --------------

  Approximate date of commencement of the proposed sale to the public: As soon
as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.

  If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, check the following box. [_]

  If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [_] __________

  If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [_] __________

  If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [_]

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

================================================================================
          Title of Each
    Class of Securities to be      Proposed Maximum Aggregate    Amount of
            Registered                  Offering Price(1)     Registration Fee
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, without par
 value(2).........................        $47,437,500            $12,523.50
================================================================================
(1) Estimated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee pursuant
    to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.
(2) Includes 450,000 shares issuable upon exercise of Underwriter's over-
    allotment option.

                                --------------

  The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or
dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration
Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting
pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.
===============================================================================
<PAGE>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be     +
+changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement    +
+filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission becomes effective. This     +
+preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities nor does it   +
+seek offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or    +
+sale is not permitted.                                                        +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                  SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 28, 2000

                                3,000,000 Shares

               [LOGO OF PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP APPEARS HERE]

                           Pacific Mercantile Bancorp

                                  Common Stock

  We are offering 3,000,000 shares of our common stock with this prospectus. We
expect that the public offering price will be between $12.50 and $15.00 per
share. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our shares.
We have applied for quotation of our shares on the NASDAQ National Market under
the symbol "PMBC."

  Prior to completion of this offering we will be issuing, as our initial
issuance of shares, a total of 3,720,162 shares of our common stock in exchange
for all of the outstanding shares of Pacific Mercantile Bank, a California
state chartered bank. As a result of that issuance and exchange of shares,
Pacific Mercantile Bank will become our sole subsidiary.

  Pacific Mercantile Bank's shares are quoted on the NASDAQ OTC Bulletin Board
under the symbol "PQBH." However, trading in its shares has been limited and
sporadic. The last reported sale price, on March 27, 2000, was $10 1/16 per
share, adjusted for a two-for-one stock split of the Bank's shares that will
become effective on April 14, 2000.

                                  -----------


            Investing in the shares involves a high degree of risk.
                    See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 8.

                                  -----------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           Per Share Total
                                                           --------- -----
      <S>                                                  <C>       <C>
      Initial public offering price.......................   $       $
      Underwriting discount...............................   $       $
      Proceeds before expenses............................   $       $
</TABLE>

  We estimate the cash expenses will be approximately $812,500 and will include
a non-accountable expense allowance to the managing underwriter equal to 1% of
the gross offering proceeds. We have also agreed to issue a warrant to the
managing underwriter, the terms of which are described under the heading
"Underwriting."

  The underwriters may purchase up to an additional 450,000 shares from us at
the public offering price, less underwriting discount, within 45 days from the
date of this prospectus, to cover over-allotments.

  The Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities regulators have
not approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this
prospectus is truthful or complete. It is unlawful for any person to state
otherwise.

                                  -----------

                        Paulson Investment Company, Inc.

              The date of this Prospectus is               , 2000.
<PAGE>



                             [Photographs/Graphics]


                            [On reverse of 1st page]
<PAGE>

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          Page
                                                                          ----
   <S>                                                                    <C>
   Prospectus Summary....................................................   4
   The Offering..........................................................   6
   Summary Financial Data................................................   7
   Risk Factors..........................................................   8
   Forward Looking Statements............................................  18
   The Holding Company Reorganization....................................  18
   Use of Proceeds.......................................................  19
   Trading History.......................................................  19
   Dividend Policy.......................................................  19
   Capitalization........................................................  20
   Dilution..............................................................  21
   Selected Financial Data...............................................  22
   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
    Results of Operations ...............................................  23
   Business..............................................................  31
   Management............................................................  49
   Principal Shareholders................................................  56
   Description of Capital Stock..........................................  57
   Shares Eligible for Future Sale.......................................  58
   Underwriting..........................................................  59
   Legal Matters.........................................................  62
   Experts...............................................................  62
   Where You Can Find More Information...................................  62
   Index to Consolidated Financial Statements............................ F-1
</TABLE>

                               ----------------

  You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have
not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you
with different information. If any one provides you with different or
inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Information contained on
our Web site does not constitute a part of this prospectus. The information in
this prospectus may only be accurate as of the date appearing on the cover page
of this prospectus, regardless of the time this prospectus is delivered or our
common stock is sold.

  We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell the shares
in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. No action is
being taken in any jurisdiction outside the United States to permit a public
offering of our common stock or the possession or distribution of this
prospectus in any such jurisdiction. Persons who come into possession of this
prospectus in jurisdictions outside of the United States are required to inform
themselves about and to observe any restrictions as to this offering and the
distribution of this prospectus applicable in that jurisdiction.

  Information regarding historical growth in the use of the Internet and online
banking services is derived from published reports. Information regarding the
demographics of Orange County is derived from data published by the U.S. Bureau
of the Census. Data regarding the banking industry was derived from the FDIC
Institution Directory.

  Pacific Mercantile Bank(TM) and PMB Internet Bank(TM) are trademarks of
Pacific Mercantile Bancorp. All other brand names or trademarks appearing in
this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

                                       3
<PAGE>

                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

  This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus.
It does not contain all of the information you should consider before
purchasing our shares. Therefore, you should read the prospectus in its
entirety, including the financial statements and related footnotes appearing
elsewhere in this prospectus. References to "we," "us," "our" and the "Bancorp"
generally refer to Pacific Mercantile Bancorp and our sole subsidiary, Pacific
Mercantile Bank, on a consolidated basis, and the term "Bank" generally refers
to Pacific Mercantile Bank.

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

  On the completion of this offering we will own Pacific Mercantile Bank, a
California state chartered commercial bank, which will be our sole subsidiary.
The Bank, which is based in Orange County, California, offers to its customers,
primarily small and medium size businesses and professional firms:

  . the best attributes of a community bank, which are personalized and
    responsive service; and

  . the added flexibility and convenience of conducting, reliably and
    securely, an increasing number of banking and other financial
    transactions, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, at our Internet Web
    site, www.pmbank.com.


  The Bank commenced operations in March 1999 in response to the consolidation
of the banking industry, particularly in Southern California, where the number
of locally based banks has declined by nearly 50% since 1985, and the recent
rapid growth in electronic commerce that has made it possible for banking to be
conducted over the Internet. We believe that, due primarily to that
consolidation, small and medium size businesses and professional firms are
increasingly being overlooked and underserved by large regional and out-of-
state banks. Therefore, we believe that we have an opportunity to attract such
customers from those larger banks by offering higher levels of personal, more
responsive service. At the same time, we believe that the wide range of
business banking services, such as Internet banking and automated clearinghouse
origination services, that we can offer to this segment of the banking market
gives us an advantage in competing with other independent and community banks,
many of which do not currently offer such services and cannot cost-effectively
develop them.

  We have grown rapidly during our first year of operations. As of March 15,
2000, our assets and our deposits had grown to $115,100,000 and $98,800,000,
respectively, and we had a total of 1,600 deposit customers, of which
approximately 700 were conducting at least some of their banking transactions
with us over the Internet. Business customers accounted for approximately 80%
of our deposits.

  Our Internet banking system enables our customers to conduct many of their
commercial banking and other financial transactions with us online, making it
more convenient and less expensive for them to bank with us. We launched our
Internet banking system in April 1999, and since then we have increased the
range of online banking services that are available to our customers and the
number of online banking transactions that they can conduct. Those online
services and transactions, which have been designed to address the special
needs of small and medium size businesses and professional firms, include:

  . opening bank accounts, viewing account activity and the front and back
    sides of checks drawn on their accounts, and printing bank statements;

  . processing credit card payments and originating and processing payments
    by electronic debit or electronic checks;

  . paying bills and payroll, transferring funds between accounts at the Bank
    and ordering cash, which may be delivered by armored car; and

  . downloading, on a secure basis, information regarding their banking
    transactions from our Web site into their computerized accounting
    systems, thereby making it easier for our business customers to record
    and manage cash transactions.

                                       4
<PAGE>


  We believe that our Internet banking system, infrastructure and capabilities
position us to capitalize on the growth of the Internet and provide us with a
competitive advantage over a large proportion of the banks with which we
compete. According to the FDIC, as of June 1999, although approximately 30% of
the 3,000 federally insured banks and thrift institutions in the United States
had Web sites, only about 635 of those banks and thrift institutions offered
their customers the ability to conduct online banking transactions at their Web
sites.

  An important element of our strategy is to focus our marketing efforts on
small and medium size businesses, professional firms and individuals, many of
which desire "relationship banking" and make their decisions when selecting a
bank primarily on the basis of the breadth, convenience, responsiveness and
timeliness of the services offered and, to a lesser extent, on the cost of
those services. We believe this strategy differentiates us from many Internet-
only banks that, due to a lack of a local presence or a lack of experience in
providing business banking services, focus primarily on attracting consumers
who are more rate and cost sensitive and who, therefore, are more willing to
change banks based primarily on rate and pricing considerations.

  We believe our strategy, with its focus on business customers, requires a
local presence as well as an Internet presence to offer personalized services
to our customers. The Bank currently operates two branch banking offices,
located in Newport Beach and San Clemente, California, where we provide a full
range of on-site commercial banking services to our customers, most of whom
currently are located in Orange County. According to government statistics,
Orange County is the seventh most affluent county in the United States among
counties with populations in excess of 1,000,000, but it has only one locally
headquartered bank per 306,772 people in the county, as compared to one locally
headquartered bank per 109,752 people in California as a whole and per 31,845
people in the nation.

  We also plan to extend our market areas by establishing "express business
banking offices" designed primarily to serve the needs of the business
customer. These offices will be smaller in size and less costly to establish
than traditional branch banking offices because our computer and Internet
banking systems will make it possible to process banking transactions remotely,
eliminating the necessity of maintaining recordkeeping and other administrative
functions at those offices. Additionally, our Internet banking system enables
our business customers to obtain account information and process a growing
number of banking transactions from their office computers, reducing the volume
of transactions that must be processed at these offices.

  We intend to take advantage of opportunities that may arise to acquire other
community banks in selected communities, located both within and in states
contiguous to California, which have experienced a consolidation of banks and
which have demographics similar to those in Orange County, particularly in
terms of the number of small and medium size businesses located there. Our
strategy will be to retain the local identities and the local managements of
the community banks we may acquire in order to provide continuity of service to
their customers, and then add new services, including Internet banking
services, that will be attractive to their customers.

  Our principal executive offices are located at 450 Newport Center Drive,
Suite 100, Newport Beach, California 92660, telephone (949) 644-8040. Our Web
site is located at www.pmbank.com. Information contained on our Web site is not
a part of this prospectus.

  The Bancorp was organized in January 2000 for the sole purpose of becoming
the parent holding company of the Bank. This will be accomplished prior to the
completion of this offering by means of a merger in which the Bancorp will
issue, as its initial issuance of shares, a total of 3,720,162 shares of common
stock to the shareholders of the Bank in exchange for all of their Bank shares,
thereby making the Bank our sole subsidiary. Prior to that merger, we will have
only nominal assets and we will not have conducted any business operations. All
financial and other data in this prospectus gives retroactive effect to this
merger and our resulting acquisition of the Bank as if they had occurred at the
inception of the Bank in May 1998 and to a two-for-one stock split of the
Bank's outstanding shares that is to become effective on April 14, 2000.

                                       5
<PAGE>

                                  THE OFFERING

<TABLE>
 <C>                                      <S>
 Shares Offered.......................... 3,000,000 shares of common stock

 Offering Price.......................... $13.75 per share of common stock,
                                          which is the mid-point of the price
                                          range of $12.50 to $15.00 set forth
                                          on the cover page of this prospectus

 Common Stock Outstanding:

    Before the Offering.................. 3,720,162 shares

    After the Offering................... 6,720,162 shares

 Use of Proceeds......................... To contribute capital to the Bank to
                                          fund increases in earning assets, to
                                          open additional banking offices and
                                          for other general corporate purposes,
                                          including possible acquisitions of
                                          other banks.

 Proposed NASDAQ National Market Symbol.. PMBC
</TABLE>

  The 3,720,162 shares of common stock that will be outstanding prior to this
offering will be issued, as our initial share issuance, to the shareholders of
Pacific Mercantile Bank in exchange for their shares of Bank stock.

  The 6,720,162 shares that will be outstanding after the offering will include
the shares offered by this prospectus, but will exclude:

  . a total of 660,806 shares that will be subject to outstanding stock
    options, with a weighted average exercise price of $5.18 (both as
    adjusted for the Bank's stock split):

  . a total of 345,800 shares that will have been set aside for future stock
    options;

  . any shares that may be sold in this offering as a result of the exercise
    of the underwriter's overallotment option; and

  . 300,000 shares that will be subject to underwriters' warrants that will
    be issued on completion of this offering and will be exercisable
    beginning one year thereafter, at a price equal to 120% of the public
    offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.


                                       6
<PAGE>

                             Summary Financial Data

  The summary financial information presented below is derived from the
Bancorp's audited financial statements for the periods indicated. The summary
financial information should be read in conjunction with the Bancorp's
financial statements and other related information included elsewhere in this
prospectus.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Inception
                                                  Year Ended   (May 29, 1998)
                                                 December 31,  to December 31,
                                                   1999(1)         1998(1)
                                                 ------------  ---------------
<S>                                              <C>           <C>
Statement of Operations Data:
Total interest income........................... $ 2,100,100     $     2,600
Total interest expense..........................     880,000             --
                                                 -----------     -----------
Net interest income.............................   1,220,100           2,600
Provision for loan losses.......................     750,000             --
                                                 -----------     -----------
Net interest income after provision for loan
 losses.........................................     470,100           2,600
Non-Interest income.............................     131,600             --
Non-Interest expense............................  (3,351,300)       (243,600)
                                                 -----------     -----------
Loss before income taxes........................  (2,749,600)       (241,000)
Income tax expense..............................        (600)         (1,200)
                                                 -----------     -----------
Net loss........................................ $(2,750,200)    $  (242,200)
                                                 ===========     ===========
Basic and diluted loss per share outstanding.... $     (1.12)        N/A
                                                 ===========     ===========
Basic and diluted weighted average number of
 shares outstanding.............................   2,466,114         N/A
                                                 ===========     ===========

<CAPTION>
                                                     At December 31, 1999
                                                 -----------------------------
                                                    Actual     As Adjusted(2)
                                                 ------------  ---------------
<S>                                              <C>           <C>
Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents(3).................... $38,498,200     $76,048,200
Total loans (net of allowance for loan
 losses)(4).....................................  47,043,200      47,043,200
Total assets....................................  91,165,400     128,715,400
Total deposits..................................  74,500,200      74,500,200
Total shareholders' equity......................  16,018,400      53,568,400
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) For accounting purposes, the inception of the Bancorp is deemed to have
    occurred in May 1998, when the organizers of the Bank established an
    organizing committee to file necessary applications for regulatory
    approvals and begin preparations for the opening of the Bank. Pursuant to
    those regulatory approvals, the Bank was incorporated in November 1998 and
    it received its charter, completed its initial issuance and sale of shares
    and commenced banking operations on March 1, 1999. As a result, prior to
    March 1, 1999, the Bancorp had not issued any shares nor generated any
    revenues from operations.

(2) Reflects our receipt of the estimated net proceeds from the sale of
    3,000,000 shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus at an
    assumed public offering price of $13.75 and the application of the
    estimated proceeds described in "Use of Proceeds."

(3) Cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from other banks and federal
    funds sold and, on an as adjusted basis, the net proceeds of this offering.

(4) Includes $2,700,000 of loans held for sale as of December 31, 1999.

                                       7
<PAGE>

                                  RISK FACTORS

  An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should
carefully consider the specific factors listed below, together with the
cautionary statement that follows this section and the other information
included in this prospectus, before purchasing shares in this offering. If the
possibilities described as risks below actually occur, our operating results
and financial condition would likely suffer, and the trading price of our
common stock could fall, causing you to lose some or all of your investment in
the shares we are offering.

  The shares we offer are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations
of a bank. The shares are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other governmental agency.

We have a limited operating history, and our future performance is difficult to
predict.

  We commenced our banking operations on March 1, 1999. As a result, we have a
limited operating history, which makes it difficult to predict our future
performance. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses
and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in early stages of
development, particularly companies in the new and rapidly evolving market for
electronic banking. To address these risks, we must, among other things, build
our customer base, respond to competitive developments, continue to attract,
retain and motivate qualified employees, and continue to upgrade our
technologies, products and services. We cannot assure you that we will succeed
in addressing these risks.

We have incurred losses to date and we expect to incur additional losses.

  We have incurred a cumulative operating loss since our inception through
December 31, 1999 of $2,992,400, and we expect to incur operating losses for at
least the next six months. Our business model requires that we increase loans,
deposits and revenues substantially in order to achieve sustained profitable
operations. However, even if we substantially increase loans, deposits and
revenues, we cannot assure you that our operations will achieve or sustain
profitability. Further, even if we achieve profitability in our current
locations, we may find it difficult to achieve or maintain profitability in
other locations into which we may expand and the lack of profitability of such
other locations may cause our overall business to sustain losses.

We have grown rapidly since we commenced operations and expect rapid growth to
continue.

  Since we began operations in March 1999, we have grown rapidly, reaching
total assets of $115,100,000 and total deposits of $98,800,000 as of March 15,
2000. Our business plan calls for continued rapid growth that will require
substantial changes in all of our operating systems, including physical
facilities and equipment, accounting and other computer systems, personnel,
regulatory compliance systems and management structures. Such changes will make
substantial demands on the time and attention of management and will require us
to predict accurately the nature and timing of, and to prepare effectively for,
the changes necessary to support our growth. The failure to prepare
appropriately and on a timely basis for growth could cause us to experience
inefficiencies or failures in our service delivery systems, regulatory
problems, an erosion in customer confidence, unexpected expenses or other
problems. Moreover, various facilities, services or other resources that we may
require to support growth may not be available to us on a timely or cost-
effective basis, or at all. We cannot assure you that we will be able to
adequately manage our growth.

Our industry is competitive.

  Larger Financial Institutions Dominate Our Primary Service Areas. Large
multi-regional and multi-state banks dominate the commercial banking industry
in California and, more specifically, in the Bank's primary service areas in
Southern California. By virtue of their larger capital, such institutions are
able to make larger loans than the Bank can make and are able to amortize some
of their fixed costs over a larger revenue base. They also have broader
networks of banking locations, are geographically diversified and are able to
provide certain services or products for their customers, such as trust and
investment services and international banking

                                       8
<PAGE>

services, which we are not equipped to offer directly. Increasingly, these
large banks are affiliated with other financial services providers, such as
investment banks, stock brokerages and insurance companies, and can offer their
customers a broader range of financial services as well as cross-market to
potential customers who approach their affiliated financial services companies
for financial services other than banking. As a result of these advantages,
some individual and business customers may prefer to establish or maintain
banking relationships with the large multi-regional and multi-state banks. Some
of these large banks are established under federal law and are therefore exempt
from California state regulations applicable to the Bank.

  Competition with other Independent and Community Banks. For a variety of
reasons, including the recent formation of our Bank, we may find it difficult
to attract customers who have established relationships with other independent
or community banks in our service areas, and we may have to incur substantial
marketing or infrastructure expenses to attract those customers.

  Competition from Other Financial Service Businesses. In addition to
commercial banks, we compete with traditional and nontraditional financial
institutions and investment companies, such as savings and loan associations,
credit unions, stock brokerage firms, insurance companies and money market and
mutual funds, in obtaining deposits, making loans and providing other financial
services. Many of those businesses are larger and have more financial resources
and market presence than we do, offer a number of financial services that we
are unable to provide and are subject to less government regulation than we are
as a banking institution. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in
competing with these other financial institutions.

We expect the competition for online banking services to intensify.

  Although, the market for electronic banking has only recently begun to
develop, it is growing rapidly as many banks and other financial services
businesses migrate their businesses onto the Internet. As a result, we expect
that competition will intensify in the future. Our ability to compete
successfully depends upon:

  . customer service and satisfaction;

  . our market presence;

  . the capacity, reliability and security of our computer and network
    infrastructure;

  . ease of access to and navigation of the Internet;

  . the timing of introductions of new products and services by our
    competitors;

  . the competitiveness of our pricing policies; and

  . industry and general economic trends.

  If we cannot provide a high level of personal service, responsiveness and
convenience to our customers, maintain a strong market presence, introduce new
products and serve customers on a timely, secure and convenient basis via the
Internet, our overall performance and financial results may suffer over time.
For all of these reasons, we cannot assure you that our efforts to compete with
other banks and financial services companies will be successful.

We cannot be sure that the nature or timing of the Internet banking services we
propose to offer will be appropriate in light of customer needs and
preferences.

  We have invested substantial time and resources in the development and
implementation of Internet banking services on the assumption that the
provision of these services will afford us a competitive advantage over banks
that do not provide such services or that provide inferior services. Although
Internet banking is growing rapidly, customer behavior and preferences in this
area have not been definitively established. Many customers may choose not to
engage in Internet banking for a variety of reasons, including unfamiliarity
with the Internet and related equipment, security concerns or subjective
preferences. Although the

                                       9
<PAGE>

technology to support electronic banking and funds transfer has been widely
available to bank customers for at least a decade, many customers still elect
to write checks and make deposits without using these capabilities. We will
compete for those customers who elect to use Internet banking services with a
large number of banks and other financial services companies that have
developed or purchased electronic banking and fund transfer systems. If their
systems are perceived by our existing or potential customers as being more
user-friendly or more secure, or as offering superior features when compared to
our Internet banking services, we may not succeed in attracting and retaining
online customers in sufficient numbers to make our Internet banking services
profitable or justify the costs of providing these services.

Our success depends on the volume and the quality of loans that we are able to
make.

  We need to increase loan volume. Interest earned on loans generally exceeds
the interest that can be earned on investments and other interest-earning
assets of a bank. Our success, like that of other banks, is therefore
substantially dependent on our ability to increase our loan business. We cannot
assure you that we will succeed in doing so. Banks are subject to lending
limits that restrict the total amounts they can loan to any one borrower, or a
group of related borrowers, ranging from 15% to 25% of a bank's shareholders'
equity. As a result, we will be at a disadvantage when competing with larger
banks for the business of borrowers who are seeking loans in excess of our
lending limits because, in such cases, we will have to find other banks to join
with us in making such loans. Larger banks also may be able to offer better
lending terms than we can offer to prospective loan customers. Our success in
competing for loans depends on:

  . the quality of service we provide to borrowers, especially the length of
    time it takes for us to approve and process loans;

  . the terms of the loans that we offer, such as interest rates, loan fees,
    interest rate adjustment provisions, loan maturities and loan-to-value
    ratio limitations;

  . the size of the loans that we are able to offer; and

  . general economic factors such as the interest rate environment.

  A deterioration of economic conditions in Southern California in the future
could adversely affect our financial performance. The risk of nonpayment of
loans is inherent in the banking business, and our operating results will
depend, in large measure, on whether we are able to limit losses on the loans
that we make. We focus our business in Southern California. In the early
1990's, the Southern California economy experienced an economic recession that
increased the level of delinquencies and losses for many of the region's
financial institutions. Another economic slow-down or recession in Southern
California could have the following consequences, any of which could hurt our
operating results or cause us to incur losses:

  . loan delinquencies may increase;

  . problem assets and foreclosures may increase;

  . claims and lawsuits may increase; and

  . demand for our products and services may decline.

  Collateral for loans made by us, especially real estate, may decline in
value, in turn reducing customers' borrowing power, reducing the value of
assets associated with problem loans and reducing collateral coverage of our
existing loans.

  Loan loss reserves may not cover actual loan losses. The failure or inability
of borrowers to repay their loans is an inherent risk in the banking business.
We try to limit that risk by carefully underwriting the loans we make and, in
many cases, by requiring borrowers to collateralize their loans with real
estate, equipment,

                                       10
<PAGE>

their inventories or accounts receivable, that we would seek to sell to recover
amounts due us in the event of a failure or the inability of the borrower to
repay the loan. Additionally, like other banks, we have established an
allowance for estimated losses that we may incur on our loans (which in the
banking industry are referred to as non-performing loans). This allowance is
created by a charge which reduces income and is regularly reviewed and
periodically increased based on judgments and estimates periodically made by
our management as to the growth of the Bank's loan portfolio, anticipated
changes in economic conditions in our service area and in the financial
condition of our borrowers, which are the principal factors that affect the
ability of borrowers to repay their loans. We base these allowances on
estimates of the following:

  . industry standards;

  . historical experience with and the growth of our loans;

  . evaluation of current and predicted economic conditions;

  . regular reviews of the quality, mix and size of the overall loan
    portfolio;

  . regular reviews of delinquencies; and

  . the quality of the collateral underlying our loans.

  If the volume of non-performing loans were to exceed the estimates used to
establish our allowance for loan losses, we will have to increase that
allowance by additional charges that would reduce our operating income and
could weaken our financial condition. In that event we also would have less
cash and we could be subjected to regulatory sanctions or restrictions which
would adversely affect our ability to make future loans.

  In addition,the value of the properties and other assets that collateralize
the loans we make could decline after we make those loans, due to changing
economic conditions, the imposition of government regulations or use
restrictions or the discovery of adverse environmental conditions on those
properties. If such a decline in value were to occur, we would have to charge
income to reduce the value at which those properties are carried on our
financial statements. We also might have difficulty finding buyers that are
willing to purchase those properties and, even if we find buyers, the prices at
which we will be able to sell those properties may not be sufficient to offset
our losses on the non-performing loans. Additionally, if we acquire such
properties upon foreclosure of non-performing loans, we could incur liability
for any adverse environmental conditions that might exist on the properties.

Environmental laws could force the Bank to pay for environmental problems.

  The cost of cleaning up or paying damages and penalties associated with
environmental problems could increase our operating expenses. When a borrower
defaults on a loan secured by real property, the Bank may purchase the property
in foreclosure or accept a deed to the property surrendered by the borrower. We
may also take over the management of commercial properties whose owners have
defaulted on loans. We also lease properties where our branches and other
facilities are located. While we have lending, foreclosure and facilities
guidelines intended to exclude properties with an unreasonable risk of
contamination, hazardous substances may exist on some of the properties that we
occupy or that we may acquire from any borrowers. We face the risk that
environmental laws could force us to clean up the properties at our expense. It
may cost much more to clean a property than the property is worth. We could
also be liable for pollution generated by a borrower's operations if we take a
role in managing those operations after a default. We may also find it
difficult or impossible to sell contaminated properties and, in such event,
would have to charge income to reduce the value at which those properties are
carried on our financial statements.

We are exposed to risks of natural disasters.

  A major earthquake could result in material loss to the Bank. Our operations
are concentrated in Southern California, especially Orange County, California
is an earthquake-prone region. Unlike a bank with operations that are more
geographically diversified, we are vulnerable to greater losses if an
earthquake, fire, flood or other

                                       11
<PAGE>

natural catastrophe occurs in Southern California. We have a disaster-recovery
plan with offsite data processing resources located in Austin, Texas and
Phoenix, Arizona. However, our properties and most of the real and personal
property securing loans in our portfolios are in Southern California. Many of
our borrowers could suffer uninsured property damage, experience interruption
of their businesses or lose their jobs after an earthquake. Those borrowers
might not be able to repay their loans, and the collateral for loans could
decline significantly in value.

Changes in interest rates, national monetary policies and economic conditions
could adversely affect our operating results.

  Our ability to achieve and sustain profitability is substantially dependent
on our net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income
earned on our interest-earning assets and the interest we must pay on deposits
and other interest-bearing liabilities. Like most depository institutions, our
interest income is affected by a number of factors outside of our control,
including changes in market rates of interest, which are affected by national
monetary policies adopted by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System (commonly known as the Federal Reserve Board), changes in economic
conditions nationally and in our service area in particular and our ability to
increase interest rates on loans that we make in response to increases in the
rates of interest we must pay to attract and maintain deposits that we need to
be able to make loans and investments. While our cost of funds is variable over
relatively short periods, many of our loans have terms of several years and
bear either fixed rates of interest or are subject to limits on changes in the
variable interest rates they bear. Accordingly, our ability to react to changes
in interest rates to maintain our net interest income may be limited.
Additionally, increases in market rates of interest may make it more difficult
for prospective borrowers to qualify for loans that we offer, which could
result in a reduction in our loan volume and in our interest income. Increases
in market rates of interest also can adversely affect the value and the
marketability of a bank's interest-earning assets.

The market for Internet banking is new and evolving.

  The market for Internet banking services is relatively new, is rapidly
evolving and is characterized by an increasing number of competitors who have
introduced or developed such services. Some of those competitors are
substantially larger than we are and have greater brand name recognition than
we have. As is typical in the case of a new and rapidly evolving industry,
demand and market acceptance for Internet banking are subject to a high level
of uncertainty. Moreover, security and other critical issues concerning the
commercial use of the Internet, including reliability, cost, ease of use and
access and quality of service, are not fully resolved and may impact the growth
of Internet use. While we believe that Internet banking offers advantages over
traditional branch and personal computer or PC-based home banking, we cannot
assure you that Internet banking will come into widespread use.

Our success depends in part on the continued growth of online commerce.

  Market acceptance of Internet banking is substantially dependent upon the
adoption of the Internet for general commerce and financial services
transactions. The use of the Internet to conduct banking transactions,
particularly by businesses and consumers that have historically relied upon
traditional banking services, requires the acceptance of new ways of conducting
business and exchanging information. We cannot assure you that Internet banking
will gain acceptance from such individuals and businesses. Also, if we or
another provider of Internet financial services were to suffer damage from a
physical break-in, security breach or other disruptive problem caused by the
Internet or by other users, such an event could lead our Internet customers to
terminate their use of our Internet banking services or their relationships
with our Bank and could deter prospective customers from establishing banking
relationships with us, which would make it more difficult for us to
successfully implement our business strategy and achieve profitability.

  In addition, the Internet may not be accepted as a viable commercial
marketplace for a number of reasons, including potentially inadequate
development of the necessary network infrastructure or delayed development

                                       12
<PAGE>

of enabling technologies and performance improvements. To the extent that the
Internet continues to experience significant growth in the number of users or
frequency of use, or requires an increase in its bandwidth requirements, we
cannot assure you that the infrastructure for the Internet will be able to
support the demands placed upon it. Changes in or insufficient availability of
telecommunications services to support the Internet also could result in slower
response times and adversely affect usage of the Internet generally and us in
particular. The Internet also could lose its viability due to delays in the
development or the adoption of new standards and protocols required to handle
increased levels of Internet activity, or due to the increased governmental
regulation.

  For example, PC-based home banking systems have been marketed in the past by
other banking companies and have not enjoyed widespread consumer use or demand.
Accordingly, our assumption that there will be increased consumer acceptance of
Internet banking services may prove to be incorrect.

  If use of the Internet does not continue to grow or grows more slowly than
expected, if the infrastructure for the Internet does not effectively support
growth that may occur, or if the Internet does not become a viable commercial
marketplace, our business, our operating results and financial condition could
be harmed, possibly to a significant extent.

Our success depends in part on our ability to provide comprehensive financial
services.

  Our business strategy depends in part on our ability to offer secure,
convenient, cost-effective and comprehensive financial services on the
Internet. The growth and expansion of the banking services that we offer place
significant demands on our management and operational and financial resources.
Successful implementation of our Internet banking strategy will depend on our
ability to:

  . increase significantly the number of customers using the Bank for their
    financial service requirements;

  . offer new products and provide new financial services that meet changing
    customer requirements;

  . develop new strategic alliances with other Internet service providers in
    order to market our services and to offer additional services to our
    customers on the Internet;

  . update our computer systems and network infrastructure to take advantage
    of new technological developments which would facilitate and simplify the
    use of the Internet to conduct banking and other financial transactions;
    and

  . hire and train additional qualified personnel who have experience
    maintaining the information and processing systems that we use to provide
    banking services over the Internet.

  We cannot assure you that we will succeed in developing and bringing new
products and services to market in a timely manner or that we will be able to
accomplish these other tasks.

Our computer and network systems may be vulnerable to unforeseen problems and
security risks.

  The computer systems and network infrastructure that we use to provide
automated and Internet banking services could be vulnerable to unforeseen
problems. Our operations are dependent upon our ability to protect our computer
equipment against damage from fire, power loss, telecommunications failure,
earthquakes (which are more prevalent in California than in other parts of the
country) and similar catastrophic events. Any damage or failure that causes an
interruption in our banking services could harm our business, operating results
and financial condition.

  In addition, our operations are dependent on our ability to protect our
computer systems and network infrastructure from damage that could occur from
physical break-ins, security breaches and other disruptive problems caused by
the Internet or other Internet users. Computer break-ins and security breaches
could jeopardize the security of information stored in and transmitted through
such computer systems and network infrastructure, which may result in
significant liability to the Bank. Other disruptions due to problems on the
Internet or actions of Internet users could make it difficult for our customers
to access and retrieve information

                                       13
<PAGE>

and conduct banking transactions at our Web site. In either case, problems of
this nature could lead existing customers to terminate their banking
relationships with us and could make it more difficult for us to attract new
Internet banking customers, which could undermine our business strategy.
Although we intend to continue to implement the latest security technology and
establish operational procedures to prevent such disruptions and damage, there
is no assurance that these security measures will be successful.

Our operations could be disrupted by a change in service providers.

  Our Internet banking operations are dependent on essential technical and
customer service support from a number of third party service providers,
including Fiserve and Q-Up Systems. Our Internet operations could be disrupted
if any of those service providers were to be unable to perform under, or
terminate, their contracts with us, because acceptable alternatives may take
time to implement, may be unavailable or may increase our costs.

We are unable to predict whether we will be able to increase the number of our
customers.

  It is sometimes difficult to convince prospective customers to transfer their
deposit accounts and business from their existing banks, even when they are
unhappy with the service they are receiving from those banks. Such transfers
generally involve unavoidable inconveniences and disruptions. Also, some
prospective customers may choose to remain at their existing banks to obtain
specialized services that we may not be able to offer or because their existing
banks have greater market presence or longer histories of operations that do
we. In addition, if competing banks or other financial services providers offer
Internet banking services comparable to those we offer, or other financial
services or products that we do not provide, it is possible that we could lose
some of our customers to those other banks or providers. Customers who
experience difficulties in accessing or conducting banking transactions at our
Web site may terminate their banking relationships with us, even if those
difficulties arise from operational features of the Internet over which we have
no control or are the result of the inexperience of the customer.

We depend to a great extent on key personnel.

  Our success depends to a great extent on the continued availability of
Raymond E. Dellerba, President and Chief Executive Officer, John J. McCauley,
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Credit Officer, John P. Cronin, Chief
Technology Officer, and Daniel L. Erickson, Chief Financial Officer. In
addition to their skills and experience as bankers or their experience with the
procurement, operation and maintenance of computer systems used in providing
Internet banking services, these officers provide us with extensive community
ties upon which our competitive strategy is partially based. We do not maintain
key-man life insurance on these executives other than Mr. Dellerba. As a
result, the loss of the services of any of these officers could harm our
business strategy. In order to achieve the expansion we intend to pursue, we
will be required to attract and retain other key employees in a variety of
positions. Competition for such employees is intense and is particularly so in
our current markets and other markets we have targeted, which are experiencing
a high level of economic prosperity. We cannot assure you that we will be able
to retain our existing key employees or to attract or retain a sufficient
number of additional qualified employees to meet our business requirements.

Government regulation may impair our operations or restrict our growth.

  Both the Bancorp and the Bank are subject to extensive supervision and
regulation by federal and state regulatory agencies. The primary objective of
those agencies is to protect depositors and other customers of the Bank and not
the shareholders, whose respective interests will often differ. The regulatory
agencies have the legal authority to impose restrictions which they believe are
needed to protect depositors and customers of banking institutions, even if
they will restrict the ability of the banking institution to expand its
business and

                                       14
<PAGE>

introduce new financial products and services. Aspects of our operations that
are affected by bank regulatory agencies include:

  . the capital we must maintain;

  . the kinds of activities in which we can engage;

  . the kinds and amounts of investments we can make;

  . the locations of our offices;

  . how much interest we can pay on demand deposits;

  . insurance of our deposits and the premiums we must pay for this
    insurance; and

  . how much cash we must set aside as reserves for deposits.

  Due to the complex and technical nature of many of the government regulations
to which banks and bank holding companies are subject, inadvertent violations
can occur. In such event, the Bank would be required to correct, or implement
measures to prevent a recurrence of, such violations. If more serious
violations were to occur, the regulatory agencies may limit our activities or
growth, fine us or ultimately put us out of business. Bank regulation can
hinder our ability to compete with financial services companies that are not
regulated or are less regulated.

  Regulation of the Bank. The Bank conducts its business under a bank charter
issued by the California Department of Financial Institutions (known as the
"DFI"). The Bank also is member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(known as the "FDIC"). As a result, it is subject to supervision and regulation
by the DFI and the Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System (known as the
"Federal Reserve Board") and, to a lesser extent, the FDIC. The regulations and
policies of these agencies affect most aspects of the Bank's business and
prescribe permissible types of loans and investments, the amount of required
reserves, the requirements for branch offices, the permissible scope of the
Bank's activities, the amount of capital it must maintain and various other
requirements. In addition, as part of their regular examinations of the Bank,
the DFI and Federal Reserve Board consider and make recommendations with
respect to the efficacy of lending, investment and other policies established
and implemented by the Bank, the quality of the loans in the Bank's loan
portfolio, the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses and the adequacy of
the Bank's capital. If the DFI or the Federal Reserve Board conclude that the
Bank's operations or assets are not in compliance with applicable standards,
they have the authority to impose a wide range of remedial measures on the
Bank, including the ability to limit the Bank's financial activities, to
require the Bank to take certain corrective actions or, ultimately, to take
over the Bank and liquidate the Bank's assets. In taking any of these actions,
the DFI and the Federal Reserve Board will act in the interests of the Bank's
depositors, and will consider the interests of our shareholders only to the
extent the interests of the depositors are not affected. The Bank is also
subject to certain reporting requirements of the DFI and the Federal Reserve
Board.

  Regulation of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp. As the holding company for the
Bank, we are subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve Board under the Bank
Holding Company Act. The Act requires, among other things, the prior approval
of the Federal Reserve Board before a bank holding company may acquire
substantially all of the assets or more than five percent of the voting shares
of any bank. Additionally, a bank holding company may not engage in any
business other than owning and operating banks and businesses that have been
determined by the Federal Reserve Board to be closely related to banking. We
also will be required to file annual reports and other information with the
Federal Reserve Board regarding our business operations and those operations
are subject to periodic examinations by the Federal Reserve Board.

  Other Regulatory Requirements. In conducting various aspects of our business,
we are also subject to various laws and regulations relating to commercial
transactions generally, such as the Uniform Commercial Code, and electronic
funds transfer rules embodied in Regulation E promulgated by the Federal
Reserve Board. Due to the expansion of Internet banking, it is possible that
any of these or other government agencies could revise existing regulations or
adopt new regulations governing or affecting our ability to conduct our
business over the Internet. It is also possible that Congress or individual
states could enact laws regulating Internet

                                       15
<PAGE>

banking. Congress has held hearings on whether to regulate providers of
services and transactions over the Internet. If enacted, such laws, rules and
regulations could harm our business, operating results and financial condition
by restricting the services we can provide or increasing the costs of providing
banking services over the Internet.

  Banking Regulations Could Discourage Changes in our Ownership.  Before anyone
can acquire enough voting stock to exercise control over a bank holding company
like the Bancorp, bank regulatory agencies must approve the acquisition. A
shareholder must apply for regulatory approval to own 10% or more of our common
stock, unless the shareholder can show that he or she will not actually exert
control over us. In no case can a shareholder own more than 25% of our common
stock without applying for regulatory approval. These regulations could delay
and possibly discourage a potential acquiror who would have been willing to pay
a premium price to amass a large block of our common stock. That in turn could
decrease the value of our common stock and the price that you will receive if
you sell your shares in the future.

We may have the need for additional capital in the future.

  We anticipate that our existing capital resources and the net proceeds from
the sale of shares in this offering will satisfy our foreseeable capital
requirements. However, the funds generated by this offering could be
insufficient to fund our future operating requirements. In that event, we would
have to raise additional funds through public or private financings or, in the
alternative, curtail our growth and reduce our assets. Our ability to raise
additional capital in the future when we need it will depend on conditions in
the capital markets, which are outside of our control and on our financial
performance. We may not be able to complete such additional financings at all
or on favorable terms. Additional equity financings would result in the
dilution of your ownership interests in the Bancorp. Also, if adequate capital
cannot be obtained, the Bancorp and the Bank will be subject to increased
regulatory supervision and the imposition of restrictions on our growth and our
business, which could result in increases in operating expenses and reductions
in revenues that would harm our operating results.

We may be subject to liability risks that are not covered by insurance.

  We are subject to a variety of liability risks that can arise from the Bank's
operations. We currently maintain a general commercial and umbrella liability
policy covering claims of up to $6,000,000. In addition, the FDIC insures
deposits to a maximum of $100,000 per depositor. If a successful claim were
brought against us in excess of any available insurance coverage, our business,
operating results and financial condition could be materially adversely
affected.

We may engage in business combinations that may dilute shareholders, divert
management attention, or cause integration difficulties.

  Our management may elect to pursue our growth strategy by acquiring or
combining with other banks or related businesses. Such combinations may be
structured as stock or cash transactions or as a combination of the two.
Business combinations are extremely time consuming and expensive and, in the
case of bank acquisitions, subject to extensive regulatory control. We cannot
assure you that any business combinations will be consummated. In addition,
business combinations can cause substantial dilution in the investment of the
existing shareholders and can result in a significant drop in our stock price
if market perceptions of the combination are not favorable. Following a
business combination, it is necessary to integrate the two businesses, which is
always time consuming and often difficult. Many business combinations are a
result of intensely competitive bidding and our management may find itself
under severe pressure to increase our bid for a particular business. For
financing or legal reasons, we may be required to divest ourselves of certain
assets in order to consummate a business combination or to increase leverage by
borrowing. Any such events could have an adverse impact on our short term
operating results and, therefore, on our stock price. We cannot assure you that
any business combination we may attempt to consummate will have a positive
effect on our business or financial condition.

                                       16
<PAGE>

We do not intend to pay cash dividends.

  We do not intend to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future, as we
expect to apply any earnings to developing and expanding our business. Our
ability to pay dividends is also restricted by government regulations that
apply to us and to the Bank. See "Dividend Policy."

Quoted prices for the Bank's common stock may not be a reliable indicator of
the value of our shares.

  The Bank's shares are quoted on the NASDAQ OTC Bulletin Board and trade on an
infrequent basis in the over-the-counter market. Prices quoted on the NASDAQ
OTC Bulletin Board do not necessarily reflect actual market transactions.
Moreover, the limited trading activity in the Bank's shares, combined with the
lack of market research on the Bank, means that the prices quoted on the NASDAQ
OTC Bulletin Board are not necessarily based on, and do not necessarily
correspond to, established criteria of value, such as earnings, assets or
prospects for our business, and are therefore not necessarily indicative of the
prices at which our shares will trade following our acquisition of the Bank and
completion of this offering.

Our shares will be subject to stock price volatility.

  The trading price of our common stock could be subject to significant
fluctuations in response to a variety of factors, many of which are not
directly related to our future performance and many of which are beyond our
ability to control. Factors that may affect the trading price of our common
stock include quarterly variations in our actual or anticipated operating
results, changes in market or economic conditions generally or within the
markets in which we operate, changes in national monetary policies or in market
rates of interest, changes in banking regulations, competitive developments and
changes in investor perceptions of the attractiveness of certain industries or
certain types of investments. We cannot assure you that the market price of our
common stock will not decline below the price at which we sell shares in this
offering. In recent years, significant price and volume fluctuations have
occurred in stock prices that often have been unrelated or disproportionate to
the operating performance of the affected companies.

We may be unable to sustain an active trading market for our common stock.

  We have applied for the listing of our common stock on the NASDAQ National
Market. However, we cannot assure you that such listing will be obtained or,
whether or not such a listing is obtained, that an active trading market for
our common stock will develop or be sustained following completion of this
offering. Continued active trading in our stock is likely to depend on a number
of factors, including the quality and quantity of research coverage on our
common stock, the number and quality of marketmakers quoting our stock and our
ability to develop and maintain an active and effective shareholder relations
program. We cannot assure you that the elements required to sustain an active
trading market in our common stock will be present at any time after the
offering.

A significant number of shares are eligible for sale which could depress our
stock price.

  The ability of existing shareholders to freely sell a significant number of
their shares could cause the trading price of our stock to decline. After this
offering, there will be 6,720,162 shares of our common stock outstanding, of
which approximately 55% will be held by existing stockholders and will become
eligible for resale in the public trading market shortly after completion of
this offering. Existing shareholders owning a total of 523,047 of our shares
have agreed not to sell those shares for a period of 180 days after the date of
this prospectus without the prior written consent of Paulson Investment
Company, Inc. Upon expiration of the 180-day lock-up period, those shares will
become available for sale in the public market (subject to certain volume
restrictions imposed by federal securities laws). On the first anniversary of
this offering, an additional 300,000 shares, which may be acquired on exercise
of underwriters warrants to be issued in connection with this offering, will
become eligible for sale. See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" for additional
information the number of shares that will be eligible for sale in the public
market following this offering.

                                       17
<PAGE>

You will incur dilution.

  If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will incur
immediate dilution in the pro forma per share net tangible book value of those
shares. We estimate this dilution to be approximately $5.78 per share, or
approximately 42%, assuming an offering price of $13.75 per share. If options
to purchase our common stock are exercised by the persons holding those
options, you will suffer further dilution. See "Dilution" for a description of
how dilution has been calculated.

                           FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

  This prospectus, including without limitation the "Prospectus Summary," "Risk
Factors," "Use of Proceeds," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business" sections hereof, contains
statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements involve a number of
risks and uncertainties. The following, in addition to the risk factors
described above, are among the factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from the forward-looking statements:

  . business conditions and growth of the banking industry and general
    economy;

  . growth in the use of the Internet, particularly for online banking
    transactions;

  . lower than expected customer deposits;

  . lower than expected loan demand;

  . lower than expected spread between interest earning assets and interest
    bearing liabilities;

  . competitive factors, including increased competition, new product or
    service offerings by competitors and price pressures;

  . the availability of third party services at reasonable prices; and

  . our ability to enhance our Internet and computer banking systems to take
    advantage of improvements in technology.

                       THE HOLDING COMPANY REORGANIZATION

  We were incorporated on January 7, 2000 to acquire and thereby to become the
parent holding company for the Bank. Prior to completion of this offering, we
will acquire the Bank by means of a merger as a result of which the Bank will
become our wholly-owned subsidiary and the Bank's shareholders will become our
shareholders, owning the same number and percentage of our shares as they had
owned in the Bank (the "Holding Company Reorganization"). Prior to that merger,
we will have only nominal assets and will not have conducted any business.

  All financial information included herein has been restated as if the Holding
Company Reorganization was effective for all periods presented. Additionally,
per share data, and the number of our common shares outstanding for all periods
presented, give retroactive effect to a two-for-one stock split of the Bank's
outstanding shares that will become effective on April 14, 2000.

  The Bank's Board of Directors decided to establish the Bancorp as the parent
holding company of the Bank because they believe that a bank holding company
will have greater flexibility in financing the capital requirements of the
Bank, acquiring other banks and financial service businesses and increasing the
variety of financial services that we can offer to customers.

  The Holding Company Reorganization has been approved by the Bank's
shareholders and by the Federal Reserve Board and the California Commissioner
of Financial Institutions. The only remaining approval that is required is from
the FDIC, and we expect to receive that approval within the next 30 days.

                                       18
<PAGE>

                                USE OF PROCEEDS

  The net proceeds to us from the sale of the shares in this offering will be
approximately $37,550,000 million, assuming an initial public offering price of
$13.75 per share, an underwriting discount of $2,887,500 and offering expenses
of $812,500. We intend to use these net proceeds as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           Amount    Percentage
                                                         ----------- ----------
<S>                                                      <C>         <C>
Capital contribution to the Bank........................ $27,550,000    73.4%

General corporate purposes of the Bancorp, including
acquisitions of other banks and funding of working
capital requirements....................................  10,000,000    26.6%
                                                         -----------   -----
                                                         $37,550,000   100.0%
                                                         ===========   =====
</TABLE>

  The capital contribution to the Bank will increase its single borrower loan
limits which will enable it to offer larger loans to its customers. The
proceeds from that capital contribution will be used primarily to fund loans
and interest earning investments, to conduct additional marketing programs, to
enhance the functionality of the Bank's Internet and computerized banking
systems, to add new products and services and to fund the costs of establishing
additional branch offices. We also may use a portion of the proceeds to acquire
other banks to extend our service area when opportunities to do so present
themselves. However, at this time we are not in discussions or negotiations
with any prospective acquisition candidates.

  The allocations of the net proceeds set forth in the table above represent
our current estimate of the amounts we will spend on each of the above
categories and are subject to change at our discretion based on actual results
of operations and capital requirements. The actual use of the net proceeds of
this offering may vary substantially from that set forth above.

  Pending the uses of the net proceeds that are retained at the Bancorp, we
intend to invest those proceeds in short term, interest bearing investment
grade securities.

                                TRADING HISTORY

  The Bancorp has recently been organized to become the parent holding company
for the Bank, and there has been no trading in the Bancorp's shares. We have
applied for quotation of our shares on the NASDAQ National Market under the
symbol "PMBC" effective on the commencement of this offering.

  The Bank's shares have been quoted on the NASDAQ OTC Bulletin Board since
January 14, 2000. However, trading has been limited and sporadic and prices
quoted do not necessarily represent actual transactions. Between that date and
March 27, 2000, the sales prices of the Bank's shares have ranged from a low of
$7.25 to a high of $13.9375 and the most recent sale during that period took
place on March 27, 2000 at a price of $10.0625. All of these prices have been
adjusted to give retroactive effect to the Bank's two-for-one stock split that
will become effective on April 14, 2000. Current bid and asked quotations for
the Bank's shares on the NASDAQ OTC Bulletin Board do not yet reflect and have
not yet been adjusted for that stock split.

                                DIVIDEND POLICY

  We currently intend to retain any future earnings to increase our capital and
finance the growth and development of our business. We therefore do not
anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. For the
foreseeable future, the Bank will be the only source of funds from which
dividends can be paid. Regulations of federal and state government agencies
that have supervisory authority over the Bank place limits on the ability of
the Bank to pay cash dividends.

                                       19
<PAGE>

                                 CAPITALIZATION

  The following table sets forth our capitalization as if the Holding Company
Reorganization had occurred as of December 31, 1999 and on an as adjusted basis
to give effect to the sale of shares in this offering at an assumed offering
price of $13.75 per share and the receipt of the net proceeds from that sale.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       At December 31, 1999
                                                      ------------------------
                                                                        As
                                                        Actual      Adjusted
                                                      -----------  -----------
<S>                                                   <C>          <C>
Shareholders' equity:
 Preferred shares, no par value; 2,000,000 shares
  authorized; no shares issued or outstanding........ $       --   $       --
 Common shares, no par value; 10,000,000 shares
  authorized and 3,720,162 shares issued and
  outstanding (actual); 20,000,000 shares authorized
  and 6,720,162 shares issued and outstanding (as
  adjusted)..........................................  19,019,200   56,569,200
 Accumulated deficit.................................  (2,992,400)  (2,992,400)
 Accumulated comprehensive loss......................      (8,400)      (8,400)
                                                      -----------  -----------
  Total shareholders' equity......................... $16,018,400  $53,568,400
                                                      ===========  ===========
</TABLE>

  Common shares outstanding excludes 725,906 shares reserved for issuance
pursuant to our stock option plan, which includes options outstanding on
December 31, 1999 to purchase a total of 380,106 of our shares at a weighted
average exercise price of $4.00 per share. In January 2000, options were
granted covering 280,700 additional shares at an exercise price of $6.75 per
share.

                                       20
<PAGE>

                                    DILUTION

  Our pro forma net tangible book value as of December 31, 1999, which gives
retroactive effect to the Holding Company Reorganization and the Bank's two-
for-one stock split, as if they had occurred on December 31, 1999, was
approximately $16,018,400, or $4.31 per share of common stock. Net tangible
book value per share represents the amount of our pro forma total tangible
assets less total liabilities, divided by the number of shares of our common
stock that would have been outstanding as of December 31, 1999 had the Holding
Company Reorganization and the Bank's two-for-one stock split become effective
on that date.

  The dilution in our pro forma net tangible book value per share represents
the difference between the per share amount paid for shares sold in this
offering, and the net tangible book value per share immediately after
completion of this offering. After giving effect to the sale of 3,000,000
shares of common stock in the offering at an assumed public offering price of
$13.75 per share, and deducting the anticipated underwriting discount and
commission and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma net
tangible book value would have been $53,568,400, or $7.97 per share, at
December 31, 1999. This will represent an immediate increase in our net
tangible book value of $3.66 per share to existing stockholders and an
immediate dilution or reduction in the net tangible book value of $5.78 per
share to investors purchasing common stock in this offering. These changes are
illustrated in the following table:

<TABLE>
   <S>                                                             <C>   <C>
   Initial public offering price per common share.................       $13.75
     Net tangible book value per share at December 31, 1999....... $4.31
     Increase per share attributable to new investors............. $3.66
                                                                   -----
   Net tangible book value per common share after this offering...       $ 7.97
                                                                         ------
   Dilution per common share to new investors.....................       $ 5.78
                                                                         ======
</TABLE>

  The following table compares the number of Bancorp shares that will be owned
by the existing shareholders of the Bank who will become our shareholders on
completion of the Holding Company Reorganization, together with the effective
prices they paid for such shares, with the number of Bancorp shares to be
purchased and the prices that will be paid for such shares in this offering,
assuming that the offering price per share will be $13.75:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            Total
                            Shares Purchased(1)(2)    Consideration(3)     Average
                            ------------------------ ------------------- Price  Paid
                               Number     Percent      Amount    Percent Per Share(3)
                            ------------ ----------- ----------- ------- -----------
   <S>                      <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>     <C>
   Existing shareholders...    3,720,162      55.4%  $19,361,900   31.9%   $ 5.20
   New investors...........    3,000,000      44.6%   41,250,000   68.1%   $13.75
                            ------------ ---------   -----------  -----
     Total.................    6,720,162    100.00%  $60,611,900  100.0%
                            ============ =========   ===========  =====
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) The number of shares held by the existing shareholders gives retroactive
    effect to the completion of the Holding Company Reorganization and the
    Bank's two-for-one stock split as if they had occurred as of December 31,
    1999.

(2) The number of shares excludes a total of 380,106 shares that will be
    issuable on exercise of currently outstanding stock options that are
    exercisable at a weighted average price of $4.00 per share (as adjusted for
    the stock split). To the extent that these options are exercised, there
    will be further dilution to new investors.

(3) Does not reflect any deductions of any underwriting discounts and
    commissions or other offering expenses payable to the underwriters.

                                       21
<PAGE>

                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

  The following selected financial data for the periods presented is derived
from the Bancorp's financial statements, including the accompanying notes, that
have been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants, and
that are included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected financial data
gives retroactive effect to the Holding Company Reorganization, which will
become effective prior to the completion of this offering. The selected
financial data should be read together with those audited financial statements
and the section of this prospectus entitled "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Inception
                                                  Year Ended   (May 29, 1998)
                                                 December 31,  to December 31,
                                                     1999          1998(1)
                                                 ------------  ---------------
<S>                                              <C>           <C>
Statement of Operations Data:
Total interest income........................... $ 2,100,100      $   2,600
Total interest expense..........................     880,000            --
                                                 -----------      ---------
Net interest income.............................   1,220,100          2,600
Provision for loan losses.......................     750,000            --
                                                 -----------      ---------
Net interest income after provision for loan
 losses.........................................     470,100          2,600
Non-Interest income.............................     131,600            --
Non-Interest expense............................  (3,351,300)      (243,600)
                                                 -----------      ---------
Loss before income taxes........................  (2,749,600)      (241,000)
Income tax expense..............................        (600)        (1,200)
                                                 -----------      ---------
Net loss ....................................... $(2,750,200)     $(242,200)
                                                 ===========      =========
Net loss per share, basic and diluted........... $     (1.12)        N/A
                                                 ===========      =========
Weighted average number of shares outstanding
 basic and diluted..............................   2,466,114         N/A
                                                 ===========      =========

<CAPTION>
                                                       At December 31,
                                                 -----------------------------
                                                     1999           1998
                                                 ------------  ---------------
<S>                                              <C>           <C>
Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents(2).................... $38,498,200      $ 177,300
Total loans (net of allowance for loan
 losses)(3).....................................  47,043,200            --
Total assets....................................  91,165,400        340,000
Total deposits..................................  74,500,200            --
Total shareholders equity (deficit).............  16,018,400       (242,200)
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) For accounting purposes, the inception of the Bancorp is deemed to have
    occurred in May 1998, when the organizers of the Bank established an
    organizing committee to file necessary applications for regulatory
    approvals and begin preparations for the opening of the Bank. Pursuant to
    those regulatory approvals, the Bank was incorporated in November 1998 and
    it received its charter and commenced banking operations on March 1, 1999.
    As a result, no shares were outstanding and we generated no revenues from
    operations prior to March 1, 1999.

(2) Cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from other banks and federal
    funds sold.

(3) Includes $2,700,000 of loans held for sale, at December 31, 1999.

                                       22
<PAGE>

   MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
                                   OPERATIONS

  For accounting purposes, the inception of the Bancorp is deemed to have
occurred on May 29, 1998, the date when the organizers of the Bank established
an organizing committee to file necessary applications for regulatory approvals
and begin preparations for the opening of the Bank. Pursuant to those
regulatory approvals, the Bank was incorporated in November 1998 and it
received its charter, completed the initial issuance and sale of its shares and
commenced banking operations on March 1, 1999. As a result, prior to March 1,
1999, the Bank had no shares outstanding and generated no revenues from
operations. During the period from May 29, 1998 to February 28, 1999, our
expenses consisted of the portion of our organizational expenses and start up
costs that, under generally accepted accounting principles, were required to be
expensed, rather than capitalized. Due to the absence of operations during the
period from inception to December 31, 1998, the following discussion will focus
on our operating results in the fiscal year ended, and our financial condition
as of, December 31, 1999.

  For the year ended December 31, 1999, we sustained a net loss of $2,750,200,
or $1.12 per share. Contributing to that loss was a provision, or charge to
income, of $750,000 to establish the Bank's allowance for possible loan losses,
and non-interest expenses of $3,351,300, which includes $210,000 of non-
recurring organizational and start-up costs that were expensed during the two
months ended February 28, 1999. The provision for possible loan losses, coupled
with our non-interest expenses, more than offset our net interest income of
$1,220,100, earned during the ten months from commencement of our banking
operations to December 31, 1999.

Overview

  Since 1999 was the first year of our operations, our results of operations
were more significantly affected by startup and other non-recurring costs than
we would expect will be the case in future periods. Moreover, we expect to
realize further growth in subsequent periods that will alter the nature of our
operations. Accordingly, our 1999 results are not necessarily indicative of our
results in future periods.

Results of Operations

  Net Interest Income. Net interest income, the major source of operating
income of the Bancorp, represents the difference between interest earned from
interest earning assets and the interest paid on interest bearing liabilities.
Net interest income, when expressed as a percentage of total average interest
earning assets, is referred to as the net interest margin.

  Net interest income for the year ended December 31, 1999 was $1,220,100 and
included $65,400 of interest earned on the proceeds of the sales of shares in
two public stock offerings completed by the Bank in 1999 while those proceeds
were held in an escrow account pending completion of those offerings. The
Bancorp net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 1999 was 3.95%
(excluding the interest on those escrow accounts).

  At December 31, 1999, approximately 42% of the Bancorp's assets were invested
in federal funds and approximately 48% in gross loans. Typically, as a bank
grows, the mix of earning assets shifts out of lower earning federal funds into
higher earning loans, thereby increasing net interest margins. We expect loans
to increase in absolute dollars during the current fiscal year. However, due to
the increase in our assets that will result from the receipt of the proceeds of
this offering, we expect that loans will decline as a percentage of total
assets during the current fiscal year.

  Provision For Loan Losses. During the year ended December 31, 1999, the
Bancorp made a provision for loan losses of $750,000 in order to create its
allowance for loan losses. At December 31, 1999, that allowance represented
1.6% of the Bank's gross loans.


                                       23
<PAGE>

  Noninterest Income. Noninterest income consists of service charges on deposit
accounts, mortgage banking income and other noninterest income. The Bank's
mortgage banking division offers conforming and non-conforming, agency quality,
residential first and home equity mortgage loans. Fee income is generated from
loan processing fees, yield spread premium and origination fee income.

  Noninterest Expense. Total noninterest expense for the year ended December
31, 1999 was $3,351,300, of which salaries and employee benefits represented
$1,836,500. Other operating expense primarily consisted of stationary and
supplies, advertising and messenger services and check charges for customers.
For the 12 months ended December 31, 1999, noninterest expense, as a percentage
of average interest earning assets, was 9.61%.

Quarterly Results of Financial Operations

  The following table sets forth certain unaudited quarterly statements of
operations data for the four quarters in the year ended December 31, 1999. This
information has been derived from our unaudited financial statements, which, in
our opinion, have been prepared on the same basis as our audited financial
statements, and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring
adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the information for the
quarters presented. This information should be read in conjunction with our
financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.
The operating results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the
operating results for any future period.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    Quarter Ended
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                      March
                                       31,   June 30, September 30, December 31,
                                     ------- -------- ------------- ------------
<S>                                  <C>     <C>      <C>           <C>
Total interest income............... $64,700 $387,500   $651,600     $ 996,300
Total interest expense..............   6,400  199,800    291,400       382,400
Net interest income.................  58,300  187,700    360,200       613,900
Provision for loan losses...........  30,000   90,000    130,000       500,000
Non-Interest expense................ 398,200  584,000    974,600     1,394,500
Loss before income taxes............ 368,200  484,900    704,800     1,191,700
Net loss............................ 368,200  485,700    704,800     1,191,500
</TABLE>

  Since we commenced operations on March 1, 1999, the first quarter includes
only one month of actual operations. The increase in the loss in the third
quarter as compared to the second quarter was due primarily to increases in
salaries and employee benefit expense associated with the opening of our San
Clemente banking office and the addition of a mortgage banking division. The
increase in the loss in the fourth quarter as compared to the prior two
quarters was due primarily to increases in salaries and employee benefit
expense and a $500,000 provision made to increase our allowance for loan
losses. During the fourth quarter our assets grew to $91,165,400 from
$58,463,100 at September 30, 1999 and our loans grew to $47,043,200 from
$16,911,500 at September 30, 1999. As a result, during the fourth quarter we
continued to add personnel needed to manage that growth and we increased our
allowance for possible loan losses to maintain that allowance at approximately
1.5% of loans outstanding.

                                       24
<PAGE>

Financial Condition

  Assets. The Bancorp's assets totaled $91,165,400 at December 31, 1999. The
following table sets forth information regarding the Bank's average balance
sheet, yields on interest earning assets, interest expense on interest bearing
liabilities, the interest rate spread and the interest rate margin for the year
ended December 31, 1999. The average yields and rates represent the annualized
rates. Average balances are calculated based on average daily balances.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               Average    Interest    Average
                                               Balance   Earned/Paid Yield/Rate
                                             ----------- ----------- ----------
<S>                                          <C>         <C>         <C>
Interest earning assets:
  Short-term investments.................... $24,140,500 $1,283,800     5.32%
  Securities available for sale.............     926,200     56,500     6.10%
  Loans.....................................   9,801,400    759,800     7.75%
                                             ----------- ----------     ----
    Total earning assets....................  34,868,100  2,100,100     6.02%
                                                         ----------     ----
Non-Interest earning assets.................   2,435,400
                                             -----------
  Total assets.............................. $37,303,500
                                             ===========


Interest bearing liabilities:
  Interest bearing checking accounts........ $   740,500     15,400     2.08%
  Money market and savings accounts.........  10,155,000    448,500     4.42%
  Certificates of deposit...................   8,618,600    416,100     4.83%
                                             ----------- ----------     ----
                                              19,514,100    880,000     4.51%
                                                         ----------     ----

Non-Interest bearing liabilities............   9,485,600
                                             -----------
  Total liabilities.........................  28,999,700


Shareholders' equity........................   8,303,800
                                             -----------
  Total liabilities and shareholders'
   equity................................... $37,303,500
                                             ===========
Net interest earning........................             $1,220,100
                                                         ==========
Interest rate spread........................                            1.51%
                                                                        ====
Net interest margin.........................                            3.50%
                                                                        ====
</TABLE>

  Loans Held for Sale. Loans intended for sale in the secondary market totaled
$2,700,000 at December 31, 1999 and are carried at the lower of cost or
estimated fair value in the aggregate. Net unrealized losses, if any, are
recognized through a valuation allowance by charges to income.

  Loans. Loans outstanding at December 31, 1999 were located in Southern
California, the primary market areas being Orange and Los Angeles Counties. The
greatest concentration was in real estate loans and commercial loans, which
represent 61% and 24% of the portfolio, respectively. The Bank purchased 13
real estate loans in November and December of 1999 from a third party with a
par value of $19,394,900 at a premium of $290,900. The loans were recently
originated, have terms of 10 to 30 years, are primarily variable rate and are
secured by multi-family real estate. Commercial loans are primarily secured by
real property and other business assets.

                                       25
<PAGE>

  The loan portfolio consisted of the following at December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
   <S>                                                              <C>
   Real estate loans............................................... $30,653,600
   Commercial loans................................................  10,471,600
   Construction loans..............................................      90,600
   Consumer loans..................................................   3,815,200
                                                                    -----------
                                                                     45,031,000
     Allowance for loan losses.....................................    (750,000)
     Deferred loan origination costs, net..........................      62,200
                                                                    -----------
       Loans, net.................................................. $44,343,200
                                                                    ===========
</TABLE>

  The following table sets forth the maturity and repricing distribution of the
Bank's loan portfolio (excluding consumer loans) at December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                 Over One
                                                   Year
                                     One Year    Through   Over Five
                                      or Less   Five Years   Years      Total
                                    ----------- ---------- --------- -----------
   <S>                              <C>         <C>        <C>       <C>
   Real estate loans
     Floating rate................. $    51,700 $1,520,500 $617,300  $ 2,189,500
     Fixed rate....................  24,462,900  4,001,200      --    28,464,100
   Commercial loans
     Floating rate.................   1,149,800  1,701,400  301,300    3,152,500
     Fixed rate....................   7,319,100        --       --     7,319,100
   Construction loans
     Floating rate.................         --         --       --           --
     Fixed rate....................      90,600        --       --        90,600
                                    ----------- ---------- --------  -----------
                                    $33,074,100 $7,223,100 $918,600  $41,215,800
                                    =========== ========== ========  ===========
</TABLE>

  Allowance for Loan Losses. The risk that borrowers will fail or be unable to
repay their loans is an inherent part of the banking business. In order to
recognize on a timely basis, to the extent practicable, losses that can result
from such failures, banks establish reserves or an "allowance" for possible
loan losses by means of periodic charges to income known as "provisions for
loan losses" which, when made, are recorded as a current expense. Loans are
charged against the allowance for loan losses when management believes that
collection of the carrying amount of the loans has become unlikely. Periodic
additions are made to the allowance (i) to replenish and thereby maintain the
adequacy of the allowance following the incurrence of loan losses, and (ii) to
increase the allowance in response to increases in the volume of outstanding
loans and deteriorations in economic conditions or in the financial condition
of borrowers. The Bank, like other banks, evaluates the adequacy of, and make
provisions in order to maintain or increase, its allowance for possible loan
losses on a quarterly basis. As a result provisions for possible loan losses
will represent a recurring expense in future periods.

  The allowance for loan losses at December 31, 1999 was $750,000, which
represented 1.6% of the Bank's outstanding loans at that date. We carefully
monitor changing economic conditions, the loan portfolio by category, our
borrowers' financial condition and the history of the portfolio in determining
the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. We are not currently aware of
any information leading us to believe that there will be material deterioration
in our loan portfolio, and believe that the Bank's allowance for loan losses at
December 31, 1999 is adequate to provide for losses inherent in the portfolio.
However, that allowance was established on the basis of estimates developed
primarily from historical industry loan loss data, because the Bank commenced
operations in March 1999 and, therefore, lacked historical data relating to the
performance of loans in its loan portfolio. As a result, ultimate losses may
vary from the estimates used to establish the allowance. Additionally, as the
volume of the Bank's loans increase, additional provisions for loan losses will
be required to maintain the allowance for loan losses at levels we deem
adequate. In addition, if economic conditions were to deteriorate, it would
become necessary to increase the provision to an even greater extent.

                                       26
<PAGE>

  The Bank also evaluates loans for impairment, where principal and interest is
not expected to be collected in accordance with the contractual terms of the
loan agreement. The Bank measures and reserves for impairment on a loan by loan
basis using either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted
at the loan's effective interest rate, or the fair value of the collateral if
the loan is collateral dependent. As of December 31, 1999 the Bank had no loans
classified as impaired. The Bank excludes from its impairment calculations
smaller, homogeneous loans such as consumer installment loans and lines of
credit. Also, loans that experience insignificant payment delays or payment
shortfalls are generally not considered impaired.

  A summary of the Bank's transactions in the allowance for loan losses for the
year ended December 31, 1999 is as follows:

<TABLE>
      <S>                                                             <C>
      Balance, December 31, 1998..................................... $    --
      Provision for loan losses......................................  750,000
      Recoveries.....................................................      --
      Amounts charged off............................................      --
                                                                      --------
      Balance, December 31, 1999..................................... $750,000
                                                                      ========

      Ratio of the allowance for loan losses to loans outstanding at
       December 31, 1999.............................................     1.6%
      Ratio of the allowance for loan losses to nonaccrual loans at
       December 31, 1999.............................................     0.0%
      Ratio of net charge-offs to average loans......................     0.0%
</TABLE>

  The following table sets forth the allocation of the allowance for loan
losses by loan category as of December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
      <S>                                                              <C>
      Real estate loans............................................... $127,000
      Commercial loans................................................   43,400
      Consumer loans..................................................   60,000
      Unallocated.....................................................  519,600
                                                                       --------
      Balance, December 31, 1999...................................... $750,000
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>

  While management has allocated the allowance to various loan categories, the
allowance is general in nature and is available for the loan portfolio in its
entirety.

  Nonperforming Assets. At December 31, 1999, the Bank had no nonaccrual loans,
restructured loans or loans which were considered impaired.

  Deposits. Total deposits were $74,500,200 at December 31, 1999 which includes
$21,782,100 of certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more.

  At December 31, 1999, the scheduled maturities of time deposits of $100,000
or more are as follows:

<TABLE>
      <S>                                                            <C>
      2000.......................................................... $21,594,600
      2001..........................................................     187,500
                                                                     -----------
                                                                     $21,782,100
                                                                     ===========
</TABLE>

Liquidity

  Our liquidity needs are actively managed to insure sufficient funds are
available to meet the ongoing needs of our customers. We project the future
sources and uses of funds and maintain sufficient liquid funds for
unanticipated events. The primary sources of funds include payments on loans,
the sale or maturity of investments and the growth in deposits. The primary
uses of funds includes funding new loans, making

                                       27
<PAGE>

advances on existing lines of credit, purchasing investments, funding deposit
withdrawals and paying operating expenses. The Bank maintains funds in
overnight federal funds and other short-term investments to provide for short
term liquidity needs.

  Cash flow from financing activities, primarily representing increases in
deposits and proceeds from the sale of common stock, totaled $93,049,400 for
the year ended December 31, 1999. Net cash used in operating activities,
primarily representing the net loss for the year, totaled $1,636,200. Net cash
used in investing activities, primarily representing increases in loans,
totaled $53,092,300.

  At December 31, 1999, liquid assets, which included cash and due from banks,
federal funds sold, interest bearing deposits with financial institutions and
unpledged securities available for sale (excluding Federal Reserve Bank stock)
totaled $41,371,800, or 45% of total assets.

  Although we do not have any material commitments to make capital
expenditures, we anticipate that we will experience a substantial increase in
our capital expenditures along with our working capital needs as a result of
our anticipated growth in operations, infrastructure and personnel. However, we
believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to meet
our anticipated cash needs for working capital and capital expenditures for at
least the next 12 months.

Investments and Investment Policy

  The Bank's investment policy, as established by its Board of Directors, is to
provide for the liquidity needs of the Bank and to generate a favorable return
on investments without undue interest rate risk, credit risk or asset
concentrations.

  The Bank is authorized to invest in obligations issued or fully guaranteed by
the United States government, certain federal agency obligations, certain time
deposits, certain municipal securities and federal funds sold. It is the Bank's
policy that there will be no trading account. The weighted average maturity of
U.S. government obligations, federal agency securities and municipal
obligations cannot exceed five years. Time deposits must be placed with
federally insured financial institutions, cannot exceed $100,000 to any one
institution and must have a maximum maturity of twenty-four months.

  Securities available for sale are those that we intend to hold for an
indefinite period of time but that may be sold in response to changes in
liquidity needs, changes in interest rates, changes in prepayment risks and
other similar factors. The securities are recorded at fair value, with
unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as other
comprehensive income.

  The following is a summary of the major components of securities available
for sale and a comparison of carrying values, estimated fair values, gross
unrealized gains and losses and maturities at December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      Estimated
                                                  Gross      Gross       Fair
                                     Amortized  Unrealized Unrealized   Market
                                        Cost      Gains      Losses     Value
                                     ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S>                                  <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
U.S. Agency Securities:
 Less than one year................. $  750,000   $ --      $(2,100)  $  747,900
 One to five years..................  1,492,000     --       (6,300)   1,485,700
 Federal Reserve Bank Stock.........    435,200     --          --       435,200
                                     ----------   -----     -------   ----------
                                     $2,677,200   $ --      $(8,400)  $2,668,800
                                     ==========   =====     =======   ==========
</TABLE>

  The weighted average yield is 6.0% for securities maturing less than one
year, 6.3% for securities maturing in one to five years and 6.0% for Federal
Reserve Bank stock.

                                       28
<PAGE>

Asset/Liability Management

  The objective of asset/liability management is to reduce the Bank's exposure
to interest rate fluctuations. We seek to achieve this objective by matching
the Bank's interest sensitive assets and liabilities, and maintaining the
maturity and repricing of these assets and liabilities at appropriate levels
given the interest rate environment. Generally, if rate sensitive assets exceed
rate sensitive liabilities, the net interest income will be positively impacted
during a rising rate environment and negatively impacted during a declining
rate environment. When rate sensitive liabilities exceed rate sensitive assets,
the net interest income will generally be positively impacted during a
declining rate environment and negatively impacted during a rising rate
environment. However, because interest rates for different asset and liability
products offered by depository institutions respond differently to changes in
the interest rate environment, the gap is only a general indicator of interest
rate sensitivity.

  The following table sets forth information concerning the Bank's rate
sensitive assets and rate sensitive liabilities as of December 31, 1999. Such
assets and liabilities are classified by the earlier of maturity or repricing
date in accordance with their contractual terms. Certain shortcomings are
inherent in the method of analysis presented in the following table. For
example, although certain assets and liabilities may have similar maturities or
periods of repricing, they may react in different degrees and at different
times to changes in market interest rates. Rates on some assets and liabilities
change in advance of changes in market rates of interest, while rates on other
assets or liabilities may lag behind changes in market rates of interest. Also,
loan prepayments and early withdrawals of certificates of deposit could cause
the interest sensitivities to vary from those which appear in the table.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       Over Three    Over One
                             Three       Through       Year         Over          Non-
                            Months       Twelve       Through       Five        Interest
                            or Less      Months     Five Years      Years       Bearing        Total
                          -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
<S>                       <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>
Assets
Interest-bearing
 deposits in other
 financial
 institutions...........  $ 1,188,000  $   198,000  $       --   $       --   $        --   $ 1,386,000
U.S. Govt. Agency
 Securities.............          --       747,900    1,485,700          --            --     2,233,600
Federal Reserve Bank
 Stock..................          --           --           --       435,200           --       435,200
Federal Funds Sold......   35,967,000          --           --           --            --    35,967,000
Loans...................   29,773,200    8,130,000    7,611,000    1,529,000           --    47,043,200
Non-interest earning
 assets.................          --           --           --           --      4,100,400    4,100,400
                          -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
 Total assets...........  $66,928,200  $ 9,075,900  $ 9,096,700  $ 1,964,200  $  4,100,400  $91,165,400
                          -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
Liabilities and
 Stockholders' Equity:
Noninterest-bearing
 deposits...............  $       --   $       --   $       --   $       --   $ 16,607,800  $16,607,800
Interest-bearing
 deposits...............   55,054,400    2,428,000      410,000          --            --    57,892,400
Other liabilities.......          --           --           --           --        646,800      646,800
Stockholders' equity....          --           --           --           --     16,018,400   16,018,400
                          -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
Total liabilities and
 Stockholders equity....  $55,054,400  $ 2,428,000  $   410,000  $       --   $ 33,273,000  $91,165,400
                          -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------  -----------
Interest rate
 sensitivity gap........  $11,873,800  $ 6,647,900  $ 8,686,700  $ 1,964,200  $(29,172,600) $       --
                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========  ============  ===========
Cumulative interest rate
 Sensitivity gap........  $11,873,800  $18,521,700  $27,208,400  $29,172,600  $        --
                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========  ============
Cumulative % of rate
 sensitive assets in
 maturity period........        73.41%       83.37%       93.35%       95.50%       100.00%
                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========  ============
Rate sensitive assets to
 rate sensitive
 liabilities............         1.22         3.74        22.19          N/A           N/A
                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========  ============
Cumulative ratio........         1.23         1.32         1.47         1.50           N/A
                          ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========  ============
</TABLE>

                                       29
<PAGE>

  At December 31,1999, the Bank's rate sensitive balance sheet was shown to be
in a positive gap position. This implies that our earnings would be increased
in the short-term if interest rates rise and reduced in the short term if
interest rates fall. However, as noted above, this may not necessarily be the
case depending on how quickly rate sensitive assets and liabilities react to
interest rate changes.

Market Risk

  Market risk is the risk of loss to future earnings, to fair values of assets
or to future cash flows that may result from changes in the price or value of a
financial instrument. The value of a financial instrument may change as a
result of changes in interest rate and other market conditions. Market risk is
attributed to all market risk sensitive financial instruments, including loans,
investment securities, deposits and borrowings. We do not engage in trading
activities or participate in foreign currency transactions for our own account.
Accordingly, our exposure to market risk is primarily a function of our asset
and liability management activities and of changes in market rates of interest.
Changes in rates can cause or require increases in the rates we pay on deposits
that may take effect more rapidly or may be greater than the increases in the
interest rates we are able to charge on loans and the yields that we can
realize on our investments. The extent of that market risk depends on a number
of variables including the sensitivity to changes in market interest rates and
the maturities of our interest earning assets and our deposits. See
"Asset/Liability Management."

Capital Resources

  On March 1, 1999, the Bank sold 2,090,628 shares of its common stock for
approximately $8,298,300 in an initial public offering, net of approximately
$64,200 in related expense. In November 1999, the Bank completed a second
offering in which it sold a total of 1,629,534 shares for approximately
$10,720,900, net of approximately $278,500 in related expense. The foregoing
share numbers give retroactive effect to the Bank's two-for-one stock split.

  The Bank is required to comply with risk-based capital standards promulgated
by the bank regulatory authorities. Under federal regulations, the Bank is
currently required to maintain a minimum ratio of total capital to risk-
weighted assets of eight percent, of which at least four percent must consist
of Tier 1 capital (consisting primarily of common stock and retained earnings,
less intangibles). In addition, federal regulations require banks generally to
have a minimum leverage capital ratio of at least four percent to be considered
"adequately capitalized." We believe that, as of December 31, 1999, the Bank
meets all capital adequacy requirements to which it is subject.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  To be Well Capitalized Under
                                                                                       Prompt Corrective
                              Actual          For Capital Adequacy Purposes            Action Provisions
                         -----------------  ---------------------------------  ----------------------------------
                           Amount    Ratio    Amount           Ratio             Amount            Ratio
                         ----------- -----  ---------- ----------------------  ---------- -----------------------
<S>                      <C>         <C>    <C>        <C>                     <C>        <C>
Total Capital to Risk
  Weighted Assets....... $16,717,000 30.2%  $4,422,500 (greater than or =)8.0% $5,528,200 (greater than or =)10.0%
                                                       ----------------------             -----------------------
Tier I Capital to Risk
 Weighted Assets........  16,026,800 29.0%   2,211,300 (greater than or =)4.0%  3,316,900 (greater than or =) 6.0%
                                                       ----------------------             -----------------------
Tier I Capital to
 Average Assets.........  16,026,800 24.3%   2,632,400 (greater than or =)4.0%  3,290,500 (greater than or =) 5.0%
                                                       ----------------------             -----------------------
</TABLE>

  We intend to retain any earnings to support our future growth and, therefore,
we do not intend to pay dividends for at least the foreseeable future. In
addition, the Bank has agreed with the FDIC to maintain a Tier 1 Capital to
Average Assets ratio of at least eight percent until February 28, 2002.

                                       30
<PAGE>

                                   BUSINESS

Overview

  Prior to the completion of this offering we will own Pacific Mercantile
Bank, which will be our sole subsidiary. The Bank is a California state
chartered commercial bank and is a member of the Federal Reserve System. The
FDIC insures its deposits. The Bank, which commenced operations on March 1,
1999, seeks to meet the banking requirements of small and medium size
businesses and professional firms, as well as individuals, by providing:

  . a broad range of banking and financial service products, more typical of
    larger banks, in order to gain a competitive advantage over independent
    or community banks that do not provide the same range or breadth of
    services that we are able to provide to our customers;

  . a high level of personal service and responsiveness, more typical of
    independent and community banks, giving the Bank a competitive advantage
    over large out-of-state and other large multi-regional banks that are
    unable or, due to the expense involved, are unwilling, to provide that
    same level of personal service to this segment of the banking market; and

  . the added flexibility, convenience and efficiency of conducting banking
    transactions with us over the Internet, which further differentiates the
    Bank from its competitors and will enable us to reduce the costs of
    providing service to our customers.

  The Bank has achieved rapid growth in its first year of operations. During
1999, it opened two banking offices in Orange County, California, one in
Newport Beach in March and the other in San Clemente in August. In April 1999,
the Bank launched its Internet Web site, at www.pmbank.com, where customers
are able to conduct, more conveniently and less expensively, many of their
commercial banking and other financial transactions with us, 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, using a computer equipped with a current industry standard Web
browser. As of March 15, 2000 our assets had grown to $115,100,000, deposits
to $98,800,000, and we were serving a total of 1,600 deposit customers, of
which approximately 700 were conducting at least some of their banking
transactions with us over the Internet. Business customers accounted for
approximately 80% of our deposits.

  We also believe that, by offering a broad selection of banking and financial
services via the Internet, we are positioned to capitalize on the growing use
of the Internet to conduct financial and banking transactions. According to a
number of published reports, approximately 5 million households in the
United States are believed to have conducted online banking transactions in
1999 and that number is expected to grow to more than 10 million by 2001. At
the same time the FDIC reports that, although approximately 30% of the 3,000
federally insured banks and thrift institutions in the United States had Web
sites, only about 635 of those banks and thrift institutions offered their
customers the ability to conduct online banking transactions at their Web
sites.

  We also plan to expand our market area geographically by acquiring other
independent banks in Southern California and in major metropolitan areas of
other western states that have undergone banking consolidations similar to the
one that has occurred in California. We also plan to open "express business
banking offices" to establish a physical presence, offer traditional business
and consumer banking services, and market our Internet banking services in new
communities within and outside of Orange County. These offices, which will
range in size from 2,000, to 3,000 square feet (as compared to 4,000 to 7,000
square feet for a traditional branch banking office), are expected to cost
roughly one-half of the cost of establishing and operating a traditional
branch banking office. Because our computer and Internet systems make it
possible to conduct an increasing number of banking transactions from remote
locations, we believe that we can provide responsive and convenient business
and consumer banking services from these offices to customers within a 25 mile
radius of their locations.

                                      31
<PAGE>

Industry Background

  The Banking Environment. During the period from 1970 to 1985, independent or
community banks headquartered in Southern California grew in number from 56 to
214, which included 46 banks that were headquartered in Orange County.
Independent and community banks offered an alternative to larger multi-regional
and multi-state banks, particularly for small and medium size businesses and
professional firms who desired to obtain, and were willing to pay for,
personalized and more responsive banking services.

  By contrast, as of December 31, 1999, the number of independent or community
banks headquartered in Southern California had declined to 139, of which only
eight were headquartered in Orange County, due principally to a consolidation
that took place over roughly a five year period, from 1994 to 1999, in which
the large multi-regional and large out-of-state banks acquired numerous
independent and community banks in Southern California. For a number of
reasons, such as disruptions occasioned by the process of integrating the
acquired banks into their operations, their lack of familiarity with the local
communities in which the acquired banks had operated and a focus on cutting
expenses to justify the acquisition prices they had paid for the acquired
banks, these larger multi-regional and multi-state banks have been unable or
unwilling to continue the level of personal service that many of the acquired
banks had provided to their small and medium size business customers, leaving
many of them overlooked and underserved.

  Additionally, during the past five years many larger California-based banks
have been acquired or have merged with large out-of-state banks and are, as a
result, now headquartered in other states. These include Bank of America, which
was acquired by Nations Bank, based in North Carolina; Wells Fargo Bank, which
merged with Norwest Bancorp, based in Minnesota; American Savings Bank and
Great Western Savings Bank, both of which were merged into Washington Mutual
Bank, based in the state of Washington; and Western Bancorp, which was acquired
by U.S. Bancorp, based in Minnesota. Similar consolidations have taken place in
Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and the state of Washington.

  We believe one of the effects of this consolidation has been a deterioration
in the quality and responsiveness of the banking services that are provided to
small and medium size businesses, by both large out-of-state banks and the
independent and community banks that survived the consolidation. We believe
that these conditions have created an opportunity for us to capture a
meaningful share of this segment of the banking market from the large out-of-
state banks and also from local community banks by offering to customers a wide
range of innovative products and services and the added convenience of Internet
banking services designed to meet the special needs of small and medium size
businesses.

  Location of the Bank and Demographics of the Bank's Service Area. We chose to
locate our headquarters and initial banking offices in Orange County,
California for a number of reasons. Orange County has a population of 2.8
million, with a business community comprised of numerous small and medium size
businesses and service and professional firms that operate in a diverse number
of industries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, Orange County is the
sixth largest in population and the seventh most affluent county of the
counties in the United States with populations of more than 1,000,000 people.
Additionally, the demographics indicate that the Orange County community is
underserved by the independent segment of the banking industry. There is only
one locally headquartered bank in Orange County per 306,772 people. By
comparison, there is one locally headquartered bank per 109,752 people in
California as a whole and one locally headquartered bank per 31,845 people in
the United States. Orange County is also centrally located within Southern
California, contiguous to three of the fastest growing counties, in terms of
population, in the region: Los Angeles County to the north, San Diego County to
the south and Riverside County to the east. In each of those counties there are
areas that have demographics similar to those in Orange County and, because of
their proximity, offer us attractive expansion opportunities. See "Strategy."

  The Internet Banking Opportunity. With the emergence of the Internet as a
globally accessible, fully interactive medium, many businesses, including many
small-to-medium size businesses that comprise our core

                                       32
<PAGE>

market, are increasingly conducting business electronically, via the Internet.
Most businesses are equipped with, and their managements are familiar and
comfortable with using, computers to accomplish a growing number of tasks,
including completing commercial transactions via the Internet that can be
accomplished less expensively and more conveniently than in person or by
telephone or mail.

  In addition to its use as a general commercial medium, the Internet has
rapidly emerged as an innovative means of providing financial services. As
finance-related Web sites continue to grow in popularity, many companies are
increasingly offering a variety of financial services, including credit cards,
brokerage services, insurance products and banking services, via the Internet.

  The Internet also offers banks the opportunity to extend their customer base
beyond the practical geographical limitations of traditional branch banking
which require banks to open new offices in order to extend their service areas
and attract new customers. Customers are able to access a variety of banking
services and conduct numerous banking transactions, by connecting to a bank's
Web site via their personal computers at any time, day or night, without regard
to geographic distances or limitations. The Internet also offers banks a lower
cost alternative to provide banking services to customers who are comfortable
using the Internet for commercial and financial transactions.

  Internet Demographics. We believe that the demographics of Internet users
will facilitate the growth of Internet banking. Internet users tend to be young
and mobile and thus more inclined to be comfortable with and receptive to the
convenience of online commercial transactions. Additionally, they tend to be
business managers or professionals with limited amounts of discretionary time
and therefore are attracted to the convenience of "one-stop shopping" for a
full range of financial services. As a result, we believe that, as these
individuals move into financial and other management positions with their
businesses or firms, they will insist on the convenience of being able to
conduct their business banking transactions over the Internet, resulting in
additional growth opportunities for banks equipped to provide such services. We
believe these demographics suggest a growing market for the convenience and
lower cost services that we are able to provide our business customers, as well
as consumers, via the Internet.

Strategy

  Our strategy is:

  . to offer personalized and responsive service combined with the added
    convenience and flexibility of Internet banking services;

  . to increase the variety of banking products and services that we offer
    our customers in order to gain a competitive advantage over independent
    and community banks; and

  . to take advantage of our lower cost automated and Internet banking
    systems to expand geographically into areas where the business and
    banking demographics are similar to those of Orange County.

  We intend to implement our strategy in the following ways.

  Broad Selection of Products and Services. We offer a broad selection of
products and services primarily suited to the needs of our business customers
that are typically available only from larger multi-regional and out-of-state
banks.

  Internet Banking Services. We offer customers the ability to access a number
of banking products and services through our Web site, www.pmbank.com, and to
conduct a number of banking transactions that in the

                                       33
<PAGE>

past could only be accomplished in person, over the telephone or by mail. Our
Internet banking services provide customers with the convenience of banking at
any time, day or night, seven days per week, using any personal computer that
is equipped with a current industry standard Web browser.

  Greater Convenience and Accessibility to the Bank. We seek to provide our
customers with a higher level of convenience and access than can be obtained
either from large multi-regional and large out-of-state banks or from many
other independent banks, through a combination of full service branch banking
offices, express business banking offices that we intend to establish as part
of our expansion strategy, and Internet banking services that enable customers
to choose the ways in which, and the times at which, they will conduct banking
transactions with us. In addition, our Web site has been designed to be easy-
to-use and to expedite our customers' banking transactions.

  High-Quality Service and Customer Satisfaction. We continually seek ways to
enhance customer satisfaction and provide a level of customer service generally
found only at independent and community banks. For example, we work with
business customers to design deposit and loan products that address their
specific requirements. We also offer special and discounted banking services to
their employees, including direct payroll deposit services, that will enable
their employees to transact banking transactions at reduced costs to them. We
also offer a number of services, such as electronic bill payment and ATM and
debit cards, without charging our customers for those services. We also
emphasize responsive, courteous customer service and utilize a fully-trained
dedicated staff who respond promptly to inquiries and requests for assistance
from existing and potential customers.

  Increase Loan Originations and Volume while Maintaining Loan Quality. A bank
generally realizes higher yields on the loans it makes than from other interest
earning assets, such as investments. As a result, we intend to increase the
marketing of our loan products and, with the increase in capital that will
occur as a result of this offering, to make larger loans than the Bank is
currently able to make. At the same time, to minimize loan losses, we will
follow the strategy of maintaining a conservative loan mix consisting of
commercial and other business loans and, to a lesser extent, home equity,
construction and consumer loans, with an emphasis on high credit quality.

  Achieve Cost Reductions by Increasing the Use of our Internet Banking
Services by Bank Customers. Independent and community banks generally incur a
higher level of non-interest expense than larger banks due to the higher level
of personal service they provide to their customers. We intend to encourage and
assist our customers to make use of our Internet banking services, because
those services can be provided at a lower cost than services offered through a
traditional branch banking system. We believe that if we can realize such cost
savings, we will gain a competitive cost advantage over competing independent
and community banks that do not offer, or offer fewer, Internet banking
services than we offer.

  Technological Advantage. As a new bank, we were able to acquire the most
technologically current information and transaction processing systems for the
Bank and for our Internet banking operations. For example, we believe we are
one of the first banks to offer customers the ability to view the front and
back, and to print copies, of their paid checks at or from our Website. We
believe that many established banks with which we compete continue to be
reluctant to replace older systems with newer ones, due to the cost of
acquiring the new systems, the problems of intergrating new systems with
existing ones and the added costs of having to write off their investments in
existing computer systems. We also have installed the latest available security
devices and measures to assure the secure transmission of confidential
information over public networks.

  Outsource Certain Operational Functions to Internet Service Providers. To
enhance the flexibility and scalability of our Internet banking operations, we
outsource certain principal operational functions to leading Internet service
providers. In each of these relationships, we benefit from the service
provider's expertise and economies of scale while retaining the flexibility to
take advantage of changes in available technology without affecting customer
service. We can also respond more easily to growth because these third-party
service

                                       34
<PAGE>

providers have the capacity to process a high volume of transactions. Finally,
these service providers offer us additional security, in that they operate
redundant systems that can be accessed to process our banking transactions in
the event that any of our primary systems is disabled by a natural disaster or
by a power or telecommunications failure.

  Geographic Expansion. We believe that succeeding in our target segment of the
banking market requires establishing long term relationships with customers and
that having an accessible local office is and will continue to be important for
a significant number of our business banking customers. Therefore, we intend to
seek and exploit opportunities to expand our business geographically into other
metropolitan areas, within Southern California and possibly also in other
western states, where the demographics are similar to those in Orange County.
We intend to accomplish that expansion primarily in the following ways:

       Express Business Banking Offices. We intend to establish "express
  business banking offices" that will range in size from 2,000 to 3,000
  square feet, as compared to the 4,000 to 7,000 square feet common to
  traditional branch banking offices, that we believe can be constructed and
  equipped for approximately one-half the cost of a traditional branch
  banking office. At those offices, customers will be able to conduct a
  number of banking transactions conveniently, whether in-person, over the
  Internet or at ATMs installed at those offices. Our customers also will be
  able to meet with account managers who will have ready access at any time
  of day to the customer's banking records and data and will be able to print
  loan documents prepared at the Bank's administrative offices via our secure
  local area computer network and Internet bank servers.

       Bank Acquisitions. We intend to seek opportunities to acquire, on a
  selective basis, other independent or community banks that will enable us
  to expand our market areas and introduce our Internet banking services to a
  larger number of customers. We intend to use shares of our stock as the
  primary currency for such acquisitions and we believe that our commitment
  to personalized and responsive service, combined with our Internet
  capabilities, will give us a competitive advantage over other banks
  competing to acquire well managed local independent or community banks. In
  addition, to preserve the competitive advantages of the community banks
  that we may acquire, our strategy will be to preserve the local identities
  of those banks and retain their local management personnel involved in
  providing services to their customers, while taking advantage of
  opportunities to achieve economies in the administration of those banks.

  We will need to obtain approvals from federal and state government banking
agencies to establish new banking offices or to acquire other banks in the
future. These will include approvals from government agencies in states outside
of California where we may propose to open new banking offices or acquire
existing banks.

Products and Services

  We offer a broad range of traditional and Internet banking products and
services designed to meet the banking needs of small and medium size businesses
as well as those of individuals. We believe that our products and services are
more comparable to those that are available from large multi-regional and out-
of-state banks and include some services that are not typically provided by
other independent or community banks. The products and services we offer
include the following.

                                       35
<PAGE>

  Deposit Products. The Bank offers a number of different types of deposit
accounts, including non-interest demand and interest bearing checking accounts;
money market accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit. As of
February 29, 2000, our deposits totaled $90,000,000, of which approximately 80%
were attributable to business customers. Those deposits included:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               Average Account Total of Account
             Type of Deposit Account               Balance         Balances
             -----------------------           --------------- ----------------
   <S>                                         <C>             <C>
   Non-interest bearing checking accounts.....    $ 32,500       $24,300,000
   Interest bearing transaction accounts(1)...    $ 64,600       $40,400,000
   Certificates of Deposit(2).................    $166,500       $25,300,000
                                                                 -----------
     Totals...................................    $ 59,000       $90,000,000
                                                                 ===========
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) Includes money market accounts.

(2) Time certificates of deposits in varying denominations under and over
    $100,000.

  Loan Products. The Bank offers a diverse line of loan products, including
commercial loans and credit lines, SBA guaranteed business loans, accounts
receivable and inventory financing, real estate mortgage and real estate
construction loans and consumer loans. We also have established a mortgage loan
division, which originates and purchases residential mortgages that, for the
most part, qualify for resale to long-term investors in the secondary
residential mortgage market. Our mortgage loan products include conforming and
non-conforming agency-quality one-to-four family first mortgages, investor-
quality home equity second mortgages and investor-quality home equity lines of
credit secured by second trust deeds or mortgages. In most instances the Bank
funds these loans at the time of origination and sells the loans to investors
in the secondary market within 30 days of funding. The Bank earns loan
origination and processing fees and, prior to their resale, interest income on
such loans.

  The following table sets forth the types and amount of the Bank's loans that
were outstanding as of February 29, 2000:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               At  February 29,
   Type of Loan                                                      2000
   ------------                                                ----------------
   <S>                                                         <C>
   Real estate loans..........................................   $34,600,000(1)
   Residential mortgage loans.................................     5,500,000
   Commercial loans...........................................    19,800,000
   Consumer loans.............................................     3,300,000
                                                                 -----------
     Total....................................................   $63,200,000
                                                                 ===========
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) These loans include approximately $25,271,700 of real estate loans
    purchased from a mortgage banking firm in the fourth quarter of 1999 and
    the first quarter of 2000.

  Business Services. The Bank offers various financial services directed
primarily at our business banking customers, including:

  .  merchant bankcard services to process credit card payments made by their
     customers;

  .  automated clearinghouse origination services that enable any businesses
     that charge that for their services or products on a monthly or other
     periodic basis to obtain payment from their customers through an
     automatic, pre-authorized debit from their customers bank accounts
     anywhere in the United States;

  .  electronic check origination and processing that allows businesses,
     including Internet retailers, to accept payment from their customers in
     the form of an electronic check that the Bank is able to debit
     electronically from any bank in the United States; and

  .  financial management tools, including multiple account control, account
     analysis, transaction security and verification, wire transfers,
     universal bill payment, payroll and lockbox services.

                                       36
<PAGE>

  Convenience Banking Services. The Bank offers a number of services and
products that make it more convenient to conduct banking transactions with us,
such as our Internet banking system, ATM's, phone banking, night drop services
and armored car services to order and receive cash without having to travel to
our banking offices.

  Automated Clearinghouse Origination Services. The Federal Reserve operates an
automated or "electronic" clearing house system (which is commonly referred to
as "ACH") which enables businesses, with the authorization of their customers,
to obtain payments of their charges by electronically debiting the banking
accounts of their customers, wherever they may be located in the United States.
ACH services enable businesses that sell products or services to customers to
reduce their costs and improve their cash flow by:

  .  eliminating the need to issue monthly invoices; and

  .  substituting electronic checks, that can be processed and paid to them
     almost instantaneously, in place of paper checks from their customers
     that must be prepared and mailed and then processed through the Federal
     Reserve's traditional clearing house system, thereby significantly
     shortening the time to receive payments from their customers.

  Businesses that use ACH services include insurance companies (to collect
insurance premiums), lenders (to collect monthly mortgage or automobile
payments) and health or fitness and other clubs (to collect monthly fees or
dues).

  However, for a business to be able to use ACH services, it must have a
banking relationship with a bank that has the computer systems and that is
authorized by the Federal Reserve to originate ACH charges or "credits." While
virtually all banks can receive ACH debits made against the accounts of their
customers, there are a limited number of banks, particularly among independent
and community banks, that have requested to become authorized by the Federal
Reserve, and have the computer systems necessary, to originate ACH debits for
their business customers. The Bank has qualified with the Federal Reserve to do
so and originates ACH transactions for a number of its customers.

  We have also been retained to provide similar ACH services to clients of
eFunds Corporation, which provides a number of automated collection services
primarily to businesses that sell their products to consumers in person, by
mail or over the Internet. Among the methods of collection that eFunds employs
is an "electronic debit" process by which a consumer that buys products from
any eFunds' client may authorize the charges on a per transaction basis to be
paid by means of an electronic debit or "electronic check" that can be
transmitted electronically to and charged against the consumer's bank account
at any U.S. based bank via a privately established automated clearing house
system. Like the Federal Reserve's automated clearing house system, these
automated payment services enable businesses to improve their cash flow and
reduce expenses by reducing their dependence on paper checks and credit cards
for payment and enabling them to receive payments from their customers
generally within about two- to-three business days following the transactions
which generate the electronic debits.

  The Bank acts as an originating depository financial institution for a number
of eFunds' clients, electronically debiting the bank accounts of customers of
those clients, receiving the resulting payments from those customers and
transfering those payments to banks designated by those eFunds clients who
utilize this service. Neither eFunds' clients nor the consumers need to have
accounts with the Bank to avail themselves of this service and the Bank
generates interest earnings on the funds received as a result of the debits
pending their electronic transmission to eFunds' clients. We believe that,
currently, there are only about 30 banks in the United States that have
qualified to participate as originating depository financial institutions in
this program, most of which are much larger multi-regional and out-of-state
banks. The Bank can offer this service to its own business customers and, as a
result, we believe that the Bank's capabilities enable it to offer a relatively
unique service not provided by the independent and community banks with which
it competes.


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<PAGE>

Internet Banking Services

  Banking transactions that customers can conduct and banking products and
services that customers can access at our Web site include:

  (1)  establishing business and consumer checking and savings accounts and
       purchasing and renewing certificates of deposit;

  (2)  transferring funds between accounts;

  (3)  printing bank statements and viewing the front and back of their paid
       checks;

  (4)  submitting loan applications;

  (5)  transferring funds from credit lines to, and making loan payments
       from, their deposit accounts;

  (6)  paying bills, payroll and taxes electronically;

  (7)  ordering cash through our Web site and having the funds delivered to
       them by armored car;

  (8)  utilizing business cash management services, including currency
       converters for international transactions and electronic wire
       transfers;

  (9)  merchant banking services, including credit card processing, automated
       clearing house originations and electronic check processing; and

  (10) a number of consumer and personal banking services, including
       financial planning for home buying and financing, retirement planning
       and discount brokerage services offered through a strategic alliance
       with UVest Financial Services Group, Inc., an online discount
       securities brokerage firm.

  Opening an Account. Our customers can access our Web site and our Internet
banking services through any Internet service provider by means of an
acceptable secure Web browser such as Netscape's Navigator (Version 4.0 or
higher) or Microsoft's Internet Explorer (Version 4.0 or higher). When
customers access our menu of products and services at our Web site, they can
open a new account, review the history and status of an existing account, and
engage in any of several different types of banking transactions.

  To apply for a new account, a customer completes an online account
application, prints out that application and mails it to the Bank. A customer
also may apply for a new account by calling the Bank's toll-free telephone
number, 1-877-450-BANK.

  Security. Our ability to provide our customers with secure financial services
over the Internet is of paramount importance. We believe our Internet systems,
services and software meet the highest standards of bank security. The
following are among the security measures that are in place:

  . Encrypted Transactions. All banking transactions and Internet
    communications are encrypted so that sensitive information is not
    available on the Internet in a form that can be read or easily
    deciphered. Encryption of Internet communications is accomplished through
    the use of the Netscape SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology. SSL is the
    standard for encryption on the Internet and is currently used by
    Netscape's Navigator (Version 4.0 or higher) and Microsoft's Internet
    Explorer (Version 4.0 or higher).

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<PAGE>

   Messages between our bank mainframe computer system, where all
   transactions are processed and data is maintained, and our Internet
   server, and between our Internet server and the customers Web browser, are
   encrypted using DES encryption. DES is a symmetric key algorithm and is
   highly secure because it is not susceptible to standard ciphertext
   attacks.

  . Secure Logon. To eliminate the possibility that a third party may
    download the Bank's or any customer's password file, user identification
    and passwords are stored behind a secure firewall on the Web server.
    Additionally, passwords are variable length strings of five to eight
    alpha-numeric characters, which makes the chance that a password can be
    randomly guessed less than one in one trillion.

  . Firewalls. All of our Internet banking services are routed from our
    Internet server through a firewall. The firewall is a combined software
    and hardware product that precisely defines, controls and limits the
    access to "internal" computers from "outside" computers across a network.
    Use of this firewall means that only authenticated Bank customers or
    administrators may send or receive transactions through it, and the
    firewall itself is immune to penetration from the Internet. In other
    words, the firewall is a mechanism used to protect the Bank's computers
    from unauthorized access through the Internet by customers or by third
    parties.

  . Physical Security. All servers and network computers reside in secure
    facilities. Currently, computer operations supporting the Bank's Internet
    operations are based in Newport Beach, California and at the offices of
    Fiserv, in Van Nuys, California where the Bank's mainframe computer is
    based. Only employees with proper identification may enter the primary
    server area at the Bank. Access to the Bank server console requires
    further password identification.

  . Service Continuity. To avoid interruptions in our Internet banking
    services, we intend to install Internet servers at our other full service
    banking offices, such as in our San Clemente office, which can process
    Internet transactions not only from customers of that office, but also
    customers of our other offices, in the event the servers at those other
    offices become disabled. In the unlikely event that our customers are
    prevented from accessing their accounts over the Internet, they will
    retain access to their funds through a number of different means,
    including making in-person withdrawals at any of our branch banking
    offices or ATM's or by armored car; making deposits in person, by mail or
    at the Bank's ATM's and getting information and assistance from Bank
    employees by telephone. Additionally, Fiserv, which hosts our mainframe
    bank computer, has the ability to transfer data electronically to a
    second computer system located at a remote site, so that in the event of
    a natural disaster that affects Southern California, the Bank will
    continue to be able to process banking transactions via its computer
    system without any significant interruptions. Additionally, the Bank is
    working with Q-Up Systems, which provides Internet transaction processing
    software and services to the Bank, to establish a second location
    equipped with Internet servers that can enable our customers to continue
    conducting Internet banking transactions with us in the event that our
    Internet servers in Southern California were to become disabled.

  . Monitoring. All customer transactions on the Bank's Internet server in
    Newport Beach produce one or more entries into transactional logs. The
    Bank recognizes that it is critical to monitor these logs for unusual or
    fraudulent activity. Bank personnel review these logs regularly, and any
    abnormal or unusual activity will be noted and appropriate action will be
    taken by the Bank. We believe that, ultimately, vigilant monitoring is
    the best defense against fraud.

  We believe the risk of fraud presented by providing Internet banking
services is not materially different from the risk of fraud inherent in any
banking relationship. We believe that potential security breaches can arise
from any of the following circumstances:

  . misappropriation from the user of the user's account number or password;

  . penetration of the Bank's server by an outside "hacker;"

  . fraud committed by a new customer in completing his or her application
    with us; and

  . fraud committed by an employee of the Bank or one of its service
    providers.

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<PAGE>

  Both traditional banks and Internet banks are vulnerable to these types of
fraud. By establishing the security measures described above, we believe the
Bank has minimized its vulnerability to the first three types of fraud. To
counteract fraud by employees and service providers, we have established
internal procedures and policies designed to ensure that, as in any bank,
proper control and supervision is exercised over employees and service
providers.

  Additionally, the adequacy of our security measures are reviewed periodically
by the Federal Reserve Board and the California Department of Financial
Institutions, which are the federal and state government agencies with
supervisory authority over the Bank. We also retain the services of third party
computer security firms to conduct tests of our Internet banking and computer
systems to identify potential threats to the security of our systems and to
recommend additional actions that we can take to improve our security measures.

Express Business Banking Offices

  Following completion of this offering, the Bank intends to apply for
government approvals to open two express business banking offices within the
next 12 months. Each express business banking office will be configured,
equipped and staffed to meet the banking needs of small and medium size
businesses, professional firms and individuals that are located within a 25
mile radius. These offices will range in size from 2,000 to 3,000 square feet,
which is approximately half the size of a traditional branch banking office,
and as a result are expected to require only about half the investment that is
typically required to establish and operate a traditional branch banking
office. These express business banking offices will be:

  . equipped with ATM machines and a business conference room, with video
    conferencing capability, that will be located in the entry area of the
    office and can be accessed at any time of day or night, seven days per
    week, by business and individual customers using ATM or other
    identification cards, but which for security reasons are separated from
    and, except during normal business hours, will not be accessible to, the
    area of the office where in-person banking transactions are conducted;

  . configured with a concierge and a new accounts desk and up to three
    teller windows equipped with secure automated cash machines that will
    eliminate the need for a traditional bank vault;

  . equipped with computer terminals where customers can conduct their
    banking transactions with us via the Internet; and

  . configured with three to four offices for use by account managers and
    loan officers, who can retrieve customer account data and loan
    documentation prepared at the Bank's administrative offices via computer
    linked to the Bank's local area network or Internet system.

  We believe that express business banking offices will enable us to penetrate
new market areas and give us the presence we need to help attract business
customers to the Bank in those areas. Additionally, the lower costs of
establishing and operating such offices, as compared to a traditional branch
banking office, should decrease the time within which such offices can become
profitable.

Our Database, Transaction Processing and Internet Service Providers

  We have established service relationships with leading providers of network
infrastructures, computerized transaction processing systems and Web based
financial products and services. Those providers include:

  Fiserv. Fiserv hosts and maintains our mainframe computer on which all the
Bank's financial and accounting data is stored and all banking transactions are
processed. Fiserv provides similar services to numerous other banks and
depository institutions and has the computing capacity to be able to meet our
computer processing needs as we grow. To protect the Bank against interruptions
in service that could occur in the event of a natural disaster or a power or
telecommunications outage affecting Southern California, Fiserv has arranged
for processing of the Bank's transactions and the maintenance of accounting
records to continue at another mainframe computer located outside of
California.

                                       40
<PAGE>

  Q-Up Systems. Q-Up Systems provides us with the software needed to enable our
customers to process banking transactions with us over the Internet. As
Internet banking transactions are processed the data regarding those
transactions is transmitted, electronically and securely, to the Bank's
mainframe computer hosted by Fiserv, thereby automatically updating account
information for those deposit or loan accounts for which transactions have been
processed. We are currently working with Q-Up Systems to establish a remote
site, outside of California, to locate a redundant Internet banking system that
can become operational in the event that our Internet banking system in
Southern California were to become disabled.

  UVEST Financial Services Group, Inc. We have an agreement with UVEST
Financial Services Group, Inc., an online discount securities brokerage firm.
Under that agreement, our customers can access UVest's Web site from the Bank's
Web site in order to purchase and sell securities. Information regarding those
transactions are maintained on the Bank's computer system and are accessible to
customers via the Bank's Web Site. The Bank also receives a fee from UVEST on
securities transactions that it processes for the Bank's customers.

Marketing

  In marketing the Bank's services, we emphasize:

  . the Bank's identity as an independent and community-based bank, managed
    by bank officers and employees who live in, and therefore have personal
    ties to, the communities where our offices are located;

  . our commitment to providing competent, personalized and responsive
    banking services to our customers; and

  . the breadth of the banking services we are able to provide to our
    customers, with particular focus on the convenience and flexibility of
    our Internet banking services.

  We believe that the first two of these attributes differentiate us from
larger multi-regional and out-of-state banks and that the third attribute
differentiates us from many independent and community banks.

  The Bank markets its services primarily by means of localized promotional
activities, personalized service, and personal contacts with potential
customers by our executive officers, directors, employees and shareholders, as
well as by direct mail and media advertising directed primarily at local
businesses in our market areas.

  Increased Marketing of Internet Services. We have registered our Web site
with many of the most popular Internet search engines, such as Yahoo! and Alta
Vista, to facilitate access to our Internet Web site. However, because we are
focused on attracting small and medium size local business customers, we do not
presently intend to use banner advertising or to enter into joint marketing
arrangements with other Internet e-commerce companies to market our Internet
banking services. Instead, at least initially, we intend to market those
services primarily in those markets where we have established a physical
presence and to selected businesses outside of those markets who want to use
our services and are willing to maintain a volume of deposits and to regularly
conduct a number of banking transactions with us that will justify the cost of
providing services to them.

  We intend to increase our marketing to build greater awareness of our
Internet banking services, initially in Southern California, in order to
attract new customers and expand our service areas. Initially, those marketing
programs will primarily take the form of print and direct mail campaigns to
businesses in our target market.

  Once we have expanded our markets geographically into additional communities,
either through establishing additional full service regional banking offices or
local express business banking offices, we will consider establishing joint
marketing relationships with selected Internet e-commerce companies that offer
non-financial business-related services to the business communities that we
serve.


                                       41
<PAGE>

Competition

  Competitive Conditions in the Traditional Banking Environment. The banking
business in California generally, and in the Bank's service area in particular,
is highly competitive with respect to both loans and deposits and is dominated
by a relatively small number of large multi-regional and large out-of-state
banks which have offices operating over wide geographic areas. The Bank
competes for deposits and loans with such banks as well as with savings and
loan associations, credit unions, mortgage companies, money market and other
mutual funds, stock brokerage firms, insurance companies, and other traditional
and nontraditional financial institutions. The Bank also competes for
customers' funds with governmental and private entities issuing debt or equity
securities or other forms of investments which may offer different and
potentially higher yields than those available through bank deposits.

  Major financial institutions that operate throughout California and that have
offices in the Bank's service areas include Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America,
Union Bank, Sanwa Bank California, Washington Mutual Savings Bank, Comerica
Bank and California Federal Savings. With the exception of Union Bank, all of
these banks are now headquartered outside of California. Independent banks or
financial institutions with offices in the Bank's service area include, among
others, City National Bank, Imperial Bank, Manufacturers Bank, Downey Savings
and Eldorado Bank.

  The large banks and some of the independent institutions have the financial
capability to conduct extensive advertising campaigns and to shift their
resources to regions or activities of greater potential profitability. Many of
them also offer diversified financial services which are not presently offered
directly by the Bank. The larger banks also have substantially more capital and
higher lending limits.

  In order to compete with the financial institutions operating in the Bank's
service areas, we rely on the Bank's independent status to provide flexible and
greater personalized service to customers. The Bank emphasizes personal
contacts with potential customers by the Bank's executive officers, directors
and employees; develops local promotional activities; and seeks to develop
specialized or streamlined services for customers. To the extent customers
desire loans in excess of the Bank's lending limit or services not offered by
the Bank, the Bank attempts to assist customers in obtaining such loans or
other services through participations with other banks or assistance from the
Bank's correspondent banks or third party vendors.

  Competitive Conditions in Internet Banking. The market for electronic banking
services is rapidly evolving. There are a number of banks that offer services
exclusively over the Internet, such as Net.B@nk and First Internet Bank, and
others who are affiliated with existing banks, such as Wingspan.com, that
market their services nationwide. There are also a large number of existing
banks that are beginning to offer Internet banking services; however, we
believe that few of these banks offer the comprehensiveness of Internet banking
services that the Bank is able to offer. However, many of the larger of these
banks do have greater market presence and greater resources to market their
Internet banking services than the Bank. Additionally, new competitors and
competitive factors are likely to emerge, particularly in view of the rapid
development of Internet commerce.

  The Bank also competes for customer funds with the numerous and growing
number of securities brokerage firms that offer online trading and investments,
which provide an alternative to deposit products offered by the Bank. The Bank
has entered into an agreement with UVEST Financial Services Group in order to
offer, through UVEST, online discount securities brokerage services to its
customers via the Bank's Web site. See "Our Internet Service Providers-- UVEST
Financial Services Group, Inc."

  Existing and future state and federal legislation could significantly affect
the cost of doing business, range of permissible activities and competitive
balance among major and smaller banks and other financial institutions. We
cannot predict the impact such developments may have on commercial banking in
general or on the business of the Bank in particular.

                                       42
<PAGE>

Supervision and Regulation

  General. Both federal and state law extensively regulate bank holding
companies. This regulation is intended primarily for the protection of
depositors and the FDIC's deposit insurance fund and not for the benefit of our
shareholders. Set forth below is a summary description of the material laws and
regulations which will relate to our operations. The description does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
applicable laws and regulations.

  In recent years, significant legislative proposals and reforms affecting the
financial services industry have been discussed and evaluated by Congress.
These proposals include legislation to expand the insurance activities of
banks. We cannot predict whether any of these proposals, or any form of them,
will be introduced in the next Congress and become law. Consequently, we cannot
presently determine what effect, if any, they may have on us.

  The Bancorp. Upon the completion of the Holding Company Reorganization, we
will be a registered bank holding company subject to regulation under the Bank
Holding Company Act. We will be required to file with the Federal Reserve Board
periodic reports and such additional information as the Federal Reserve Board
may require pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act, and will be subject to
Federal Reserve Board examinations.

  The Federal Reserve Board may require us to terminate an activity or
terminate control of or liquidate or divest subsidiaries or affiliates if the
Federal Reserve Board determines that the activity or the control of the
subsidiary or affiliate constitutes a significant risk to the financial safety,
soundness or stability of any of our banking subsidiaries. The Federal Reserve
Board also has the authority to regulate provisions of a bank holding company's
debt, including authority to impose interest ceilings and reserve requirements
on such debt. The Federal Reserve Board may also require us to file written
notice and obtain approval prior to purchasing or redeeming our equity
securities.

  Under the Bank Holding Company Act and related regulations adopted by the
Federal Reserve Board, a bank holding company and its nonbanking subsidiaries
are prohibited from requiring tie-in arrangements in connection with any
extension of credit, lease or sale of property or furnishing of services.
Further, the Federal Reserve Board will require us to maintain capital at or
above stated levels. See "Capital Standards" below.

  We must obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board for the
acquisition of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting
securities, or of substantially all of the assets, of any bank or bank holding
company. The Federal Reserve Board must also give advance approval for our
merger or consolidation with another bank holding company.

  We will be prohibited by the Bank Holding Company Act from acquiring direct
or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of the outstanding voting
shares of any company that is not a bank or bank holding company, or from
engaging directly or indirectly in activities other than those of banking,
managing or controlling banks or furnishing services to its subsidiaries,
except in statutorily prescribed instances. However, we may, subject to the
prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board, engage in, or acquire shares of
companies engaged in, activities that are deemed by the Federal Reserve Board
to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a
proper incident thereto.

  Under Federal Reserve Board regulations, a bank holding company is required
to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary
banks and may not conduct its operations in an unsafe or unsound manner. In
addition, it is the Federal Reserve Board's policy that, in serving as a source
of strength to its subsidiary banks, a bank holding company should stand ready
to use available resources to provide adequate capital funds to its subsidiary
banks during periods of financial stress or adversity and should maintain the
financial flexibility and capital-raising capacity to obtain additional
resources for assisting its subsidiary banks. A bank holding company's failure
to meet its obligations to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary
banks will generally be considered by the Federal Reserve Board to be an unsafe
and unsound banking practice or a violation of the Federal Reserve Board's
regulations or both.

                                       43
<PAGE>

  We will also be a bank holding company within the meaning of Section 3700 of
the California Financial Code. As such, the Bancorp will be subject to
examination by, and may be required to file reports with, the California
Commissioner of Financial Institutions.

  We have applied to have our securities registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. As
such, we will be subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider
trading, and other requirements and restrictions of the Securities Exchange
Act.

  The Bank. As a California chartered bank, the Bank is subject to primary
supervision, periodic examination and regulation by the California
Commissioner of Financial Institutions. As a member of the Federal Reserve
Bank of San Francisco, the Bank also is subject to regulation by the Federal
Reserve Board, which is its primary federal banking regulator. To a lesser
extent, the Bank is also subject to regulations promulgated by the FDIC. If,
as a result of an examination of the Bank, the Federal Reserve Board should
determine that the financial condition, capital resources, asset quality,
earnings prospects, management, liquidity, or other aspects of the Bank's
operations are unsatisfactory or that the Bank or its management is violating
or has violated any law or regulation, the Federal Reserve Board has various
remedies available. These remedies include the power to enjoin "unsafe or
unsound" practices, to require affirmative action to correct any conditions
resulting from any violation or practice, to issue an administrative order
that can be judicially enforced, to direct an increase in capital, to restrict
the growth of the Bank, to assess civil monetary penalties, to remove officers
and directors and ultimately to terminate the Bank's deposit insurance, which
would result in a revocation of the Bank's charter. The California
Commissioner of Financial Institutions has many of the same remedial powers.

  Various requirements and restrictions under the laws of the State of
California and the United States affect the operations of the Bank. State and
federal statutes and regulations relate to many aspects of the Bank's
operations, including reserves against deposits, ownership of deposit
accounts, interest rates payable on deposits, loans, investments, mergers and
acquisitions, borrowings, dividends, locations of branch offices, and capital
requirements. Further, the Bank is required to maintain capital at or above
stated levels.

  Dividends and Other Transfers of Funds. Dividends from the Bank will
constitute our principal source of cash. The Bancorp is a legal entity
separate and distinct from the Bank. The Bank will be subject to various
statutory and regulatory restrictions on its ability to pay cash dividends to
the Bancorp. In addition, the California Commissioner of Financial
Institutions and the Federal Reserve Board have the authority to prohibit the
Bank from paying dividends, depending upon the Bank's financial condition, if
the payment is deemed to constitute an unsafe or unsound practice.

  The Federal Reserve Board and the California Commissioner of Financial
Institutions also have authority to prohibit the Bank from engaging in
activities that, in their opinion, constitute unsafe or unsound practices in
conducting its business. It is possible, depending upon the future financial
condition of the Bank and other factors, that the Federal Reserve Board or the
Commissioner could assert that the payment of dividends or other payments
might, under some circumstances, constitute an unsafe or unsound practice.
Further, the Federal Reserve Board has established guidelines with respect to
the maintenance of appropriate levels of capital by banks and bank holding
companies under its jurisdiction. Compliance with the standards set forth in
those guidelines and the restrictions that are or may be imposed under the
prompt corrective action provisions of federal law could limit the amount of
dividends which the Bank or the Bancorp may pay. An insured depository
institution is prohibited from paying management fees to any controlling
persons or, with limited exceptions, making capital distributions if, after
the transaction, the institution would be undercapitalized. See "Prompt
Corrective Regulatory Action and Other Enforcement Mechanisms" and "Capital
Standards" for a discussion of these additional restrictions on capital
distributions.

  The Bank is subject to restrictions imposed by federal law on any extensions
of credit to, or the issuance of a guarantee or letter of credit on behalf of,
the Bancorp or other Bank affiliates, the purchase of, or investments in, our
stock or other securities, the taking of such securities as collateral for
loans and the purchase of our assets or

                                      44
<PAGE>

those of other Bank affiliates. Such restrictions prevent the Bank's
affiliates from borrowing from the Bank unless the loans are secured by
marketable obligations of designated amounts. Further, such secured loans and
investments by the Bank to or in the Bancorp or any other affiliate are
limited, individually, to 10% of the bank's capital and surplus (as defined by
federal regulations), and such secured loans and investments are limited, in
the aggregate, to 20% of the Bank's capital and surplus. California law also
imposes restrictions with respect to transactions involving the Bancorp and
other controlling persons of the Bank. Additional restrictions on transactions
with affiliates may be imposed on the Bank under the prompt corrective action
provisions of federal law.

  Capital Standards. The Federal Reserve Board has adopted risk-based minimum
capital guidelines intended to provide a measure of capital that reflects the
degree of risk associated with a banking organization's operations for both
transactions reported on the balance sheet as assets, and transactions, such
as letters of credit and recourse arrangements, which are recorded as off
balance sheet items. Under these guidelines, nominal dollar amounts of assets
and credit equivalent amounts of off balance sheet items are multiplied by one
of several risk adjustment percentages, which range from zero percent for
assets with low credit risk, such as U.S. Treasury securities, to 100% for
assets with relatively high credit risk, such as commercial loans.

  The Federal Reserve Board, as well as other federal bank agencies, require a
minimum ratio of qualifying total capital to risk-adjusted assets of eight
percent and a minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-adjusted assets of four
percent. In addition to the risked-based guidelines, federal banking
regulators require banking organizations to maintain a minimum amount of Tier
1 capital to total assets, referred to as the leverage ratio. For a banking
organization rated in the highest of the five categories used by regulators to
rate banking organizations, the minimum leverage ratio of Tier 1 capital to
total assets must be three percent. In addition to these uniform risk-based
capital guidelines and leverage ratios that apply across the industry, the
regulators have the discretion to set individual minimum capital requirements
for specific institutions at rates significantly above the minimum guidelines
and ratios. The Bank has agreed with the FDIC to maintain a Tier 1 Capital to
Average Assets ratio of at least eight percent until February 28, 2002.

  Prompt Corrective Action and Other Enforcement Mechanisms. Federal banking
agencies possess broad powers to take corrective and other supervisory action
to resolve the problems of insured depository institutions, including; those
institutions that fall below one or more prescribed minimum capital ratios.
Each federal banking agency has promulgated regulations defining the following
five categories in which an insured depository institution will be placed,
based on its capital ratios:

  .  well capitalized;

  .  adequately capitalized;

  .  undercapitalized;

  .  significantly undercapitalized; and

  .  critically undercapitalized.

  At December 31, 1999, the Bank exceeded the required ratios for
classification as "well capitalized."

  An institution that, based upon its capital levels, is classified as well
capitalized, adequately capitalized, or undercapitalized may be treated as
though it were in the next lower capital category if the appropriate federal
banking agency, after notice and opportunity for hearing, determines that an
unsafe or unsound condition or an unsafe or unsound practice warrants such
treatment. At each successive lower capital category, an insured depository
institution is subject to more restrictions. The federal banking agencies,
however, may not treat a significantly undercapitalized institution as
critically undercapitalized unless its capital ratio actually warrants such
treatment.

  In addition to measures taken under the prompt corrective action provisions,
commercial banking organizations may be subject to potential enforcement
actions by the federal regulators for unsafe or unsound

                                      45
<PAGE>

practices in conducting their businesses or for violations of any law, rule,
regulation, or any condition imposed in writing by the agency or any written
agreement with the agency.

  Safety and Soundness Standards. The federal banking agencies have adopted
guidelines designed to assist the federal banking agencies in identifying and
addressing potential safety and soundness concerns before capital becomes
impaired. The guidelines set forth operational and managerial standards
relating to the following:

  . internal controls, information systems and internal audit systems,

  . loan documentation,

  . credit underwriting,

  . asset growth,

  . earnings, and

  . compensation, fees and benefits.

In addition, the federal banking agencies also have adopted safety and
soundness guidelines with respect to asset quality and earnings standards.

  These guidelines provide six standards for establishing and maintaining a
system to identify problem assets and prevent those assets from deteriorating.
Under these standards, an insured depository institution is expected to:

  . conduct periodic asset quality reviews to identify problem assets;

  . estimate the inherent losses in problem assets and establish reserves
    that are sufficient to absorb estimated losses;

  . compare problem asset totals to capital;

  . take appropriate corrective action to resolve problem assets;

  . consider the size and potential risks of material asset concentrations;
    and

  . provide periodic asset quality reports with adequate information for
    management and the board of directors to assess the level of asset risk.

These guidelines also establish standards for evaluating and monitoring
earnings and for ensuring that earnings are sufficient for the maintenance of
adequate capital and reserves.

  FDIC Deposit Insurance. The FDIC's Bank Insurance Fund insures the Bank's
deposit accounts up to the maximum amount permitted by law. The FDIC may
terminate insurance of deposits upon a finding that the institution has engaged
in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to
continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule,
order, or condition imposed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the
institution's primary regulator. California does not permit commercial banks to
operate without FDIC insurance. As a result, termination of FDIC insurance of a
California bank will result in its closure.

  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation charges an annual assessment for
the insurance of deposits, which as of December 31, 1998, ranged from 0 to 27
basis points per $100 of insured deposits, based on the risk a particular
institution poses to its deposit insurance fund. The risk classification is
based on an institution's capital group and supervisory subgroup assignment.
Pursuant to the Economic Growth and Paperwork Reduction Act, at January 1,
1997, banks began paying, in addition to their normal deposit insurance premium
as a member of the Bank Insurance Fund, an amount equal to approximately 1.3
basis points per $100 of insured deposits toward the retirement of the
Financing Corporation bonds issued in the 1980s to assist in the

                                       46
<PAGE>

recovery of the savings and loan industry. Members of the Savings Association
Insurance Fund, by contrast, pay, in addition to their normal deposit insurance
premium, approximately 6.4 basis points. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, the
FDIC is not permitted to establish Savings Association Insurance Fund
assessment rates that are lower than comparable Bank Insurance Fund assessment
rates. Beginning no later than January 1, 2000, the rate paid to retire the
Financing Corporation Bonds will be equal for members of the Bank Insurance
Fund and the Savings Association Insurance Fund. The Paperwork Reduction Act
also provided for the merging of the Bank Insurance Fund and the Savings
Association Insurance Fund by January 1, 1999 provided there were no financial
institutions still chartered as savings associations at that time. However, as
of January 1, 1999, there were still financial institutions chartered as
savings associations. Should the insurance funds be merged before January 1,
2000, the rate paid by all members of this new fund to retire the Financing
Corporation Bonds would be equal.

  Interstate Banking and Branching. The Bank Holding Company Act permits bank
holding companies from any state to acquire banks and bank holding companies
located in any other state, subject to conditions including nationwide- and
state-imposed concentration limits. The Bank also has the ability, subject to
certain restrictions, to acquire by acquisition or merger branches outside
California. The establishment of new interstate branches is also possible in
those states with laws that expressly permit it. Interstate branches are
subject to laws of the states in which they are located. Consolidations of and
competition among banks has increased as banks have begun to branch across
state lines and enter new markets.

  Community Reinvestment Act and Fair Lending Developments. The Bank is subject
to fair lending requirements and reporting obligations involving home mortgage
lending operations and Community Reinvestment Act activities. The Community
Reinvestment Act generally requires the federal banking agencies to evaluate
the record of a financial institution in meeting the credit needs of its local
communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. A bank may be
subject to substantial penalties and corrective measures for a violation of
fair lending laws. The federal banking agencies may take compliance with those
laws and Community Reinvestment Act obligations into account when regulating
and supervising other activities.

  A bank's compliance with its Community Reinvestment Act obligations is based
on a performance-based evaluation system which bases Community Reinvestment Act
ratings on an institution's lending service and investment performance. When a
bank holding company applies for approval to acquire a bank or other bank
holding company, the Federal Reserve Board will review the assessment of each
subsidiary bank of the applicant bank holding company, and those records may be
the basis for denying the application.

  Comprehensive Bank Reform Litigation. On November 12, 1999, President Clinton
signed into law the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the "Gramm Act"). The Gramm Act is
expected to have a major impact on cross-industry mergers, customer privacy and
lending to lower-income communities. The Gramm Act repeals the Glass Steagal
Act of 1937, which separated commercial and investment banking, and eliminates
the Bank Holding Company Act's prohibition on insurance underwriting
activities. The Gramm Act allows both holding company subsidiaries and national
bank operating subsidiaries to offer a wide range of new financial services,
including insurance or securities sales. However, real estate development and
insurance underwriting would be restricted to affiliates and cannot be
performed by bank operating subsidiaries. State laws will govern insurance
sales, but states cannot discriminate against national banks by preventing
national banks from conducting insurance activities that nonbanks may conduct.
The Gramm Act bars a bank holding company from merging with insurance or
securities firms, or embarking on new powers, if any of its banks earned less
than a "satisfactory" CRA rating in its most recent examination. The Gramm Act
also provides that customers will have the right to prevent banks from sharing
information with third parties. The Gramm Act is expected to further increase
competition in providing financial services.

Properties

  The Bank subleases from an unaffiliated third party approximately 9,500
square feet of ground floor office space, and leases an additional 1,550 square
feet of upper floor office space, at 450 Newport Center Drive,

                                       47
<PAGE>

Suite 100, Newport Beach, California, which is the location of the Bank's
headquarters and main banking office. The ground floor sublease expires on June
30, 2001. The upper floor lease expires December 31, 2000. The Bank also
subleases from an unaffiliated third party approximately 4,190 square feet of
office space at 501 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, which is the location of
the Bank's southern Orange County banking office. The San Clemente sublease
expires January 31, 2006.

Employees

  As of March 15, 2000, we employed 46 persons on a full-time equivalent basis.
None of our employees is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We
believe our employee relations are excellent.

Legal Proceedings

  Neither we nor the Bank is a party to any material legal proceedings.

                                       48
<PAGE>

                                   MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

  The following table lists our directors and executive officers:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 Name                  Age                       Position
 ----                  ---                       --------
 <C>                   <C> <S>
 Raymond E. Dellerba..  52 President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
 John J. McCauley.....  52 Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer,
                            Chief Credit Officer and Director
 Daniel L. Erickson...  55 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 John P. Cronin.......  50 Executive Vice President and Chief Technology
                            Officer
 George H. Wells......  65 Chairman and Director
 Richard M. Torre.....  54 Vice Chairman and Director
 Ronald W. Chrislip...  48 Director
 Julia M. DiGiovanni..  81 Director
 Warren T. Finley.....  68 Director
 John Thomas, M.D.....  50 Director
 Robert E. Williams...  57 Director
</TABLE>

Background and Business Experience of Directors and Executive Officers

  The following is a brief description of the principal occupation and recent
business experience of each of our executive officers and directors:

  Raymond E. Dellerba is the President and Chief Executive Officer, and also
serves as a member of the Boards of Directors, of the Bancorp and the Bank. Mr.
Dellerba has worked in the bank industry for more than 25 years. He served as
the President and Chief Operating Officer and as a director of Eldorado Bank,
and as Executive Vice President and a director of Eldorado Bancorp, based in
Tustin, California, from February 1993 to June 1997 and as President and Chief
Executive Officer of Belvedere Bancorp from July 1997 to December 1997. Mr.
Dellerba has a Bachelor of Science degree in management, and a Masters of
Business Administration with emphasis in organizational management and finance
from Pepperdine University. Additionally, he has completed post graduate work
at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business Administration,
with certificates issued in "Integrating Finance and Marketing" and in "Mergers
and Acquisitions." Mr. Dellerba is presently teaching an evening class in
"Strategic Management and Business Policies" at California State University,
Fullerton.

  John J. McCauley is an Executive Vice President and a director of the
Bancorp. He also serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
and the Chief Lending Officer, and is a director, of the Bank. Mr. McCauley has
more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently serving
as Executive Vice President of Administration for Eldorado Bank, Tustin,
California, from September 1991 to July 1997. Mr. McCauley holds a Masters of
Business Administration in Banking and Finance from Golden Gate University, San
Francisco, California.

  Daniel L. Erickson, who is a certified public accountant, is an Executive
Vice President and also is the Chief Financial Officer and Cashier of the
Bancorp and the Bank. Prior to joining the Bank in 1998, Mr. Erickson held a
number of key management positions with other banks in southern California,
including Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Republic Bank
from 1997 through October 1998, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Marathon National Bank from 1993 to 1997 and Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer of Commercial Center Bank from 1987 to 1993. Mr.
Erickson graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Accounting and also has earned a graduate certificate from
the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University.

                                       49
<PAGE>

  John P. Cronin is the Chief Technology Officer for both the Bancorp and the
Bank. He joined the Bank in 1998. From 1996 to 1997, he was Executive Vice
President-Retail Banking of CenFed Bank and President of CenFed Investments and
from 1995 to 1996 he was Senior Vice President-Retail Banking of Eldorado Bank.
He received a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of
California at Los Angeles.

  George H. Wells is the Chairman and a member of the Boards of Directors of
the Bancorp and the Bank. Mr. Wells is a private investor. Mr. Wells was a
founding director of Eldorado Bank in 1972 and served as its Chairman and as
Chairman of its parent holding company, Eldorado Bancorp, from 1979 to 1997,
when Eldorado Bank was sold. Prior to becoming a private investor, Mr. Wells
held various executive positions with Technology Marketing Incorporated,
including Chairman, President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, which at
the time was a publicly owned computer development services and software
company. Mr. Wells holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering
from Pennsylvania State University.

  Richard M. Torre is the Vice Chairman and a member of the Boards of Directors
of both the Bancorp and the Bank. He is also Chairman of the Acquisition and
Branching Committee of the Bank. Mr. Torre is Chairman and CEO and a director
of Global Capital Markets, Inc., an investment banking and financial
intermediary company that he established in 1994. From 1992 to 1996, Mr. Torre
also served as Chairman and board member of Business Council Credit Union, a
$100 million credit union. Mr. Torre holds a Bachelor of Science degree from
Fordham University.

  Ronald W. Chrislip is a director of both the Bancorp and the Bank. Mr.
Chrislip has been an attorney in private practice in the City of Santa Ana,
California since 1976. Mr. Chrislip also has a law office in San Clemente,
California. Mr. Chrislip received his undergraduate degree from the University
of California at Irvine and his law degree from Western State University
College of Law.

  Julia M. DiGiovanni is a director of both the Bancorp and the Bank. Mrs.
DiGiovanni is, and for more than the past five years has been, a private
investor. She also served as a director of Eldorado Bank, a California state-
chartered Bank based in central Orange County, California, and its parent
corporation, Eldorado Bancorp, from October 1995 until 1997, when Eldorado Bank
was acquired by Commerce Security Bancorp. Mrs. DiGiovanni also served as a
member of the board of directors of Mariners Bank, a state chartered bank based
in San Clemente, California, from 1991 until 1995, when that Bank was acquired
by Eldorado Bank.

  Warren T. Finley is a director of both the Bancorp and the Bank. Mr. Finley
also is the Chairman of the Management and Incentive Committee of the Bank. Mr.
Finley is an attorney who is, and for more than 35 years has been, engaged in
the private practice of law in Orange County, California. Mr. Finley also
served as a director of Eldorado Bank and its parent holding company, Eldorado
Bancorp, from 1972 to 1997, when that Bank was acquired by Commerce Security
Bancorp. Mr. Finley earned an undergraduate degree and a masters of business
administration from Stanford University and his law degree from the University
of Southern California.

  John Thomas, M.D. is a director of both the Bancorp and the Bank. Dr. Thomas
is a licensed physician who is, and for more than the past 15 years, has been
engaged in the private practice of medicine, specializing in the practice of
radiation oncology. He also serves as, and for more than the past 7 years has
been, the Medical Director of the San Clemente Tumor Medical Center. He is a
Diplomate of the American board of Radiology and a Clinical Assistant Professor
at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and is a member of
the Standards Committee for the American College of Radiation Oncology. Dr.
Thomas graduated from the Institute of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj, Rumania.

  Robert E. Williams is a director of both the Bancorp and the Bank and also
serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the
Bancorp. Mr. Williams is, and for more than 20 years has been, a certified
public accountant, with Robert E. Williams Accountancy Corporation, a firm that
he established in 1978. Mr. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
accounting from California State College at Fullerton.

                                       50
<PAGE>

Committees of the Board of Directors

  The Board of Directors of the Bank has established the following committees
to review and supervise various aspects of the Bank's operations. Following the
completion of the Holding Company Reorganization, the Board of Directors of the
Bancorp will continue these committees at the Bancorp level.

  . The Audit Committee, which is made up entirely of outside directors,
    provides oversight of the Bancorp's audit and compliance programs and
    coordinates audit matters with the Bank's independent auditors. Robert E.
    Williams is the chairman of the Audit Committee.

  . The Management and Incentive Committee has the authority to approve the
    salaries and grants of bonuses and options to our management, and
    oversees the development and implementation of compensation and benefit
    programs that are designed to enable the Bancorp and the Bank to retain
    existing, and attract new, management personnel and thereby remain
    competitive with other financial institutions in its market areas. Mr.
    Finley serves as chairman of this committee.

  The Board of Directors of the Bank has established the following committees
to review and supervise various aspects of the Bank's operations. Following the
completion of the Holding Company Reorganization, these committees will
continue at the Bank level.

  . The Executive Committee develops and oversees the implementation of a
    number of our policies and procedures, including policies and procedures
    relating to our growth, the adequacy of the Bank's facilities, procedures
    designed to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and capital
    adequacy and capital enhancement policies. The members of the Executive
    Committee also serve as the members of the Bank's Asset/Liability
    Committee and, in that capacity, develop and oversee the implementation
    of the Bank's asset/liability policies which are designed to insure that
    the Bank has, at all times, adequate funds to meet the cash requirements
    of its business and to preserve the Bank's net interest margins.

  . The Loan Committee is responsible for establishing loan policies and for
    reviewing loans proposed to be made by the Bank. This committee also
    reviews, on a regular basis, the Bank's existing loan portfolio to
    identify potential risks, monitor the management of those risks by the
    Bank's lending officers and assist the Board to determine the amount of
    the allowance that the Bank needs to maintain against the possibility of
    loan losses. Mr. McCauley is the chairman of the Loan Committee.

  . The Acquisition and Branching Committee is responsible for reviewing
    possible acquisition and branching opportunities and making
    recommendations with respect to such opportunities to the full board of
    directors. Mr. Torre serves as chairman of this committee.

Remuneration of Executive Officers and Directors

  The following table sets forth information concerning the annual cash
compensation paid to each of the executive officers of the Bank for services in
all capacities rendered to the Bank in 1999. No compensation was paid to any
officers by the Bancorp in 1999.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                Long Term
                                     Annual Compensation      Compensation
                                     --------------------   Awards Securities
Name and Principal Position            Salary     Bonus   Underlying Options(#)
- ---------------------------          ---------- --------- ---------------------
<S>                                  <C>        <C>       <C>
Raymond E, Dellerba, President and
 CEO................................ $  120,000 $  15,000        125,530
John J. McCauley, Executive Vice
 President, Chief Operating Officer
 and Chief Credit Officer........... $  100,000     7,500         36,586
Daniel L. Erickson, Executive Vice
 President and Chief Financial
 Officer............................ $   92,500     3,000         10,000
John P. Cronin, Executive Vice
 President and Chief Technology
 Officer............................ $   90,000     3,500         13,066
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) Mr. McCauley's annual salary will be increased to $110,000 when the Bank
    first achieves income from operations.
(2) Mr. Cronin's annual salary will be increased to $100,000 when the Bank
    first achieves income from operations.

                                       51
<PAGE>

  The Bank paid to Messrs. Dellerba and McCauley consulting fees in the amount
of $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, for services rendered by them prior to
November 1, 1998 in connection with the organization of the Bank, and cash
compensation to Messrs. Dellerba, McCauley, Erickson and Cronin in the amounts
of $20,000, $16,667, $10,278 and $14,167, respectively, for services rendered
by them during the period from November 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998.

  In addition to the compensation set forth above and the provisions of Mr.
Dellerba's employment contract set forth below, each executive officer receives
health and life insurance benefits and other incidental job-related benefits.
In addition, Mr. Dellerba's heirs are entitled to receive one-half of the
benefit payable upon his death under the key-man life insurance policy we
maintain on Mr. Dellerba. Also, automobiles are provided to Mr. Dellerba and
Mr. McCauley for use on Bank business. The Bank also has granted stock options
to the officers named above, as further described below under the heading
"Stock Option Plan."

  The Bank has employment or severance agreements with the following executive
officers:

  Raymond E. Dellerba. We entered into a multi-year employment contract with
Mr. Dellerba under which he is employed as our President and Chief Executive
Officer. The initial term of the employment contract ends on April 23, 2002,
and renews automatically for additional successive one year periods through the
year 2013 unless earlier terminated by either party. The employment contract
calls for a base salary of $120,000 in 1999, and thereafter an annual base
salary equal to the median peer salary for comparable positions in the Western
United States, as reported by an independent index. The employment contract
calls for a bonus for 1999 ranging from 35% to 150% of Mr. Dellerba's base
salary, with target bonus of 75% (50% of the bonus shall be based on
Mr. Dellerba's achievement of agreed-upon objectives, and 50% based on budget
or other measures of Bank's success within the areas of Mr. Dellerba's
responsibility). Thereafter, the annual bonus shall be equal to the greatest of
(1) 35% of the relevant base salary, (2) 3.5% of the Bank's pre-tax profits for
the related calendar year, or (3) an amount calculated with reference to a
formula, which shall relate on a percentage basis to the Bank's pre-tax
profits, such formula to be determined in good faith by the Bank, Mr. Dellerba
and an independent compensation consultant. The employment contract also calls
for Mr. Dellerba to receive equity compensation, as follows: (1) participation
in the Bank's established equity compensation plans based on a rate (as
compared to the Bank's other employees entitled to so participate, as a group)
equal to one to six (for example, if the Bank issued 60,000 options to its
executives as a group, Mr. Dellerba would receive 10,000 options); (2)
following the calendar year in which the Bank first achieves a return on assets
(as defined) of at least one percent, Mr. Dellerba shall receive fully vested
options to purchase an amount of shares equal to 0.5% of the Bank's shares then
outstanding or subject to outstanding options at an exercise price equal to the
then-current fair market value of such shares; and (3) a vesting schedule of 60
equal monthly installments for Mr. Dellerba's currently outstanding options.
All of Mr. Dellerba's options shall vest upon our initial public offering, a
change in control (as defined), or Mr. Dellerba's termination without cause (as
defined) or resignation for good reason (as defined). For the year in which the
Bancorp consummates its initial public offering, Mr. Dellerba will be entitled
to a one-time bonus equal to one percent of the increase in the Company's
shareholders equity that occurs during such year (other than increases
attributable to earnings of the Company in such year). In the event of a sale
of the Bancorp to or a merger with a third party during the term of
Mr. Dellerba's employment and, if he was terminated without cause or he
resigned for good reason, for two years thereafter, Mr. Dellerba shall receive
one percent of the gross proceeds of the related transaction. Mr. Dellerba
shall also receive the use of a company-paid automobile, two club memberships,
health and life insurance benefits and the standard employee health, welfare
and other benefit plans. The employment contract also contains a provision
that, if the Bank hires an executive at a compensation level that exceeds that
then payable by us to Mr. Dellerba, Mr. Dellerba's compensation and benefits
under the employment contract shall be adjusted upward to be at least equal to
those of the other executive. Upon Mr. Dellerba's reaching the age of 65, he
shall become eligible to receive 180 monthly payments, as follows: 60 monthly
payments of $75,000 each, then 60 monthly payments of $100,000 each, then 60
monthly payments of $125,000 each. Mr. Dellerba's right to receive these
payments vests at a rate equal to 1.5 monthly payments for each month of
service under his employment contract, subject to accelerated partial vesting
if Mr. Dellerba is terminated without cause. In the event Mr. Dellerba dies,
whether before or

                                       52
<PAGE>

after age 65, the monthly payments shall be made to Mr. Dellerba's heirs. Mr.
Dellerba, or his heirs, may elect to receive any remaining monthly payments in
a lump sum.

  Messrs. McCauley, Erickson and Cronin. We plan to enter into severance
agreements with Mr. McCauley, the Bank's Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Erickson,
the Bank's Chief Financial Officer and Mr. Cronin, our Bank's Chief Technology
Officer. Under those agreements, if any of them is terminated without cause, or
there occurs a change of control (as defined therein) of the Bank that leads to
an adverse change in the executive officer's position with us, or in the
executive officer's salary or benefits, then the affected officer would be
entitled to receive the following severance compensation: Mr. McCauley--six
months in the case of a termination without cause or twelve months in the case
of a change of control; Mr. Cronin--six months in the case of a termination
without cause or twelve months in the case of a change of control; and Mr.
Erickson--six months in the case of either a termination without cause or a
change of control.

                          Stock Option Grants in 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         Potential
                                              Individual Grants                      Realizable Value
                          ---------------------------------------------------------- at Assumed Annual
                          Number of                                                      Rates of
                          Securities  Percent of                                        Stock Price
                          Underlying Total Options                                   Appreciation for
                           Options    Granted to                                      Option Term(4)
                           Granted   Employees in   Exercise Price                   -----------------
          Name              (#)(2)    Fiscal Year  (Per Share)(2)(3) Expiration Date    5%      10%
          ----            ---------- ------------- ----------------- --------------- -------- --------
<S>                       <C>        <C>           <C>               <C>             <C>      <C>
Raymond E. Dellerba(1)..   125,530       32.6%           $4.00        March 1, 2009  $315,781 $800,250
John J. McCauley(1).....    36,586        7.0%            4.00        March 1, 2009    92,030  233,222
Daniel Erickson(1)......    10,000        1.8%            4.00        March 1, 2009    25,156   63,750
John P. Cronin(1).......    13,066        3.5%            4.00        March 1, 2009    32,864   83,283
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) Mr. Dellerba's options become exercisable in 60 consecutive monthly
    installments. All other options described in the table above become
    exercisable in five consecutive annual installments.

(2) Adjusted for the Bank's two-for-one stock split which will become effective
    prior to completion of this offering.

(3) The exercise price of our options are equal to the fair market value of the
    underlying shares of stock on the date of grant.

(4) Potential realizable value is based on the assumption that our common stock
    appreciates at the annual rate shown, compounded annually, from the date of
    grant until the expiration of the ten-year term of the options. These
    numbers are calculated based on Securities and Exchange Commission
    requirements and do not reflect our projection or estimate of future stock
    price growth. Potential realizable values are computed by multiplying the
    number of shares of common stock subject to a given option by the exercise
    price, as determined by our Board of Directors, assuming that the aggregate
    stock value derived from that calculation compounds at the annual 5% or 10%
    rate shown in the table for the entire ten-year term of the option and
    subtracting from that result the aggregate option and exercise price.

  In January 2000, Messrs. Dellerba, McCauley, Erickson and Cronin were granted
options to purchase 90,000, 10,000, 2,000, and 10,000 additional shares of
common stock, respectively, at an exercise price of $6.75 per share
(retroactively adjusted for the Bank's two-for-one stock split that will become
effective on April 14, 2000). On that same date non-employee directors were
granted options to purchase an aggregate of 96,000 additional shares, also at
an exercise price of $6.75 per share.

                                       53
<PAGE>

Aggregate Option Exercises in 1999 and Year-End Option Values

  The following table sets forth the number and value of shares of common stock
underlying the unexercised options held by the Named Executive Officers. No
options were exercised during 1999.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    Number of           Value of Unexercised
                              Securities Underlying         In-the-Money
                             Unexercised Options at          Options at
                             December 31, 1999(1)(2)   December 31, 1999(1)(2)
                            ------------------------- -------------------------
Name                        Exercisable Unexercisable Exercisable Unexercisable
- ----                        ----------- ------------- ----------- -------------
<S>                         <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>
Raymond E. Dellerba........   25,106       100,424      $69,042     $276,166
John J. McCauley...........      --         36,586          --       100,612
Daniel Erickson............      --         10,000          --        27,500
John P. Cronin.............      --         13,066          --        35,932
</TABLE>
- -------
(1) The value of unexercised options has been calculated on the basis of the
    fair market value of the Bancorp's common stock on December 31, 1999, less
    the applicable exercise price per share, multiplied by the number of shares
    underlying such options. All amounts give retroactive effect to our two-
    for-one stock split.

(2) Mr. Dellerba's options become exercisable in 60 approximately equal
    installments, but shall become fully exercisable on completion of this
    offering. The options held by Mssrs. McCauley, Erickson and Cronin become
    exercisable in five equal annual installments commencing March 2, 2000.

Compensation of Directors

  Non-employee directors receive fees of $500 for each board meeting, and $100
for each committee meeting, that they attend, up to a maximum of $600 per
month. The chairman of the board of directors also receives an additional
stipend of $100 per month for the additional responsibilities he has as
chairman.

Stock Option Plan

  Effective March 2, 1999, the Bank's Board of Directors adopted a stock option
plan which provides for the grant of options to directors, officers and other
key employees of the bank, entitling them to purchase shares of common stock of
the Bank. As of December 31, 1999, options to purchase a total of 380,106
shares of the Bancorp common stock had been granted and options to purchase an
additional 345,800 shares were available for future grant.

  Prior to the consummation of this offering, as a result of the Holding
Company Reorganization the Option Plan will be assumed by the Bancorp and
thereafter the then outstanding options to purchase Bank common stock will be
converted into options to purchase a like number of shares of common stock of
the Bancorp, at the same exercise price per share. Options that may be granted
thereafter shall represent the right to purchase shares of common stock of the
Bancorp.

  The Option Plan provides for the granting of "incentive stock options,"
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the "Code"), and nonstatutory options to directors, officers and
employees of the Bancorp and the Bank, except that incentive stock options may
not be granted to non-employee directors. The purpose of the Plan is to provide
participants with an opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Bancorp
that will give them incentive to continue to provide services to the Bancorp.
The Option Plan is administered by the Management and Incentive Committee of
the Board of Directors, which has sole discretion and authority, consistent
with the provisions of the Option Plan, to determine which eligible
participants will receive options, the time when options will be granted, the
terms of options granted and the number of shares which will be subject to
options granted under the Option Plan.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

  During the year ended December 31, 1999, the Management and Incentive
Committee of Board of Directors established the levels of compensation for our
executive officers. Mr. Dellerba, who is the President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Bancorp and the Bank, is a member of that Committee and
participated in its deliberations regarding executive compensation for the
other officers of the Bank. Mr. Dellerba did not, however, participate in the
deliberations of that Committee with respect to his compensation.

                                       54
<PAGE>

Limitations on Directors' Liability and Indemnification

  The Articles of Incorporation of the Bancorp and the Articles of
Incorporation of the Bank provide that, pursuant to California law, their
directors shall not be liable for monetary damages for breach of their
fiduciary duty in their capacities as directors of the Bancorp or the Bank.
This provision in our Articles of Incorporation does not eliminate the
directors' fiduciary duty, and in appropriate circumstances equitable remedies
such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available
under California law. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to
liability for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Bancorp or the
Bank for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional
misconduct, for knowing violations of law, for actions leading to improper
personal benefit to the director, and for payment of dividends or approval of
stock repurchases or redemptions that are unlawful under California law. The
provision also does not affect a director's responsibilities under any other
law, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental
laws.

  The respective Articles of Incorporation of the Bancorp and the Bank further
provide that the Bancorp and the Bank will indemnify their respective directors
and officers, and may indemnify its employees and other agents, to the fullest
extent permitted by law. In addition, in January 2000, the shareholders of the
Bank approved Indemnification Agreements that the Bank entered into with its
officers and directors and also authorized the Bancorp to enter into similar
agreements with its officers and directors.

  In January 2000, the Bank's shareholders approved indemnification agreements
entered into by the Bank with its directors and executive officers and
authorized the Bancorp to enter into similar agreements with its directors and
officers. These agreements require the Bank and will require the Bancorp, among
other things, to indemnify their respective directors and officers against
certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as
directors or officers (other than liabilities arising from actions not taken in
good faith or in a manner the indemnitee believed to be opposed to the best
interests of the Bancorp or the Bank, or in the case of a shareholder
derivative action, opposed to the best interests of the Bancorp and its
shareholders), to advance their expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding
against them as to which they could be indemnified, against an undertaking by
the indemnified party to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined
that he or she is not entitled to indemnification, and to obtain directors'
insurance if available on reasonable terms. Insofar as indemnification for
liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors,
officers or persons controlling our company pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. We believe that our
Articles of Incorporation and the indemnification agreements are necessary to
attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers.

  We also have obtained directors and officers liability insurance for our
directors and officers.

                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

  The executive officers and directors of the Bancorp, and the entities with
which they are associated, have engaged in banking transactions with the Bank
in the ordinary course of its business. It is the policy of the Board of
Directors that loans and commitments to loan included in such transactions will
be made in accordance with applicable laws and on substantially the same terms,
including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the same time
for comparable transactions with persons of similar creditworthiness that are
not affiliated with us or the Bank and only if such loans do not present any
undue risk of collectability.

  It is possible that, on the basis of sound business practices and subject to
the approval of the Board of Directors, we may select companies owned, operated
or controlled by directors to provide certain products and services to us and
the Bank. Any such purchases shall be made on reasonable competitive terms and
prices and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

  The directors advanced an aggregate of $470,000, without interest, to the
Bank during the period from inception (May 29,1998) to December 1998 to fund
organizational and pre-opening expenses. Such amounts were repaid to the
organizing directors by the Bank on March 1, 1999 from the proceeds of its
initial capital offering.

                                       55
<PAGE>

                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

  Set forth below is information regarding the number of shares of the
Bancorp's common stock that would have been beneficially owned as of February
29, 2000 by (i) any persons known by us to own beneficially five percent or
more of the Bancorp's outstanding shares, and (ii) each of our executive
officers and directors, after giving retroactive effect to the Bank's 2-for-1
stock split and the Holding Company Reorganization as if they had occurred
prior to February 29, 2000.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Percent of Shares
                                                          Beneficially Owned
                                                        ----------------------
Names and Addresses of Beneficial   Shares Beneficially Before this After this
Owners(1)                                Owned(2)        Offering    Offering
- ---------------------------------   ------------------- ----------- ----------
<S>                                 <C>                 <C>         <C>
Carroll David Cone Jr..............       200,000           5.4%       3.0%
Raymond E. Dellerba................        95,790(2)(3)     2.5        1.4
George H. Wells....................        76,862(2)(4)     2.1        1.1
Ronald W. Chrislip.................        68,681(2)(5)     1.8        1.0
Julia M. DiGiovanni................        66,681(2)(6)     1.8        1.0
John Thomas, M.D...................        68,681(2)        1.8        1.0
Richard M. Torre...................        68,681(2)        1.8        1.0
Robert E. Williams.................        68,681(2)        1.8        1.0
Warren T. Finley...................        19,481(2)(7)       *          *
John J. McCauley...................        33,317(2)          *          *
John P. Cronin.....................        20,613(2)          *          *
Daniel L. Erickson.................        10,250(2)          *          *
All officers and directors as a
 group (11 persons)................       597,718          16.0%       8.8%
</TABLE>
- --------
*  Less than 1%.

(1) Each Director's and Executive Officer's address is the address of the
    Bancorp, 450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100, Newport Beach, California
    92660.

(2) Includes the following number of shares that are currently exercisable or
    will become exercisable by April 29, 2000: Mr. Dellerba--29,290 shares; Mr.
    McCauley--7,316 shares; Mr. Cronin--2,614 shares; Mr. Erickson--2,000
    shares; Mr. Wells--8,362 shares; and Mrs. DiGiovanni and Messrs. Chrislip,
    Thomas, Torre, Williams and Finley--4,182 shares each. Does not include
    options to purchase an aggregate of 280,700 shares of common stock granted
    to the officers and directors in January 2000 See "Management--Stock Option
    Plan."

(3) Does not include, and Mr. Dellerba disclaims beneficial ownership of, a
    total of 5,000 shares held in joint tenancy by Mr. Dellerba's mother and
    each of Mr. Dellerba's minor children.

(4) Does not include, and Mr. Wells disclaims beneficial ownership of, 12,500
    shares owned by Mr. Wells' spouse.

(5) Does not include, and Mr. Chrislip disclaims beneficial ownership of 5,300
    shares which are owned by certain family members (not residing with him).

(6) Does not include, and Mrs. DiGiovanni disclaims beneficial ownership of
    3,000 shares which are owned by certain family members (not residing with
    her).

(7) Does not include, and Mr. Finley disclaims beneficial ownership of, 62,198
    shares, which are owned by family members of Mr. Finley (not residing with
    him).

                                       56
<PAGE>

                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

  The Bancorp's authorized capital stock currently consists of 2,000,000 shares
of preferred stock, without par value, and 10,000,000 shares of common stock,
without par value. As a result of the Bank's two-for-one stock split of its
outstanding shares, prior to the consummation of the Holding Company
Reorganization, the Bancorp will be increasing the authorized number of its
shares of common stock, proportionately, to 20,000,000 shares. Prior to the
completion of this offering a total of 3,720,162 shares of common stock of the
Bancorp will be issued and outstanding and an additional 725,906 shares of
common stock will be reserved for issuance on exercise of stock options. Up to
3,450,000 shares of common stock will be sold and issued in this offering and
warrants to purchase 300,000 shares will be issued to the underwriters, leaving
11,803,932 shares of common stock and 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock
available for future issuance. No shares of preferred stock have been issued,
and we have no present plans to sell or issue shares of preferred stock. Set
forth below is a description of the preferred stock and the common stock.

Preferred Stock

  The Bancorp's Board of Directors has the authority, without further action by
the shareholders, to issue up to 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or
more series, and to fix the rights, preferences and privileges thereof,
including voting rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation
preference and number of shares constituting any series or the designation of
such series. The purpose of the provisions of the Bancorp's articles of
incorporation authorizing the issuance of preferred stock is to provide us with
the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities to raise additional capital
through the issuance of shares that address competitive conditions in the
securities markets. The rights of the holders of the Bancorp's common stock
will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders
of any preferred stock that we may issue in the future. Although it presently
has no plans to do so, the Board of Directors, without stockholder approval,
may issue preferred stock with voting or conversion rights which could
adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our common stock. This
provision may be deemed to have a potential anti-takeover effect, because the
issuance of such preferred stock may delay or prevent a change of control of
the Bancorp. Furthermore, shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, may
have other rights, including economic rights, senior to our common stock, and,
as a result, the issuance thereof could depress the market prices of the common
stock. After the Holding Company Reorganization, the Bank will continue to have
2,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock, with identical rights and
preferences to those described above.

Common Stock

  Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all
matters submitted to a vote of shareholders, provided that shareholders may
cumulate votes in the election of our directors (that is, to give any
candidate, or any number of candidates, standing for election a number of votes
equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of
votes to which the shareholder's shares are entitled). The candidates who
receive the highest number of votes will be elected as directors.

  Subject to the preference in dividend rights of any series of preferred stock
which we may issue in the future, the holders of common stock are entitled to
receive such cash dividends, if any, as may be declared by our board of
directors out of legally available funds, which consist of our retained
earnings or current earnings. However, our ability to pay dividends also will
depend on the extent to which our capital exceeds minimum capital requirements
under applicable laws and regulations, and upon the rate of growth of the Bank,
which may require earnings to be retained to support such growth. Upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, after payment of all debts and
liabilities, including funds of depositors, and after payment of the
liquidation preferences of any shares of preferred stock then outstanding, the
holders of the common stock will be entitled to all assets that are legally
available for distribution.

  Other than the rights described above, the holders of common stock have no
preemptive subscription, redemption, sinking fund or conversion rights and are
not subject to further calls or assessments. The rights and preferences of
holders of common stock will be subject to the rights of any series of
preferred stock which we may issue in the future.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

  The transfer agent and registrar for the shares of the Bancorp's common stock
is U. S. Stock Transfer Corporation, Glendale, California.

                                       57
<PAGE>

                        SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

  Before this offering, the Bancorp's common stock was not listed on any stock
exchange or automated or other inter-dealer trading or quotation system. The
Bank's common stock has traded only on an infrequent basis on the NASDAQ OTC
Bulletin Board. Future sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the
public market, following this offering, could adversely affect prevailing
market prices and adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital at a
time and price favorable to us.

  Upon completion of this offering, we will have 6,720,162 shares of common
stock outstanding, assuming no exercise of the underwriter's over-allotment
option. Of these shares, the 3,000,000 shares sold in the offering will be
freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the
Securities Act, unless they are purchased by "affiliates" of the Bancorp as
that term is used under the Securities Act of 1933. Of the 3,720,162 shares
that will be held by the existing shareholders of the Bank, a total of
3,197,115 will become freely tradable without restriction 90 days after the
date of this offering. The remaining 523,047 shares, which will be owned by
officers or directors of the Bancorp, also will become saleable 90 days after
the date of this offering, but sales of such shares will be subject to certain
volume limitations and manner of sale restrictions contained in Rule 145 under
the Securities Act of 1933, which is summarized below.

  As a condition of the offering, all officers and directors will agree with
the underwriters that they will not sell any common stock of the Bancorp owned
by them for a period of 180 days after the effective date of this offering
without the prior written consent of Paulson Investment Company, Inc. A total
of 523,047 shares of common stock will be subject to this 180-day lock-up. Upon
the expiration of the 180-day lock-up (or earlier upon the consent of Paulson),
those shares will become eligible for sale subject to the volume and other
restrictions of Rule 144.

  In general, under Rule 145, any person (or persons whose shares are
aggregated) who, at the time the Holding Company Reorganization was approved,
was an affiliate of the Bank or who is an affiliate the Bancorp will be
entitled to sell, within any three-month period, a number of shares that does
not exceed the greater of one percent of the then outstanding shares of our
common stock (approximately 67,200 shares immediately after this offering) or
the average weekly trading volume during the four calendar weeks preceding such
sale. Sales under Rule 145 are also subject to certain requirements as to the
manner of sale, notice and availability of current public information about the
Bancorp.

  On completion of this offering, we will issue stock purchase warrants (the
"Underwriters' Warrants"), that will entitle Paulson Investment Company, Inc.,
the representative of the underwriters for this offering ("Paulson"), to
purchase a number of our shares of common stock (the "Warrant Shares") equal to
10% of the shares sold in this offering (exclusive of shares that may be sold
pursuant to the underwriters' overallotment option). The per share purchase
price of the Warrant Share will be equal to 120% of the per share public
offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The Underwriters
Warrants will be exercisable for a period of four years commencing one year
after the date of this prospectus. We have granted Paulson certain registration
rights which, if exercised, will enable Paulson to sell the Warrant Shares
without restriction, commencing as early as one year following the completion
of this offering.

  We intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities
Act to register shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our stock
option plan, thus permitting the resale by non-affiliates of shares issued
under the plan in the public market without restriction under the Securities
Act. Such registration statement will become effective immediately upon filing
which is expected on or shortly after the closing of this offering. At the time
this offering is completed, options to purchase 380,106 shares of common stock
will be outstanding under our stock option plan. Shares issuable upon the
exercise of options held by persons subject to the lock-up agreements described
above will be subject to the lock-up provisions thereof.

                                       58
<PAGE>

                                  UNDERWRITING

  The underwriters named below have severally agreed, subject to the terms and
conditions contained in an underwriting agreement with us, to purchase
3,000,000 shares from us at the price set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus, in accordance with the following table:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       Number of
   Underwriter                                                          Shares
   -----------                                                         ---------
   <S>                                                                 <C>
   Paulson Investment Company, Inc....................................
                                                                       ---------
     Total............................................................ 3,000,000
                                                                       =========
</TABLE>

  Nature of Underwriting Commitment. The underwriting agreement provides that
the underwriters are committed to purchase all the shares offered by this
prospectus if any shares are purchased. This commitment does not apply to
450,000 shares subject to the over-allotment option granted by us to the
underwriters to purchase additional shares in this offering.

  Conduct of the Offering. We have been advised by Paulson Investment Company,
Inc., that the underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock to be
sold in this offering directly to the public at the initial public offering
price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and to certain securities
dealers at that price less a concession of not more than $     per share. The
underwriters may allow, and those dealers may reallow, a concession not in
excess of $     per share to certain other dealers. After the shares of common
stock are released for sale to the public, the offering price and other selling
terms may be changed from time to time by the underwriters. No change in those
terms will change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on
the cover page of this prospectus.

  The underwriters have informed us that they do not expect to confirm sales of
shares offered by this prospectus on a discretionary basis.

  Overallotment Option. We have granted the underwriters an option, expiring 45
days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 450,000 additional
shares from us on the same terms as set forth in this prospectus with respect
to the 3,000,000 shares offered hereby. The underwriters may exercise this
option, in whole or in part, only to cover over-allotments, if any, in the sale
of the shares offered by this prospectus.

  Offering Discounts, Commissions and Expenses. The following table shows the
per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us to
the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming no exercise and full
exercise, respectively, of the underwriters' over-allotment option described
above:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                 Total without    Total with
                                            Per  Over-Allotment Over-Allotment
                                           Share     Option         Option
                                           ----- -------------- --------------
   <S>                                     <C>   <C>            <C>
   Per share underwriting discounts and
    commissions..........................  $          $              $
   Total underwriting discount to be paid
    by us................................  $          $              $
</TABLE>

  The expenses of this offering, not including the underwriting discounts and
commissions, are estimated to be approximately $812,500 and will be paid by us.
Expenses of this offering, exclusive of the underwriting discounts and
commissions, include the 1% nonaccountable expense allowance payable to Paulson
Investment Company, Inc., the SEC filing fee, the NASD filing fee, NASDAQ
listing fees, printing expenses, legal and accounting fees, transfer agent and
registrar fees and other miscellaneous fees and expenses.

  We have agreed that if this offering is successfully completed we will pay to
Paulson Investment Company, Inc., a non-accountable expense allowance equal to
one percent of the initial public offering price of the sale of the shares in
this offering (including sales on exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment
option.

                                       59
<PAGE>

  Underwriters' Warrants. On completion of this offering, we will issue the
Underwriters' Warrants to Paulson, entitling it to purchase from us up to ten
percent of the number of shares sold in this offering, exclusive of the shares
available pursuant to the over-allotment option. The per share purchase price
of these shares will be equal to 120% of the offering price per share. These
warrants are exercisable during the four-year period beginning one year from
the date of issuance. These warrants, and the shares underlying the warrants,
are not transferable for one year following the effective date of the
registration, except to an individual who is an officer or partner of an
underwriter, by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and are not
redeemable. We have granted Paulson certain registration rights which, if
exercised, will enable Paulson to sell the Warrant Shares without restriction,
commencing as early as one year following the date of this prospectus.

  The holders of the underwriters' warrants will have, in that capacity, no
voting, dividend or other shareholder rights. Any profit realized by the
underwriters on the sale of the shares issuable upon exercise of the
Underwriters' Warrants may be deemed to be additional underwriting
compensation. The securities underlying the underwriters' warrants are being
registered on the registration statement. During the term of the underwriters'
warrants, the holders thereof are given the opportunity to profit from a rise
in the market price of our common stock. We may find it more difficult to raise
additional equity capital while the underwriters' warrants are outstanding. At
any time at which the underwriters' warrants are likely to be exercised, we may
be able to obtain additional equity capital on more favorable terms.

  Indemnification. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute
to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.

  Lock-up Agreements. We, our executive officers, and directors have agreed not
to sell or transfer any shares of our common stock for six months after the
date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of Paulson
Investment Company, Inc. Specifically, we and these other individuals have
agreed not to, directly or indirectly:


  . sell or offer to sell any shares of our common stock;

  . grant any option to sell any shares of our common stock;

  . engage in any short sale of our common stock;

  . pledge or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of our common
    stock; or

  . publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing.

  These lock-up agreements apply to shares of our common stock and also to any
options or warrants to acquire shares of our common stock, or securities
exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of our common stock.
These lock-up agreements apply to all such securities that are currently owned
or later acquired either of record or beneficially by the persons executing the
agreements. However, Paulson Investment Company, Inc. may, in its sole
discretion and without notice, release some or all of the securities subject to
these agreements at any time during the one year period. Currently, there are
no agreements by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. to release any of the
securities from the lock-up agreements during such six month period.

  Our executive officers and directors have agreed that, for a period of one
year from the date of this prospectus, they will notify Paulson Investment
Company, Inc. before they sell our common stock under Rule 144 or Rule 145.

                                       60
<PAGE>

  Prior to this offering, there has not been an active public market for our
common stock. Consequently, the initial public offering price of the common
stock will be determined by arms' length negotiation between the Bancorp and
the underwriters. Among the factors to be considered in pricing the common
stock are our results of operations, current financial condition and future
prospects, the experience of management, the amounts of ownership to be
retained by the current stockholders, the general condition of the economy,
the banking industry and the securities markets, the demand for similar
securities of companies considered comparable to us and other factors that we
and the underwriters deem relevant.

  We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments
that the underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.

  Online Activities. A prospectus in electronic format may be made available
on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or
more of the underwriters of this offering, member of the selling group or by
persons with whom they may contract for such services. In those cases,
prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the
particular underwriter, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders
online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of
shares for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for
online distributions will be made by the representatives on the same basis as
other allocations.

  Stabilization and Other Transactions. The rules of the SEC generally
prohibit the underwriters from trading in our common stock on the open market
during this offering. However, the underwriters are allowed to engage in some
open market transactions and other activities during this offering that may
cause the market price of our common stock to be above or below that which
would otherwise prevail in the open market. These activities may include
stabilization, short sales and over-allotments, syndicate covering
transactions and penalty bids.

  . Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made by the lead
    representative for the purpose of preventing or slowing a decline in the
    market price of our common stock while this offering is in progress.

  . Short sales and over-allotments occur when the representatives, on behalf
    of the underwriting syndicate, sell more of our shares than they purchase
    from us in this offering. In order to cover the resulting short position,
    the representatives may exercise the over-allotment option described
    above and/or they may engage in syndicate covering transactions.

  . Syndicate covering transactions are bids for or purchases of our common
    stock on the open market by the representatives on behalf of the
    underwriters in order to reduce a short position incurred by the
    representatives on behalf of the underwriters.

  . A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the representatives to reclaim
    the selling concession that would otherwise accrue to an underwriter if
    the common stock originally sold by that underwriter was later
    repurchased by the representatives and therefore was not effectively sold
    to the public by such underwriter.

If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at
any time without notice. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on
the NASDAQ National Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

  Passive Market Making. Prior to the pricing of this offering, and until the
commencement of any stabilizing bid, underwriters and dealers who are
qualified market makers on the NASDAQ National Market may engage in passive
market making transactions. Passive market making is allowed during the period
when the SEC's rules would otherwise prohibit market activity by the
underwriters and dealers who are participating in this offering. Passive
market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and
must be identified as such. In general, a passive market maker must display
its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for our common
stock; but if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market

                                      61
<PAGE>

maker's bid, the passive market maker must also lower its bid once it exceeds
specified purchase limits. Net purchases by a passive market maker on each day
are limited to a specified percentage of the passive market maker's average
daily trading volume in our common stock during a specified period and must be
discontinued when such limit is reached. Underwriters and dealers are not
required to engage in passive market making and may end passive market making
activities at any time.

                                 LEGAL MATTERS

  The validity of the issuance of the shares that we offer will be passed upon
for the Bancorp by Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional Corporation,
Newport Beach, California. Certain legal matters in connection with this
offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Stoel Rives LLP, Portland,
Oregon. Members of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth own a total of 12,500 shares
of Bancorp common stock.

                                    EXPERTS

  The financial statements and schedules included in this prospectus and
elsewhere in the registration statement have been audited by Arthur Andersen
LLP, independent public accountants, as indicated in their report with respect
thereto, and are included herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as
experts in giving said report.

                      WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

  We have filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and
Exchange Commission with respect to the shares offered by this prospectus. This
prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration
statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules. For further information
with respect to us and the shares, you should refer to the registration
statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules. Statements in this
prospectus regarding the contents of contracts or other documents are not
necessarily complete. In each instance you should refer to the copy of the
contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
Statements in this prospectus about these contracts and documents are qualified
by reference to the exhibits.

  You may inspect a copy of the registration statement and the accompanying
exhibits and schedules without charge at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission in Room 1024, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the Securities and Exchange
Commission's regional offices located at the Northwestern Atrium Center, 500
West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and Seven World Trade
Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048, and you may obtain copies of all
or any part of the registration statement from these offices upon the payment
of the fees prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. You may
obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the
Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330.

  The Securities and Exchange Commission maintains a Web site that contains
reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding
registrants that file electronically with the Commission. The address of the
site is http://www.sec.gov.

  We intend to furnish our shareholders with annual reports containing
financial statements audited by our independent certified public accountants.

                                       62
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                         INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           Page
                                                                           ----
<S>                                                                        <C>
Report of Independent Public Accountants.................................. F-2

Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition............................ F-3

Consolidated Statements of Operations..................................... F-4

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)...... F-5

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows..................................... F-6

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements................................ F-7
</TABLE>

                                      F-1
<PAGE>

After the reorganization transaction discussed in Note 1 to Pacific Mercantile
Bancorp's consolidated financial statements is effected, we expect to be in a
position to render the following audit report.

/s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
January 28, 2000

                    REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
 Pacific Mercantile Bancorp:

  We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial
condition of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp (the Company) and subsidiary as of
December 31, 1999 and 1998, and the related consolidated statements of
operations, stockholders' equity (deficit) and cash flows for the year ended
December 31, 1999 and the period from inception (May 29, 1998) to December 31,
1998. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits.

  We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally
accepted in the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform
the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements
are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test
basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.

  In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp and
subsidiary as of December 31, 1999 and 1998, and the results of their
operations and their cash flows for the year ended December 31, 1999 and for
the period from inception (May 29, 1998) to December 31, 1998 in conformity
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

                                      F-2
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             December 31,
                                                         ----------------------
                                                            1999        1998
                                                         -----------  ---------
                        ASSETS
                        ------
<S>                                                      <C>          <C>
Cash and Due from Banks................................  $ 2,531,200  $ 177,300
Federal Funds Sold.....................................   35,967,000        --
                                                         -----------  ---------
  Cash and cash equivalents............................   38,498,200    177,300
                                                         -----------  ---------
Interest Bearing Deposits with Financial Institutions..    1,386,000        --
Securities Available for Sale, at fair value...........    2,668,800        --
Loans held for Sale, at lower of cost or market........    2,700,000        --
Loans, net.............................................   44,343,200        --
Accrued Interest Receivable............................      221,100        --
Premises and Equipment, net............................    1,178,300    142,500
Other Assets...........................................      169,800     20,200
                                                         -----------  ---------
    Total assets.......................................  $91,165,400  $ 340,000
                                                         ===========  =========


<CAPTION>
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
    ----------------------------------------------
<S>                                                      <C>          <C>
Deposits:
  Noninterest bearing..................................  $16,607,800  $     --
  Interest bearing.....................................   57,892,400        --
                                                         -----------  ---------
    Total deposits.....................................   74,500,200        --


Advances from Founders.................................          --     470,000
Accrued Interest Payable...............................       51,600        --
Other Liabilities......................................      595,200    112,200
                                                         -----------  ---------
    Total liabilities..................................   75,147,000    582,200
                                                         -----------  ---------


Commitments and Contingencies (Note 11)
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):
  Preferred stock, no par value, 2,000,000 shares
   authorized, none issued.............................          --         --
  Common stock, no par value, 20,000,000 shares
   authorized, 3,720,162 shares issued and
   outstanding.........................................   19,019,200        --
  Accumulated deficit..................................   (2,992,400)  (242,200)
  Unrealized loss on securities available for sale, net
   of tax..............................................       (8,400)       --
                                                         -----------  ---------
    Total stockholders' equity (deficit)...............   16,018,400   (242,200)
                                                         -----------  ---------
    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
     (deficit).........................................  $91,165,400  $ 340,000
                                                         ===========  =========
</TABLE>

  The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
                                  statements.

                                      F-3
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Period from
                                                                   Inception
                                                   Year Ended   (May 29, 1998)
                                                    December    to December 31,
                                                    31, 1999         1998
                                                   -----------  ---------------
<S>                                                <C>          <C>
Interest Income:
  Loans, including fees........................... $   759,800     $     --
  Federal funds sold..............................   1,173,300           --
  Securities available for sale...................      56,500           --
  Interest bearing deposits with financial
   institutions...................................      45,100           --
  Other...........................................      65,400         2,600
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Total interest income.........................   2,100,100         2,600
                                                   -----------     ---------


Interest Expense:
  Deposits........................................     878,900           --
  Other borrowings................................       1,100           --
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Total interest expense........................     880,000           --
                                                   -----------     ---------
Net Interest Income...............................   1,220,100         2,600
Provision for Loan Losses.........................     750,000           --
                                                   -----------     ---------
Net Interest Income after Provision for Loan
 Losses...........................................     470,100         2,600
                                                   -----------     ---------


Noninterest Income:
  Service charges and fees........................      14,900           --
  Mortgage banking................................      99,200           --
  Other...........................................      17,500           --
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Total noninterest income......................     131,600           --
                                                   -----------     ---------


Noninterest expense:
  Salaries and employee benefits..................   1,836,500       108,800
  Occupancy expense...............................     271,100        21,000
  Equipment expense...............................     195,200         1,000
  Professional fees...............................     377,300        74,100
  Other operating expense.........................     671,200        38,700
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Total noninterest expense.....................   3,351,300       243,600
                                                   -----------     ---------
Loss before Income Taxes..........................  (2,749,600)     (241,000)
Income Tax Expense................................         600         1,200
                                                   -----------     ---------
Net Loss.......................................... $(2,750,200)    $(242,200)
                                                   ===========     =========
Net Loss per Share................................ $     (1.12)    $    N/A
                                                   ===========     =========
</TABLE>


  The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
                                  statements.

                                      F-4
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)

              For the Year Ended December 31, 1999 and the Period
               from Inception (May 29, 1998) to December 31, 1998

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              Unrealized
                          Preferred Stock      Common Stock                    Loss on
                          ---------------- ---------------------              Securities
                          Number of        Number of             Accumulated  Available
                           Shares   Amount  Shares     Amount      Deficit     for Sale     Total
                          --------- ------ --------- ----------- -----------  ---------- -----------
<S>                       <C>       <C>    <C>       <C>         <C>          <C>        <C>
Balance, at inception
 (May 29, 1998).........     --     $ --         --  $       --  $       --    $   --    $       --
 Net loss...............     --       --         --          --     (242,200)      --       (242,200)
                             ---    -----  --------- ----------- -----------   -------   -----------
Balance, December 31,
 1998...................     --       --         --          --     (242,200)      --       (242,200)
Issuance of 3,720,162
 shares of common stock,
 net of offering
 expenses...............     --       --   3,720,162  19,019,200         --        --     19,019,200
Comprehensive loss:
 Net loss...............     --       --         --          --   (2,750,200)      --     (2,750,200)
 Change in unrealized
  loss on securities
  available for sale,
  net of tax............     --       --         --          --          --     (8,400)       (8,400)
                                                                                         -----------
Total comprehensive
 loss...................                                                                  (2,758,600)
                             ---    -----  --------- ----------- -----------   -------   -----------
Balance, December 31,
 1999...................     --     $ --   3,720,162 $19,019,200 $(2,992,400)  $(8,400)  $16,018,400
                             ===    =====  ========= =========== ===========   =======   ===========
</TABLE>



  The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
                                  statements.

                                      F-5
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Period from
                                                                   Inception
                                                   Year Ended   (May 29, 1998)
                                                    December    to December 31,
                                                    31, 1999         1998
                                                   -----------  ---------------
<S>                                                <C>          <C>
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
  Net loss........................................ $(2,750,200)    $(242,200)
  Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash
   used in operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization.................     202,100           --
    Provision for loan losses.....................     750,000           --
    Accretion of discount on securities...........      (2,000)          --
    Net change in accrued interest receivable.....    (221,100)          --
    Net change in other assets....................    (149,600)      (20,200)
    Net change in accrued interest payable........      51,600           --
    Net change in other liabilities...............     483,000       112,200
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Net cash used in operating activities.........  (1,636,200)     (150,200)
                                                   -----------     ---------
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
  Net increase in interest bearing deposits with
   financial institutions.........................  (1,386,000)          --
  Purchase of securities available for sale.......  (2,675,200)          --
  Net increase in loans held for sale.............  (2,700,000)          --
  Net increase in loans........................... (45,093,200)          --
  Increase in premises and equipment..............  (1,237,900)     (142,500)
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Net cash used in investing activities......... (53,092,300)     (142,500)
                                                   -----------     ---------
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
  Net increase in deposits........................  74,500,200           --
  Proceeds from sale of common stock, net of
   offering expenses..............................  19,019,200           --
  (Repayment of) advances from founders...........    (470,000)      470,000
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Net cash provided by financing operations.....  93,049,400       470,000
                                                   -----------     ---------
    Net increase in cash and cash equivalents.....  38,320,900       177,300
  Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period..     177,300           --
                                                   -----------     ---------
  Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period........ $38,498,200     $ 177,300
                                                   ===========     =========
Supplementary Cash Flow Information:
  Cash paid for interest on deposits and other
   borrowings..................................... $   828,400     $     --
                                                   ===========     =========
  Cash paid for income taxes...................... $       600     $   1,200
                                                   ===========     =========
</TABLE>

  The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
                                  statements.

                                      F-6
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998

1. Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

 Organization

  The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Pacific
Mercantile Bancorp (the "Bancorp") and Pacific Mercantile Bank (the "Bank").
The Bancorp is a bank holding company and was incorporated on January 7, 2000
in the State of California. Pacific Mercantile Bank is a banking company which
was formed on May 29, 1998, incorporated November 18, 1998 in the State of
California and commenced operations on March 1, 1999. The Bank is chartered by
the California Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) and is a member of
the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco ("FRB"). In addition, its customers'
deposit accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
("FDIC").

  Prior to completion of its public offering (see Note 16), Bancorp will
acquire Pacific Mercantile Bank by means of a merger as a result of which
Pacific Mercantile Bank will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bancorp and
Pacific Mercantile Bank's shareholders will become Bancorp shareholders, owning
the same number and percentage of Bancorp shares as they had owned in Pacific
Mercantile Bank (the "Reorganization"). Prior to the Reorganization, Bancorp
will have only nominal assets and will not have conducted any business. All
financial information included herein has been restated as if the holding
company reorganization was effective for all periods presented. Additionally,
the number of common shares outstanding gives retroactive effect to a two-for-
one stock split of the Bank's outstanding shares, and the authorized number of
common shares gives retroactive effect to an increase therein that is
proportionate to the increase in the number of outstanding shares as a result
of that stock split, that will become effective prior to the completion of the
Reorganization.

  The Bank provides a full range of banking services to small and medium size
businesses, professionals and the general public throughout Orange County and
is subject to competition from other financial institutions. The operating
results of the Bank may be significantly affected by changes in market interest
rates and by fluctuations in real estate values in the Bank's primary service
area. The Bank is regulated by the DFI, FRB and FDIC and undergoes periodic
examinations by those regulatory authorities.

 Use of Estimates

  The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles requires management to make certain estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and
contingencies at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts
of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could
differ from those estimates.

 Cash and Cash Equivalents

  For purposes of the statements of cash flow, cash and cash equivalents
consist of cash on hand and due from banks and federal funds sold. Generally,
federal funds are sold for a one-day period. Cash and cash equivalents amount
to $38,498,200 and $177,300 as of December 31, 1999 and 1998, respectively.

 Interest Bearing Deposits with Financial Institutions

  Interest bearing deposits with financial institutions mature within one year
and are carried at cost.

 Securities Available for Sale

  Securities available for sale are those that management intends to hold for
an indefinite period of time and that may be sold in response to changes in
liquidity needs, changes in interest rates, changes in prepayment risks and
other similar factors. The securities are recorded at fair value, with
unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as other
comprehensive income.

                                      F-7
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


  Purchased premiums and discounts are recognized as interest income using the
interest method over the term of the securities. Declines in the fair value of
available for sale securities below their cost that are deemed to be other than
temporary are reflected in earnings as realized losses. Gains and losses on the
sale of securities are recorded on the trade date and are determined using the
specific identification method.

 Loans Held for Sale

  Loans intended for sale in the secondary market are carried at the lower of
cost or estimated fair value in the aggregate. Net unrealized losses, if any,
are recognized through a valuation allowance by charges to income.

 Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses

  Loans that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable
future or until maturity or pay-off are stated at principal amounts
outstanding, net of unearned income. Interest is accrued daily as earned,
except where reasonable doubt exists as to collectibility, in which case
accrual of interest is discontinued and the loan is placed on nonaccrual
status. Loans are generally classified as impaired and placed on nonaccrual
status when, in management's opinion, such principal or interest will not be
collectible in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan agreement.
Loans with principal or interest that is 90 days or more past due are then
placed on nonaccrual status. Management may elect to continue the accrual of
interest when the estimated net realizable value of the collateral is
sufficient to recover both principal and accrued interest balances and such
balances are in the process of collection.

  Generally, interest payments received on nonaccrual loans are applied to
principal. Once all principal has been received, additional interest payments
are recognized as interest income on a cash basis. The allowance for loan
losses is established through a provision for loan losses. Loans are charged
against the allowance for loan losses when management believes that the
collection of the carrying amount is unlikely. Because the Bank commenced
operations in early 1999, management has no prior loss experience with its loan
portfolio. Consequently, during the initial stages of operation, the allowance
is being maintained at a level of 1.6% of outstanding loan balances. This
allowance is based upon historical industry loan losses and management's
evaluation of the Bank's loan portfolio quality. As management develops more
history with the Bank's loan portfolio, it will maintain an allowance for loan
losses based on evaluations of the collectibility of loans taking into
consideration such factors as changes in the nature and volume of the
portfolio, overall portfolio quality, review of specific problem loans, prior
loan loss experience and current economic conditions that may affect the
borrowers' ability to pay.

  The allowance is based on estimates, and ultimate losses may vary from the
current estimates. These estimates are reviewed periodically and, as
adjustments become necessary, they are reported in earnings in the periods in
which they become known. Management believes that the allowance for loan losses
is adequate as of December 31, 1999. In addition, the FDIC and the DFI, as an
integral part of their examination processes, periodically review the Bank's
allowance for loan losses. The agencies may require the Bank to recognize
additions to the allowance based on their judgments on information available at
the time of their examinations.

  The Bank also evaluates loans for impairment, where principal and interest is
not expected to be collected in accordance with the contractual terms of the
loan agreement. The Bank measures and reserves for impairment on a loan by loan
basis using either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted
at the loan's effective interest rate, or the fair value of the collateral if
the loan is collateral dependent. As of December 31, 1999 the Bank has no loans
classified as impaired. The Bank excludes from its impairment calculations
smaller, homogeneous loans such as consumer installment loans and lines of
credit. Also, loans that experience insignificant payment delays or payment
shortfalls are generally not considered impaired.

                                      F-8
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


 Loan Origination Fees and Costs

  All origination fees and related direct costs are deferred and amortized to
interest income as an adjustment to yield over the respective lives of the
loans using the effective interest method. As of December 31, 1999,
approximately $62,200 of deferred loan costs were included in the related loan
totals in the accompanying statements of financial condition.

 Premises and Equipment

  Premises and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and
amortization which is charged to expense on a straight-line basis over the
estimated useful lives of the assets or, in the case of leasehold improvements,
over the term of the leases, whichever is shorter. Maintenance and repairs are
charged directly to expense as incurred. Improvements to premises and equipment
that extend the useful lives of the assets are capitalized.

  When assets are disposed of, the applicable costs and accumulated
depreciation thereon are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or
loss is included in current operations. Rates of depreciation and amortization
are based on the following estimated useful lives:

<TABLE>
   <S>              <C>
   Furniture and
    equipment....   Three to ten years
   Leasehold
    improvements..  Lesser of the lease term or estimated useful life
</TABLE>

 Income Taxes

  Deferred income taxes and liabilities are determined using the asset and
liability method. Under this method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is
determined based on the tax effects of the temporary differences between the
book and tax bases of the various balance sheet assets and liabilities and
gives current recognition to changes in tax rates and laws.

 Loss Per Share

  Basic loss per share was computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted
average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. The
weighted average number of shares used in the loss per share computation for
the year ended December 31, 1999 was 2,466,114. No shares were outstanding for
the period from inception (May 29, 1998) to December 31, 1998.

 Comprehensive Income

  Components of comprehensive income include non-ownership related revenues,
expenses, gains, and losses that under generally accepted accounting principles
are included in equity but excluded from net income. The Bank had no components
of comprehensive income in the period ended December 31, 1998.

 Segment Disclosures

  Based on the internal reporting of financial information, management
currently believes that it operates with only one operating segment and has not
included any segment disclosures herein.

 Recent Accounting Pronouncements

  In June 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities" which was subsequently amended by SFAS No.
137 to defer the effective date of the

                                      F-9
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998

pronouncement from fiscal years beginning June 15, 1999 to fiscal years
beginning June 30, 2000. SFAS No. 133 requires companies to record derivatives
on the balance sheet as assets or liabilities, measured at fair value. Gains or
losses resulting from changes in the values of those derivatives would be
accounted for depending on the purpose of the derivative and whether it
qualifies for hedge accounting. The key criterion for hedge accounting is that
the hedging relationship must be highly effective in achieving offsetting
changes in fair value or cash flows. Management believes that the adoption of
SFAS No. 133 will not have a material impact on the Bank's results of
operations or financial condition.

2. Interest Bearing Deposits with Banks

  The Bank had interest bearing deposits with financial institutions of
$1,386,000 at December 31, 1999. The Bank had no interest bearing deposits at
December 31, 1998. The weighted average percentage yield of these deposits at
December 31, 1999 was 5.70 %.

  Interest bearing deposits with financial institutions at December 31, 1999
are scheduled to mature within one year.

3. Securities Available For Sale

  The following is a summary of the major components of securities available
for sale and a comparison of carrying values, estimated fair values, gross
unrealized gains and losses and maturities at December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                Gross      Gross     Estimated
                                   Amortized  Unrealized Unrealized Fair Market
                                      Cost      Gains      Losses      Value
                                   ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
   <S>                             <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
   U.S Agency Securities:
     Less than one year........... $  750,000   $ --      $(2,100)  $  747,900
     One to five years............  1,492,000     --       (6,300)   1,485,700
   Federal Reserve Bank Stock.....    435,200     --          --       435,200
                                   ----------   -----     -------   ----------
                                   $2,677,200   $ --      $(8,400)  $2,668,800
                                   ==========   =====     =======   ==========
</TABLE>

  At December 31, 1999, U.S. Agency securities with a carrying value of
$746,000 were pledged to secure a discount line at the Federal Reserve Bank.

4. Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses

  The loan portfolio consisted of the following at December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
   <S>                                                              <C>
   Real estate loans............................................... $30,653,600
   Commercial loans................................................  10,471,600
   Construction loans..............................................      90,600
   Consumer loans..................................................   3,815,200
                                                                    -----------
                                                                     45,031,000
     Allowance for loan losses.....................................    (750,000)
     Deferred loan origination costs, net..........................      62,200
                                                                    -----------
       Loans, net.................................................. $44,343,200
                                                                    ===========
</TABLE>

                                      F-10
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


  A summary of the Bank's transactions in the allowance for loan losses for the
year ended December 31, 1999 is as follows:

<TABLE>
   <S>                                                                 <C>
   Balance, December 31, 1998......................................... $    --
   Provision for loan losses..........................................  750,000
   Recoveries.........................................................      --
   Amounts charged off................................................      --
                                                                       --------
   Balance, December 31, 1999......................................... $750,000
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>

  The following table sets forth the allocation of the allowance for loan
losses by loan category as of December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
   <S>                                                                 <C>
   Real Estate loans.................................................. $127,000
   Commercial loans...................................................   43,400
   Consumer loans.....................................................   60,000
   Unallocated........................................................  519,600
                                                                       --------
   Balance, December 31, 1999......................................... $750,000
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>

  The Bank had no nonaccrual loans at December 31, 1999. The Bank had no loans
with principal more than 90 days past due and not on nonaccrual status at
December 31, 1999. At December 31, 1999, the Bank had no restructured loans and
no loans were considered impaired.

  The Bank purchased 13 loans in November and December of 1999 from a non-
related entity with a par value of $19,394,900 at a premium of $290,900. The
premium is being amortized over five years which is the estimated life of the
loans. The loans are recently originated with terms of 10 to 30 years,
primarily variable rate, and secured by multi-family real estate.

5. Premises and Equipment

  The major classes of premises and equipment at December 31, 1999 and 1998 are
as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       December 31, December 31,
                                                           1999         1998
                                                       ------------ ------------
   <S>                                                 <C>          <C>
   Furniture and equipment............................  $1,190,600    $131,100
   Leasehold improvements.............................     189,800      11,400
                                                        ----------    --------
                                                         1,380,400     142,500
   Accumulated depreciation and amortization..........    (202,100)        --
                                                        ----------    --------
                                                        $1,178,300    $142,500
                                                        ==========    ========
</TABLE>

  The amount of depreciation and amortization included in operating expense was
$202,100 for the year ended December 31, 1999. There was no depreciation for
the period from inception (May 29, 1998) through December 31, 1998.

6. Deposits

  The aggregate amount of time deposits in denominations of $100,000 or more at
December 31, 1999 was $21,782,100.

                                      F-11
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


  At December 31, 1999, the scheduled maturities of time deposits of $100,000
or more are as follows:

<TABLE>
       <S>                                                           <C>
       2000......................................................... $21,594,600
       2001.........................................................     187,500
                                                                     -----------
                                                                     $21,782,100
                                                                     ===========
</TABLE>

7. Related Parties

  The executive officers and directors of the Bank, and the companies with
which they are associated, have banking transactions with the Bank in the
ordinary course of business. In the opinion of management, all loans and
commitments to loan included in such transactions have been made in accordance
with applicable laws and on substantially the same terms, including interest
rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the same time for comparable
transactions with persons of similar creditworthiness that are not affiliated
with the Bank, and only if such loans do not present any undue risk of
collectibility.

  The following is a summary of loan transactions with executive officers and
directors of the Bank for the year ended December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
   <S>                                                                 <C>
   Balance, December 31, 1998......................................... $    --
   New loans granted..................................................  304,700
   Principal repayments...............................................  (85,700)
                                                                       --------
   Balance, December 31, 1999......................................... $219,000
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>


8. Advances From Founders

  The organizing directors advanced an aggregate of $470,000, without interest,
to the Bank during the period from inception (May 29,1998) to December 1998 to
fund organizational and pre-opening expenses. Such amounts were repaid to the
organizing directors by the Bank on March 1, 1999 from the proceeds of its
initial capital offering.

9. Income Taxes

  Tax expense from inception (May 29, 1998) to December 31, 1998 represents
$400 of current federal tax provision and $800 of current state tax provision.
Tax expense for the year ended December 31, 1999 represents $600 of current
state tax provision.

                                      F-12
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


  The components of the net deferred tax asset are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               December 31,  December 31,
                                   1999          1998
                               ------------  ------------
   <S>                         <C>           <C>
   Deferred tax assets:
     Allowance for loan
      losses.................  $   255,000    $     --
     Deferred organizational
      and start-up expenses..      (16,500)      82,800
     Net operating loss
      carryforward...........      530,200          --
     State taxes.............      210,200       26,700
     Other accrued expenses..      155,800          --
                               -----------    ---------
   Total deferred taxes......    1,134,700      109,500
   Valuation allowance.......   (1,134,700)    (109,500)
                               -----------    ---------
   Net deferred taxes........  $       --     $     --
                               ===========    =========
</TABLE>

  The reasons for the differences between the statutory federal income tax rate
and the effective tax rates are summarized as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   Period from
                                                                    Inception
                                                     Year Ended  (May 29, 1998)
                                                    December 31, to December 31,
                                                    ------------ ---------------
                                                        1999          1998
                                                    ------------ ---------------
   <S>                                              <C>          <C>
   Federal statutory tax rate......................    (34.0)%        (34.0)%
   Increase (decrease) resulting from:
     State taxes...................................     (7.6)         (10.6)
     Other accrued expenses........................      0.4             --
     Valuation allowance...........................     41.3           45.1
                                                       -----          -----
   Effective rate..................................      0.1 %          0.5 %
                                                       =====          =====
</TABLE>

  The Bank has established a valuation allowance of approximately $1,135,000
and $110,000 at December 31, 1999 and 1998, respectively. The valuation
allowance has been established due to the Bank's limited operating history and
management's inability to determine whether or not the deferred tax asset will
be realizable in the future.

  The Bank has a net operating loss carryforward of approximately $1,559,500
for federal income tax purposes which expires through 2019. In addition, the
Bank has a net operating loss carryforward of approximately $1,558,900 for
state franchise tax purposes which expires through 2006.

10. Shareholders' Equity

  On March 1, 1999, the Bank sold 2,090,628 of its common stock that raised
approximately $8,298,300 through an initial public offering, net of
approximately $64,200 in related expense. Concurrent with the completion of the
offering, the Bank received final approval from the DFI to commence operations
and from the FDIC on its application for the insurance of its customers'
deposit accounts. The Bank commenced operations on March 1, 1999.

  On April 20, 1999, the Bank's Board of Directors authorized a 1.25 for 1.00
stock split, which was approved by the California Department of Financial
Institutions (DFI) on May 21, 1999. Additionally,

                                      F-13
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998

Pacific Mercantile Bank will effect a two-for-one stock split that will become
effective prior to the completion of the offering (see Note 16). Share and per
share data have been adjusted herein to give effect to the split.

  In November 1999, the Bank completed a second offering in which it sold
1,629,532 shares of its common stock that raised approximately $10,720,900, net
of approximately $278,500 in related expense.

  Under California law, the directors of the Bank may declare distributions to
shareholders subject to the restriction that the amount available for the
payment of cash dividends shall be the lesser of retained earnings of the Bank
or the Bank's net income for its last three fiscal years (less the amount of
any distributions to shareholders made during such period). If the above test
is not met, distributions to shareholders may be made only with the prior
approval of the Commissioner of the California Department of Financial
Institutions ("Commissioner") and in an amount not exceeding the greatest of a
bank's retained earnings, a bank's net income for its last fiscal year or a
bank's net income for its current fiscal year. If the Commissioner finds that
the shareholders' equity of a bank is not adequate, or that the making by a
bank of a distribution to shareholders would be unsafe or unsound for the bank,
the Commissioner can order a bank not to make any distribution to shareholders.

  The ability of the Bank to pay dividends is further restricted under the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 which prohibits a
bank from paying dividends if, after making such payment, the bank would fail
to meet any of its minimum capital requirements. Under the Financial
Institutions Supervisory Act and Federal Financial Institutions Reform,
Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, federal banking regulators also have
authority to prohibit financial institutions from engaging in business
practices which are considered to be unsafe or unsound. It is possible,
depending upon the financial condition of the Bank and other factors, that
regulators could assert that the payment of dividends in some circumstances
might constitute unsafe or unsound practices. Therefore, the Bank's federal
regulatory agency might prohibit the payment of dividends even though such
payments would otherwise be technically permissible.

11. Commitments and Contingencies

  The Bank leases certain facilities and equipment under various non-cancelable
operating leases. Rent expense for the year ended December 31, 1999 and for the
period from inception (May 29, 1998) through December 31, 1998 was $171,300 and
$20,800, respectively.

  Future minimum non-cancelable lease commitments are as follows:

<TABLE>
       <S>                                                            <C>
       2000.......................................................... $  405,000
       2001..........................................................    223,300
       2002..........................................................    105,300
       2003..........................................................     94,500
       2004..........................................................     92,700
       Thereafter....................................................    104,600
                                                                      ----------
         Total....................................................... $1,025,400
                                                                      ==========
</TABLE>

  In order to meet the financing needs of its customers in the normal course of
business, the Bank is party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet
risk. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and
standby letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees,
elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in
the consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 1999, the Bank was
committed to fund certain loans amounting to approximately $12,668,000.

                                      F-14
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


  The Bank uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional
obligations as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. Commitments generally
have fixed expiration dates; however, since many of the commitments are
expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do
not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Bank evaluates each
customer's creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral
obtained if deemed necessary by the Bank upon extension of credit is based on
management's credit evaluation of the counterparty. Collateral held varies, but
may include accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment,
residential real estate and income-producing commercial properties.

  The Bank is subject to legal actions normally associated with financial
institutions. At December 31, 1999, the Bank had no pending contingencies that
would be material to the financial condition or results of operations of the
Bank.

  The Bank is required to purchase stock in the Federal Reserve Bank in an
amount equal to 6% of its capital, one-half of which must be paid currently
with the balance due upon request.

12. Stock Option Plan

  On March 2, 1999, the Bank's Board of Directors adopted a stock option plan
(the "Option Plan"). The Option Plan provides for the granting of options to
directors, officers and other key employees, entitling them to purchase shares
of common stock of the Bank at a price per share equal to 100% of the fair
market value of the Bank's shares on the date the option is granted. The Option
Plan further provides that if the Bank sells or issues any additional shares of
common stock (other than pursuant to the exercise of options under the Option
Plan), the number of shares issuable pursuant to the Option Plan will be
automatically increased by a number equal to 20% of the additional shares that
are sold or issued. The Option Plan provides that the total number of shares
for which options may be granted under the Option Plan shall be 725,906 shares.

  On March 2, 1999, the Bank granted options to purchase a total of 363,334
shares of common stock of the Bank, at a price of $4 per share to directors,
officers and other key employees of the Bank. Options outstanding under the
Option Plan have been granted at prices equal to or above the market value of
the stock on the date of grant, vest over a five year period, and expire 10
years after the grant date.

  The status of the Bank's Option Plan as of December 31, 1999 is summarized
below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        Weighted
                                                                        Average
                                                              Number of Exercise
                                                               Shares    Price
                                                              --------- --------
   <S>                                                        <C>       <C>
   Outstanding, December 31, 1998............................      --      --
     Granted.................................................  382,106   $4.00
     Exercised...............................................      --      --
     Cancelled...............................................   (2,000)  $4.00
                                                               -------
   Outstanding, December 31, 1999............................  380,106   $4.00
                                                               =======
</TABLE>

  The Bank continues to account for stock-based compensation using the
intrinsic value method prescribed by Accounting Principles Board Opinion No.
25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees," under which no compensation
cost for stock options is recognized for stock option awards granted at or
above fair market value. Had compensation expense for the Bank's Option Plan
been determined based upon the fair value at the grant

                                      F-15
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998

date for awards under the plan in accordance with SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation," the Bank's net loss and loss per share would have
been reduced to the pro forma amounts indicated below.

<TABLE>
       <S>                                                          <C>
       Net loss:
         As reported............................................... $(2,750,200)
         Pro forma.................................................  (2,820,200)
       Loss per share:
         As reported............................................... $     (1.12)
         Pro forma.................................................       (1.15)
</TABLE>

  The weighted average fair value of each option granted during the year ended
December 31, 1999, estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes
option-pricing model ranged from $0.92 to $1.00. The fair value of the grants
were estimated using the following assumptions: no dividend yield, no expected
volatility, risk-free interest rates ranging from 5.27% to 5.81%, and an
expected life of 5 years.

13. Regulatory Matters and Capital/Operating Plans

  The Bancorp and the Bank are subject to various regulatory capital
requirements administered by the federal and state banking agencies. Failure to
meet minimum capital requirements can lead to certain mandatory and possible
additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have
a direct material effect on the Bancorp's operating results or financial
condition. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for
prompt corrective action that apply to all bank holding companies and FDIC
insured banks in the United States, the Bancorp (on a consolidated basis) and
the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative
measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as
calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The Bancorp's and the Bank's
capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments
by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors.

  Quantitative measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy
require the Bancorp (on a consolidated basis) and the Bank to maintain minimum
amounts and ratios (set forth in the following table) of total and Tier I
capital (as defined in the regulations) to risk-weighted assets (as defined),
and of Tier I capital (as defined) to average assets (as defined). Management
believes, as of December 31, 1999, that the Bank met all capital adequacy
requirements to which it is subject.

  As of December 31, 1999, based on the regulations, the Bank is categorized as
well capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action.
To be categorized as well capitalized, the Bank must maintain minimum total
risk-based, Tier I risk-based and Tier I leverage ratios as set forth in the
following table. There are no conditions or events that management believes
have changed the institution's category.

  The Bank's actual capital amounts and ratios as of December 31, 1999 are also
presented in the following table:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        To be Well Capitalized
                                                                                    Under Prompt Corrective Action
                                 Actual          For Capital Adequacy Purposes                Provisions
                            -----------------  ---------------------------------  ----------------------------------
                              Amount    Ratio    Amount           Ratio             Amount            Ratio
                            ----------- -----  ---------- ----------------------  ---------- -----------------------
   <S>                      <C>         <C>    <C>        <C>                     <C>        <C>
   Total Capital to Risk
     Weighted Assets....... $16,717,000 30.2%  $4,422,500 (greater than or =)8.0% $5,528,200 (greater than or =)10.0%
   Tier I Capital to Risk
     Weighted Assets.......  16,026,800 29.0%   2,211,300 (greater than or =)4.0%  3,316,900 (greater than or =) 6.0%
   Tier I Capital to
     Average Assets........  16,026,800 24.3%   2,632,400 (greater than or =)4.0%  3,290,500 (greater than or =) 5.0%
</TABLE>

                                      F-16
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


  In addition, the Bank has agreed to maintain a Tier I Capital to Average
Asset ratio of at least eight percent until March 1, 2002.

14. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

  Fair value estimates are made at a discreet point in time based on relevant
market information and information about the financial instruments. Because no
active market exists for a significant portion of the Bank's financial
instruments, fair value estimates are based on judgments regarding current
economic conditions, risk characteristics of various financial instruments,
prepayment assumptions, future expected loss experience and other such factors.
These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters
of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision.
Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates.

  In addition, the fair value estimates are based on existing on and off-
balance sheet financial instruments without attempting to estimate the value of
existing and anticipated future customer relationships and the value of assets
and liabilities that are not considered financial instruments. Significant
assets and liabilities that are not considered financial assets or liabilities
include other real estate owned and premises and equipment.

  The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of
financial instruments.

 Cash and Cash Equivalents

  The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates its carrying value.

 Interest Bearing Deposits with Financial Institutions

  The fair value of interest bearing deposits maturing within ninety days
approximate their carrying values.

 Securities Available for Sale

  For investment securities, fair value equals quoted market price, if
available. If a quoted market price is not available, fair value is estimated
using quoted market prices for similar securities.

 Loans Held for Sale

  The fair value of loans held for sale is based on commitments on hand from
investors or prevailing market prices.

 Loans

  The fair value for loans with variable interest rates is the carrying amount.
The fair value of fixed rate loans is derived by calculating the discounted
value of future cash flows expected to be received by the various homogeneous
categories of loans. All loans have been adjusted to reflect changes in credit
risk.

 Deposits

  The fair value of demand deposits, savings deposits, and money market
deposits is defined as the amounts payable on demand at year-end. The fair
value of fixed maturity certificates of deposit is estimated based on the
discounted value of the future cash flows expected to be paid on the deposits.

                                      F-17
<PAGE>

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)

                           December 31, 1999 and 1998


 Commitments to Extend Credit and Standby Letters of Credit

  The fair value of commitments is estimated using the fees currently charged
to enter into similar agreements, taking into account the remaining terms of
the agreements and the present creditworthiness of the parties involved. For
fixed rate loan commitments, fair value also considers the difference between
current levels of interest rates and committed rates. The fair value of these
unrecorded financial instruments is estimated to approximate the notional
amounts at December 31, 1999.

  The estimated fair values and related carrying amounts of the Bank's
financial instruments are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         Carrying    Estimated
                                                          Amount    Fair Value
                                                        ----------- -----------
   <S>                                                  <C>         <C>
   Financial Assets:
     Cash and cash equivalents........................  $38,498,200 $38,498,200
     Interest bearing deposits with financial
      institutions....................................    1,386,000   1,386,000
     Securities available for sale....................    2,668,800   2,668,800
     Loans held for sale..............................    3,844,800   3,884,800
     Loans, net.......................................   43,198,400  41,977,700

   Financial Liabilities:
     Noninterest bearing deposits.....................   16,607,800  16,607,800
     Interest bearing deposits........................   57,892,400  57,660,300
</TABLE>

  In all cases, the estimated fair values of the Bank's financial instruments
are equal to their respective book values at December 31, 1998.

15. Parent Company Information

  Bancorp has only nominal assets and will not have conducted any business
through January 28, 2000.

16. Subsequent Event (unaudited)

  The Bancorp intends to offer for sale, during the second quarter ending June
30, 2000, 3,000,000 shares of its common stock in a public offering to be
registered under the Securities Act of 1933. The Bancorp expects that the
proceeds of this public offering, net of underwriting discounts and commissions
and other expenses, will total approximately $38 million. In conjunction with
the offering, Bancorp expects to issue to Paulson Investment Company, Inc., the
representative of the underwriters, warrants to purchase 300,000 shares of
Bancorp common stock at an exercise price per share equal to 120% of the common
stock public offering price per share.

                                      F-18
<PAGE>

                             [PHOTOGRAPHS/GRAPHICS]
<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Until           , 2000, all dealers effecting transactions in our securities,
whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a
prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a
prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold
allotments or subscriptions.

                                3,000,000 Shares


               [LOGO OF PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP APPEARS HERE]

                           Pacific Mercantile Bancorp

                                  Common Stock

                               ----------------

                                   PROSPECTUS

                               ----------------

                               Paulson Investment
                                 Company, Inc.

                                          , 2000

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

                                    PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

  The following table sets forth all costs and expenses, other than
underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the Registrant in connection
with the sale of the Common Stock being registered hereunder. All of the
amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the NASD
filing fee.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  To be Paid by
                                                                  the Registrant
                                                                  --------------
      <S>                                                         <C>
      SEC registration fee.......................................   $12,523.50
      NASD filing fee............................................       *
      NASDAQ National Market application fee.....................       *
      Printing and engraving expenses............................       *
      Legal fees and expenses....................................       *
      Accounting fees and expenses...............................       *
      Transfer agent and registrar fees..........................       *
      Miscellaneous..............................................       *
                                                                    ----------
        Total....................................................   $     *
                                                                    ==========
</TABLE>
- --------
  * To be filed by amendment

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

  (a) As permitted by the California General Corporation Law ("CGCL"), the
Registrant's Articles of Incorporation eliminate the liability of its directors
for monetary damages to the fullest extent permissible under the CGCL and in
excess of that otherwise permitted under the CGCL. The Registrant's Bylaws
provide for a similar indemnity to directors and officers of the Registrant to
the fullest extent authorized by the CGCL.

  (b) Pursuant to the authority contained in the Registrant's Bylaws, the
Registrant maintains liability insurance covering all of the Registrant's
officers and directors.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

  The Bancorp will issue a total of 3,720,162 shares of its common stock to the
former shareholders of Pacific Mercantile Bank (the "Bank") pursuant to the
terms of an Plan of Reorganization and Merger Agreement entered into as of
February 29, 2000, following approval of that Agreement and the transactions
contemplated thereby by the Bank's shareholders in January 2000. Pursuant to
that Agreement (i) the Bank will be merged with a new-formed wholly owned
subsidiary of the Bancorp, (ii) the Bank will be the surviving corporation in
that merger and, as a result thereof, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of
the Bancorp, and (iii) each of the 3,720,162 shares of common stock of the Bank
that will be outstanding at the time of that merger will be automatically
converted into one share of common stock of the Bancorp. The Bancorp has relied
on the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 provided by
Section 3(a)(12) for this transaction, which exempts equity securities issued
in connection with the acquisition by a holding company of a bank under Section
3(a) of the Bank Holding company Act of 1956.

                                      II-1
<PAGE>

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 (a) Exhibits

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 Exhibit No. Description
 ----------- -----------
 <C>         <S>
     1.1     Form of Underwriting Agreement
     1.2     Form of Underwriter's Warrant
     2.1     Plan of Reorganization and Merger Agreement, dated as of February
              29, 2000, between Pacific Mercantile Bank and PMSub
     3.1     Articles of Incorporation of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp
     3.2     Bylaws of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp
     4.1     Specimen form of stock certificate for Common Stock
     5.1*    Opinion of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional
              Corporation
    10.1     1999 Incentive Stock Option and Nonqualified Option Plan (the
              "1999 Plan")
    10.2     Form of Stock Option Agreement pertaining to the 1999 Plan
    10.3*    Employment Agreement, dated April 23, 1999, between Raymond E.
              Dellerba and Pacific Mercantile Bank
    10.4*    Form of Severance Agreement to be entered into between the Bank
              and John J. McCauley, John P. Cronin and Daniel L. Erickson,
              respectively
    10.5     Office Space Lease, dated December 8, 1999, between the Irvine
              Company and Pacific Mercantile Bank
    10.6     Sublease dated as of August 3, 1999, between Wells Fargo Bank,
              N.A. and Pacific Mercantile Bank
    10.7     Sublease, dated as of September 16, 1998, between Washington
              Mutual Bank, FA, and Pacific Mercantile Bank
    10.8     Standard Internet Banking System License Agreement, dated as of
              January 29, 1999, between Q-UP Systems and Pacific Mercantile
              Bank
    10.9     ODFI--Originator Agreement for Automated Clearing House Entries,
              dated as of February 16, 1999, between eFunds Corporation and
              Pacific Mercantile Bank (Portions of this Exhibit are omitted
              and were filed separately with the Secretary of the Commission
              pursuant to the Registrant's application requesting confidential
              treatment under Rule 406 of the Securities Act of 1933.)
    11.1     Statement regarding computation of pro forma net income per share
    23.1*    Consent of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional
              Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
    23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
    24.1     Power of Attorney (contained on the signature page of this
              Registration Statement)
    27.1     Financial Data Schedule
</TABLE>
- --------
*  To be filed by amendment.

 (b) Financial Statement Schedules

  All other schedules are omitted because they are not required under the
related instructions, are inapplicable, or the information is included in the
financial statements or the notes thereto.

Item 17. Undertakings

  The Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing
specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and
registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt
delivery to each purchaser.

  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Act may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been

                                      II-2
<PAGE>

advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

  The Registrant hereby undertakes that:

     (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Act, the
  information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this
  registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form
  of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or
  497(h) under the Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration
  statement as of the time it was declared effective.

     (2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Act, each
  post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed
  to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
  therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
  to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                                      II-3
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Newport
Beach, State of California, on the 28th day of March, 2000.

                                          PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                                                /s/ Raymond E. Dellerba
                                          By: _________________________________
                                                    Raymond E. Dellerba
                                               President and Chief Executive
                                                          Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

  We, the undersigned directors and officers of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp, do
hereby constitute and appoint Raymond E. Dellerba and Daniel L. Erickson, or
either of them, our true and lawful attorneys and agents, to do any and all
acts and things in our name and behalf in our capacities as directors and
officers and to execute any and all instruments for us and in our names in the
capacities indicated below, which said attorneys and agents, or either of them,
may deem necessary or advisable to enable said corporation to comply with the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with this
Registration Statement, including specifically, but without limitation, power
and authority to sign for us or any of us in our names and in the capacities
indicated below, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, or any related registration statement that is
to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended; and we do hereby ratify and confirm all that the said
attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             Signature                           Title                  Date
             ---------                           -----                  ----

<S>                                  <C>                           <C>
    /s/ Raymond E. Dellerba          President, Chief Executive    March 28, 2000
____________________________________  Officer and Director
        Raymond E. Dellerba           (Principal Executive
                                      Officer)

     /s/ Daniel L. Erickson          Executive Vice President and  March 28, 2000
____________________________________  Chief Financial Officer
         Daniel L. Erickson           (Principal Financial and
                                      Accounting Officer)

      /s/ John J. McCauley           Executive Vice President,     March 28, 2000
____________________________________  Chief Operating Officer,
          John J. McCauley            Chief Credit Officer and
                                      Director

        /s/ George Wells             Chairman of the Board and     March 28, 2000
____________________________________  Director
            George Wells

      /s/ Richard M. Torre           Vice Chairman of the Board    March 28, 2000
____________________________________  and Director
          Richard M. Torre

</TABLE>


                                      S-1
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             Signature                           Title                  Date
             ---------                           -----                  ----
<S>                                  <C>                           <C>
     /s/ Ronald W. Chrislip                    Director            March 28, 2000
____________________________________
         Ronald W. Chrislip

    /s/ Julia M. DiGiovanni                    Director            March 28, 2000
____________________________________
        Julia M. DiGiovanni

      /s/ Warren T. Finley                     Director            March 28, 2000
____________________________________
          Warren T. Finley

     /s/ John Thomas, M.D.                     Director            March 28, 2000
____________________________________
         John Thomas, M.D.

     /s/ Robert E. Williams                    Director            March 28, 2000
____________________________________
         Robert E. Williams
</TABLE>

                                      S-2
<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              Sequentially
 Exhibit No.                   Description                    Numbered Page
 -----------                   -----------                    ------------- ---
 <C>         <S>                                              <C>           <C>
     1.1     Form of Underwriting Agreement
     1.2     Form of Underwriter's Warrant
     2.1     Plan of Reorganization and Merger Agreement,
              dated as of February 29, 2000, between
              Pacific Mercantile Bank and PMSUB and
     3.1     Articles of Incorporation of Pacific
              Mercantile Bancorp
     3.2     Bylaws of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp
     4.1     Specimen form of stock certificate for Common
              Stock
     5.1*    Opinion of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a
              Professional Corporation
    10.1     1999 Incentive Stock Option and Nonqualified
              Option Plan (the "1999 Plan")
    10.2     Form of Stock Option Agreement pertaining to
              the 1999 Plan
    10.3*    Employment Agreement, dated April 23, 1999
              between Raymond E. Dellerba and Pacific
              Mercantile Bank
    10.4*    Form of Severance Agreement to be entered into
              between the Bank and John J. McCauley, John
              P. Cronin and Daniel L. Erikson, respectively
    10.5     Office Space Lease, dated December 8, 1999,
              between the Irvine Company and Pacific
              Mercantile Bank
    10.6     Sublease, dated as of August 3, 1999, between
              Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Pacific Mercantile
              Bank
    10.7     Sublease, dated as of September 16, 1998,
              between Washington Mutual Bank, FA, and
              Pacific Mercantile Bank
    10.8     Standard Internet Banking System Licensing
              Agreement, dated as of January 29, 1999,
              between Q-UP Systems and Pacific Mercantile
              Bank
    10.9     ODFI-Originator Agreement for Automated
              Clearing House Entries, dated as of February
              16, 1999, between eFunds Corporation and
              Pacific Mercantile Bank (Portions of this
              Exhibit are omitted and were filed separately
              with the Secretary of the Commission pursuant
              to the Registrant's application requesting
              confidential treatment under Rule 406 of the
              Securities Act of 1933.)
    11.1     Statement regarding computation of pro forma
              net income per share
    23.1*    Consent of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a
              Professional Corporation (included in Exhibit
              5.1 hereto)
    23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
    24.1     Power of Attorney (contained on the signature
              page of this Registration Statement)
    27.1     Financial Data Schedule
</TABLE>
- --------
* To be filed by amendment.

                                      E-1

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.1

                             _____________ Shares of

                                Common Stock of

                           Pacific Mercantile Bancorp


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------


                                                     _______________, 2000

Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
As Representative of the
 Several Underwriters
811 SW Naito Parkway, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97204

Gentlemen:

     Pacific Mercantile Bancorp, a California corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in
Schedule I hereto for whom you are acting as Representative (the
"Representative") an aggregate of ___________ shares (the "Firm Shares") of the
Company's common stock ("Common Stock").  The respective number of the Firm
Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite
their names in Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to grant to the
Representative an option to purchase in aggregate up to ____________ additional
Shares, identical to the Firm Shares (the "Option Shares"), as set forth below.

     As the Representative, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement for yourself as Representative and on
behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are
willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm
Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I. The Firm Shares
and the Option Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are
herein collectively called the "Shares."

     In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:

                                       1
<PAGE>

     1.  Representations and Warranties of the Company.
         ---------------------------------------------

     The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as follows:

         (a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-_____) with
respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the
Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the
Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments
thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the
Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462 (b) of the Act, herein
referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include
all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the Act and no
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the
date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means (a) the form of prospectus first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (b) the last preliminary
prospectus included in the Registration Statement filed prior to the time it
becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act that is
delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for delivery to purchasers of the
Shares, together with the term sheet or abbreviated term sheet filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is
herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."

         (b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of California, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement. The Company does not own
and never has owned a controlling interest in any other corporation or other
business entity that has or ever has had any material assets, liabilities or
operations. The Company is duly qualified to transact business in all
jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification.
Pacific Mercantile Bank, a _____________________ (the "Bank"), [insert
representation re formation, organization, existence and authority of Bank.]

         (c) The outstanding shares of each class or series of capital stock of
the Company and the Bank have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable and, except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, have been issued and sold by the Company or the Bank, as the case may
be, in compliance in all material respects with applicable securities and
banking laws; the Company is the sole record and beneficial owner (other than
beneficial ownership of Bank stock resulting from ownership of Company stock) of
all of the outstanding capital stock of the Bank and no person has any right,
whether absolute or contingent, to purchase or otherwise acquire the power to
vote or dispose of any capital stock of the Bank from the Bank or the Company;
the issuance and sale of the Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action and,

                                       2
<PAGE>

when issued and paid for as contemplated herein, the Shares will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of shareholders
exist with respect to any security of the Company or the issue and sale thereof.
Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, neither the filing of the
Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by
this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived
or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock
or other securities of the Company. Except for stock in the Bank, the Company
does not own or have the right to acquire capital stock or other equity
securities of any other person representing more that five percent of the equity
of that person, or otherwise control any other person.

          (d) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in
the Prospectus is true and correct. The Common Stock conforms and the
Representative's Warrant will conform to the description thereof contained in
the Registration Statement. The forms of certificates for the Shares conform to
the requirements of the corporate law of California.

          (e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending
the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Shares nor
instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement contains,
and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all
statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any
untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments and
supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement
of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representative, specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.

          (f) The [consolidated] financial statements of the Company, together
with related notes and schedules as set forth in the Registration Statement,
present fairly the [consolidated] financial position and the results of
operations and cash flows of the Company at the indicated dates and for the
indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted principles of accounting,
consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed herein
and in the Registration Statement, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial
and statistical data of the Company included in the Registration Statement
presents fairly the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on
a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books
and records of the Company.

                                       3
<PAGE>

          (g) Arthur Andersen, LLP, who have certified certain of the financial
statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are
independent public accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and
Regulations.

          (h) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or the Bank before any
court or administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the
Company or the Bank might result in any material adverse change in the earnings,
business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or the Bank or prevent the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement.

          (i) The Company or the Bank has good and marketable title to all
properties and assets, tangible and intangible, reflected in the financial
statements or described in the Registration Statement, subject to no lien,
mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in
such financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) or
which are not material. The Company's and the Bank's ownership and license
rights in its patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks, Web sites and
other material technology and intellectual property is consistent with (i) the
description thereof in the Registration Statement, and (ii) the business needs
of the Company and the Bank. All of the leases and subleases under which the
Company or the Bank holds properties are in full force and effect (with only
such exceptions as are commonly accepted by prudent companies engaged in the
commercial banking business in California) and the Company has not received
notice of any claim that is materially adverse to the rights of the Company
under any of such leases or subleases.

          (j) The Company and the Bank have filed all federal, state, local and
foreign income tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid
all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received by it to the
extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good
faith. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the
[consolidated] financial statements of the Company.

          (k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement, as it may have been amended or supplemented, there has
not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management,
properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or
prospects of the Company or the Bank, whether or not occurring in the ordinary
course of business, and there has not been any material transaction entered into
or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the
Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes
and transactions described in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended
or supplemented. Neither the Company nor the Bank has any material contingent
obligations that are not disclosed in the Company's financial statements or
elsewhere in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

                                       4
<PAGE>

          (l) Neither the Company nor the Bank is, nor, with the giving of
notice or lapse of time or both, will either be, in violation of or in default
under its [Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws] or under any agreement, lease,
contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or
by which it, or any of its properties, is bound and which default is of material
significance in respect of the condition, financial or otherwise of the Company
or the Bank or the business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or the Bank. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or the Bank is a party, or of the
[Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws] of the Company or the Bank or any order,
rule or regulation applicable to the Company or the Bank of any court or of any
regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having
jurisdiction.

          (m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission,
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such
additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering
by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained
or made and is in full force and effect.

          (n) Each of the Company and the Bank holds all material patents,
patent rights trademarks, trade names, copyrights, trade secrets, Web sites and
licenses of any of the foregoing (collectively, "Intellectual Property Rights")
that are necessary to the conduct of its businesses;  there is no claim pending
or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or the
Bank or any of their respective officers, directors or employees, in their
capacities as such, alleging any infringement of Intellectual Property Rights,
or any violation of the terms of any license relating to Intellectual Property
Rights, nor does the Company know of any basis for any such claim. The Company
knows of no material infringement by others of Intellectual Property Rights
owned by or licensed to the Company or the Bank . Each of the Company and the
Bank has obtained, is in compliance in all material respect with and maintains
in full force and effect all material licenses, certificates, permits, orders or
other, similar authorizations granted or issued by any governmental agency
(collectively "Government Permits") required to conduct its business as it is
presently conducted. No proceeding to revoke, limit or otherwise materially
change any Government Permit has been commenced or, to the Company's best
knowledge, is threatened against the Company, and the Company has no reason to
anticipate that any such proceeding will be commenced against the Company.
Except as disclosed or contemplated in the Prospectus, the Company has no reason
to believe that any pending application for a Government Permit or any
application that is anticipates will be required to conduct business described
in the Prospectus will be denied or limited in a manner inconsistent with the
Company's business plan as described in the Prospectus.

                                       5
<PAGE>

          (o) Each of the Company and the Bank is in all material respects in
compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws. The Company has no knowledge
of any past, present or, as anticipated by the Company, future events,
conditions, activities, investigation, studies, plans or proposals that (i)
would interfere with or prevent compliance with any Environmental Law by the
Company or the Bank or (ii) could reasonably be expected to give rise to any
common law or other liability, or otherwise form the basis of a claim, action,
suit, proceeding, hearing or investigation, involving the Company or the Bank
and related to Hazardous Substances or Environmental Laws. Except for the
prudent and safe use and management of Hazardous Substances in the ordinary
course of the Company's or the Bank's business, (i) no Hazardous Substance is or
has been used, treated, stored, generated, manufactured or otherwise handled on
or at any Facility and (ii) to the Company's best knowledge, no Hazardous
Substance has otherwise come to be located in, on or under any Facility. No
Hazardous Substances are stored at any Facility except in quantities necessary
to satisfy the reasonably anticipated use or consumption by the Company or the
Bank, as the case may be. No litigation, claim, proceeding or governmental
investigation is pending regarding any environmental matter for which the
Company or the Bank has been served or otherwise notified or, to the knowledge
of the Company, threatened or asserted against the Company or the Bank, or the
officers or directors of the Company or the Bank in their capacities as such, or
any Facility or the Company's or the Bank's business. There are no orders,
judgments or decrees of any court or of any governmental agency or
instrumentality under any Environmental Law which specifically apply to the
Company or the Bank, any Facility or any of the Company's or the Bank's
operations. Neither the Company nor the Bank has received from a governmental
authority or other person (i) any notice that it is a potentially responsible
person for any Contaminated site or (ii) any request for information about a
site alleged to be Contaminated or regarding the disposal of Hazardous
Substances. There is no litigation or proceeding against any other person by the
Company or the Bank regarding any environmental matter. The Company has
disclosed in the Prospectus or made available to the Underwriters and their
counsel true, complete and correct copies of any reports, studies,
investigations, audits, analyses, tests or monitoring in the possession of or
initiated by the Company or the Bank pertaining to any environmental matter
relating to the Company, the Bank, their respective past or present operations
or any Facility.

     For the purposes of the foregoing paragraph, "Environmental Laws" means any
applicable federal, state or local statute, regulation, code, rule, ordinance,
order, judgment, decree, injunction or common law pertaining in any way to the
protection of human health or the environment, including without limitation, the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the
Clean Air Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and any similar or
comparable state or local law; "Hazardous Substance" means any hazardous, toxic,
radioactive or infectious substance, material or waste as defined, listed or
regulated under any Environmental Law; "Contaminated" means the actual existence
on or under any real property of Hazardous Substances, if the existence of such
Hazardous Substances triggers a requirement to perform any investigatory,
remedial, removal or other response action under any Environmental Laws or if
such response action legally could be required by any governmental authority;
"Facility" means any property currently owned, leased or occupied by the Company
or the Bank.

                                       6
<PAGE>

          (p) Neither the Company nor the Bank nor, to the Company's best
knowledge, any of their respective affiliates, has taken or intends to take,
directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to cause or result in, or
which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of the shares of Common Stock to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

          (q) The Company is not an "investment company" within the meaning of
such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder and will not become an Investment Company as a
result of its receipt and investment of the proceeds from the sale of the
Shares.

          (r) The Company and the Bank maintain systems of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and all
applicable banking regulations and to maintain accountability for Company or
Bank assets and customer accounts; (iii) access to Company, Bank or customer
assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization and applicable banking regulations; and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with existing Company, Bank and customer
assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to
any differences.

          (s) The Company and/or the Bank carries, or is covered by, insurance
in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their
respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is
customary for companies engaged in similar industries.

          (t) Each of the Company and the Bank is in compliance in all material
respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in
ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for
which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and
does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to
termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or
4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations
and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan"
for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and
nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause
the loss of such qualification.

          (u) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198,
An Act Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with Cuba, and the Company
- ---------------------------------------------------------
further agrees that if it commences engaging in business with the government of
Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the date the
Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the Commission or
with the Florida Department

                                       7
<PAGE>

of Banking and Finance (the "Department"), whichever date is later, or if the
information reported or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, if any,
concerning the Company's business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate
located in Cuba changes in any material way, the Company will provide the
Department notice of such business or change, as appropriate, in a form
acceptable to the Department.

          (v) Each of the Company and the Bank is in material compliance with
all laws, rules, regulations, orders of any court or administrative agency,
operating licenses or other requirements imposed by any governmental body
applicable to it, including, without limitation, all applicable laws, rules,
regulations, licenses or other governmental standards applicable to the its
business; and the conduct of the business of the Company or the Bank, as the
case may be, as described in the Prospectus, will not cause the Company or the
Bank to be in violation of any such requirements.

          (w) The Representative's Warrants (as defined in Paragraph (d) of
Section 2 hereof) have been authorized for issuance to the Representative or its
designees and will, when issued, possess rights, privileges, and characteristics
as represented in the most recent form of Representative's Warrants filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement; the securities to be issued upon exercise
of the Representative's Warrants, when issued and delivered against payment
therefor in accordance with the terms thereof, will be duly and validly issued,
fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, and all corporate
action required to be taken for the authorization and issuance of the
Representative's Warrants, and the securities to be issued upon their exercise,
including, without limitation, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares
of Common Stock to cover such exercise in full, have been validly and
sufficiently taken.

          (x) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor the
Bank nor any of their respective officers, directors or affiliates have caused
any person, other than the Underwriters, to be entitled to reimbursement of any
kind, including, without limitation, any compensation that would be includable
as underwriter compensation under the NASD's Corporate Financing Rule with
respect to the offering of the Shares, as a result of the consummation of such
offering based on any activity of such person as a finder, agent, broker,
investment adviser or other financial service provider.

          (y) Except as described in the Prospectus, the Company does not
directly or indirectly control or have a material interest in any other business
entity.

          (z) The Shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq National
Market ("NASDAQ") upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the
Company has satisfied all of the requirements of NASDAQ for such listing and for
the trading of its Common Stock on NASDAQ.


                                       8
<PAGE>

     2.  Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
         -----------------------------------------

         (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $____ per Share, the number of Firm
Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I hereof,
subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.

         (b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be made in
New York Clearing House funds and, at the option of the Representative, by bank
wire to an account specified by the Company, certified or bank cashier's checks
drawn to the order of the Company, against either uncertificated delivery of
Firm Shares or of certificates therefor (which delivery, if certificated, shall
take place in such location in New York, New York as may be specified by the
Representative) to the Representative for the several accounts of the
Underwriters. Such payment is to be made at the offices of the Representative at
the address set forth on the first page of this agreement, at 7:00 a.m., Pacific
time, on the third business day after the date of this Agreement or at such
other time and date not later than five business days thereafter as you and the
Company shall agree upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the
"Closing Date." (As used herein, "business day" means a day on which the New
York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which banks in New York are open
for business and not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.) Except
to the extent uncertificated Firm Shares are delivered at closing, the
certificates for the Firm Shares will be delivered in such denominations and in
such registrations as the Representative requests in writing not later than the
second full business day prior to the Closing Date, and will be made available
for inspection by the Representative at least one business day prior to the
Closing Date.

         (c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters to purchase the Option
Shares at the price per Share as set forth in the first paragraph of this
Section 2. The Company may assign the obligation to deliver the Common Stock
component of the Option Shares to certain shareholders of the Company as more
fully described in the Prospectus; however, no such assignment shall affect the
obligation of the Company to deliver or cause to be delivered securities
representing the Option Shares as to which the option is exercised upon such
exercise.  The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in part by
giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) only once
thereafter within 45 days after the date of this Agreement, by the
Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Shares as to
which the Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and denominations in
which the Option Shares are to be registered and the time and date at which
certificates representing such Shares are to be delivered. The time and date at
which certificates for Option Shares are to be delivered shall be determined by
the Representative but shall not be earlier than three nor later than 10 full
business days after the exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the
Closing Date (such time and date being herein referred to as the "Option Closing
Date"). If the date of exercise of the option is three or more days before the
Closing Date, the notice of exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option
Closing Date. The option with respect to the Option Shares

                                       9
<PAGE>

granted hereunder maybe exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of
the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. The Representative may cancel such option
at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such
cancellation to the Company. To the extent, if any, that the option is
exercised, payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing
Date in New York Clearing House funds and, at the option of the Representative,
by bank wire to an account specified by the Company, or certified or bank
cashier's check drawn to the order of the Company for the Option Shares to be
sold by the Company in consideration either of uncertificated delivery of Option
Shares or delivery of certificates therefor (which delivery, if certificated,
shall take place in such location in New York, New York as may be specified by
the Representative) to the Representative for the several accounts of the
Underwriters. Except to the extent uncertificated Option Shares are delivered at
closing, the certificates for the Option Shares will be delivered in such
denominations and in such registrations as the Representative requests in
writing not later than the second full business day prior to the Option Closing
Date, and will be made available for inspection by the Representative at least
one business day prior to the Option Closing Date.

         (d) In addition to the sums payable to the Representative as provided
elsewhere herein, the Representative shall be entitled to receive at the
Closing, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, as
additional compensation for its services, purchase warrants (the
"Representative's Warrants") for the purchase of up to ___________ Shares at a
price of $____ per Share, upon the terms and subject to adjustment and
conversion as described in the form of Representative's Warrants filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.

     3.  Offering by the Underwriters.
         ----------------------------

         It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representative deems it advisable to
do so. The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the initial
public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The Representative may from
time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling
terms. To the extent, if at all, that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant
to Section 2 hereof, the Representative will offer them to the public on the
foregoing terms.

         It is further understood that you will act as the Representative for
the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with an
Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.

     4.  Covenants of the Company.
         ------------------------

     The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:

          (a) The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a

                                       10
<PAGE>

Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative containing information
previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in
reliance on Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, and (B) not file any
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which
the Representative shall not previously have been advised and furnished with a
copy or to which the Representative shall have reasonably objected in writing or
which is not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations.

          (b) The Company will advise the Representative promptly (A) when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have become
effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C) of any
request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (D) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.

          (c) The Company will cooperate with the Representative in endeavoring
to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions
as the Representative may reasonably have designated in writing and will make
such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be
reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not be required
to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file
such a consent. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such
statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to continue
such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representative may
reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.

          (d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representative, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representative during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representative may
reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representative at or before
the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to
the Representative such number of copies of the Registration Statement
(including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may
reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representative
may reasonably request.

          (e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to
permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this
Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall
occur as a result of

                                       11
<PAGE>

which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing
at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if
it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
any law, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an
appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the
light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is so delivered,
be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.

          (f) The Company will make generally available to its security holders,
as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months
after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning statement
(which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of at least
12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the Registration
Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section
11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will advise you
in writing when such statement has been so made available.

          (g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the Closing
Date, deliver to the Representative copies of annual reports and copies of all
other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements
of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Exchange Act.
The Company will deliver to the Representative similar reports with respect to
significant subsidiaries, as that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations,
which are not consolidated in the Company's financial statements.

          (h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares
of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivatives of Common
Stock (or agreement therefor) will be made for a period of one year after the
date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than
hereunder, or pursuant to contractual obligations existing on the date hereof or
pursuant to employee benefit plans in effect on the date hereof, or with the
prior written consent of the Representative, which consent will not be
unreasonably withheld.

          (i) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the listing of the
Shares on NASDAQ to remain in effect unless and until (i) such security expires;
(ii) such security is listed on another exchange of at least comparable
reputation; or (iii) the Company is no longer required to file reports under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

          (j) The Company has caused each officer and director and each person
who owns, beneficially or of record, 5% or more of the shares of the Common
Stock outstanding immediately prior to the date hereof to furnish to you, on or
prior to the date of this agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters ("Lockup Agreements"), pursuant to which each
such person shall agree (A) not to offer, sell, sell short or otherwise dispose
of any shares of

                                       12
<PAGE>

Common Stock or other capital stock of the Company, or any other securities
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or derivatives of
Common Stock owned by such person or request the registration for the offer or
sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the right to direct
the disposition) for a period of one year after the date of this Agreement,
directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent of the
Representative; and (B) to give prior written notice to the Representative for a
period of two years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, with
respect to any sales of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to Rule 144 under
the Securities Act or any similar rule.

          (k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Shares
as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the Commission
with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds
therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.

          (l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds
received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in a manner that would
require the Company to register as an investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

          (m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under
the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the Common
Stock.

          (n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
securities of the Company.

     5.   Costs and Expenses.
          ------------------

          (a) The Representative shall be entitled to reimbursement from the
Company, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, to a
non-accountable expense allowance equal to _% of the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Firm Shares and any Option Shares purchased by the
Underwriters. The Representative shall be entitled to withhold this allowance on
the Closing Date related to the purchase of the Firm Shares or the Option
Shares, as the case may be.

          (b) In addition to the payment described in Paragraph (a) of this
Section 5, the Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following: accounting fees
of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; the cost
of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters copies of
the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this
Agreement, the NASDAQ listing application, the costs of due diligence
investigation of the principals of the Company, the Blue Sky Survey and any
supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission; the filing
fees and expenses (including any fees and disbursements) incident to securing
the required review

                                       13
<PAGE>

by the NASD Regulation, Inc.) of the underwriting terms and arrangements; the
NASDAQ listing fee; and the expenses, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters, incurred in connection with the qualification of
the Shares under state securities or Blue Sky laws. Any transfer taxes imposed
on the sale of the Shares to the several Underwriters will be paid by the
Company. The Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses of the Underwriters,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incident
to the offer and sale of directed Shares by the Underwriters to employees and
persons having business relationships with the Company. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters' expenses (other than
those related to qualification under NASD regulation and state securities or
Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be consummated, then the
Company shall reimburse the several Underwriters for accountable out-of-pocket
expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in
connection with investigating, marketing and proposing to market the Shares or
in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder; but the Company
shall not in any event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages
on account of loss of anticipated profits from the sale by them of the Shares.

6.  Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.
    ---------------------------------------------

          The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm
Shares on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing
Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of their covenants and
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

          (a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments
thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424
and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request
of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representative and
complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or,
to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission and no
injunction, restraining order, or order of any nature by a Federal or state
court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date
which would prevent the issuance of the Shares.

          (b) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Stradling, Yocca,
Carlson & Rauth, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and stating
that it may be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:

                (i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of California,
with corporate power and

                                       14
<PAGE>

authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described
in the Registration Statement; the Company is duly qualified to transact
business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, or in which the failure to qualify would have a material adverse
effect upon the business of the Company. [add comparable opinion with respect to
the formation and organization of the Bank.

                (ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as
set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the outstanding
shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable; all of the securities of the Company conform to
the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the certificates for the
Common Stock are in due and proper form; the Firm Shares and the Option Shares,
have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery thereof as
contemplated in this Agreement and the Registration Statement, will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable; no preemptive rights of shareholders
exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issuance or sale thereof pursuant
to any applicable statute or the provisions of the Company's Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws or, to such counsel's best knowledge, pursuant to any
contractual obligation. The Representative's Warrants have been authorized for
issuance to the Representative and will, when issued, possess rights,
privileges, and characteristics as represented in the most recent form of
Representative's Warrants filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the
securities to be issued upon exercise of the Representative's Warrants when
issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of
the Representative's Warrants, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, and all corporate action required
to be taken for the authorization and issuance of the Representative's Warrants,
and the securities to be issued upon their exercise, has been validly and
sufficiently taken.

                (iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the
Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no
outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character
obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the
Shares or the right to have any Common Stock or other securities of the Company
included in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing
of the Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any
shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.

                (iv) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order proceedings
with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the
Act.

                                       15
<PAGE>

          (v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment or
supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder
(except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements
and related schedules therein).

          (vi) The statements under the captions "Shares Eligible for Future
Sale", "Business - Supervision and Regulation" and "Description of Securities"
in the Prospectus and in Items 24 and 26 of the Registration Statement, insofar
as such statements constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or
matters of law, fairly summarize in all material respects the information called
for with respect to such documents and matters.

          (vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents
required  to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed or described
as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material
respects.

          (viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or the Bank.

          (ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation
of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not conflict with or
result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
under, the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, or any agreement
or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which
the Company may be bound.

          (x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company.

          (xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) except such as have been obtained or made, specifying the
same.

          (xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to
register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.

          (xiii)  The outstanding capital stock of the Bank consists solely of
___ shares of Common Stock, all of which were acquired by the Company in the
[describe transaction.]  No person has any right, arising under the Bank's
[Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or any applicable

                                       16
<PAGE>

law, rule or regulation to acquire capital stock of the Bank and, to such
counsel's best knowledge, neither the Company nor the Bank has granted any such
right.

[add intellectual property opinion and any banking opinions suggested by Loren
Hansen]

          In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters
governed by the laws of states other than California or Federal laws on local
counsel in such jurisdictions, provided that in each case such counsel shall
state that they believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying
on such other counsel. In addition to the matters set forth above, the opinion
of Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth shall also include a statement to the
effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused
them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became
effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications
incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
(ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
statements, schedules and statistical information therein).

          (c) The Representative shall have received from Stoel Rives LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect specified in
subparagraphs (i), (iv) and (v) of Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In rendering
such opinion Stoel Rives LLP may rely as to all matters governed other than by
Federal laws on the opinions of counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this
Section 6.  In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also
include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such
counsel that has caused them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or
any amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under the Act (but
after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule
430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement
thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express
no view as to financial statements, schedules and statistical information
therein). With respect to such statement, Stoel Rives LLP may state that their
belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein, but is without
independent check and verification.

                                       17
<PAGE>

          (d) The Representative shall have received at or prior to the Closing
Date from Stoel Rives LLP a memorandum or summary, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, with respect to the qualification for
offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Shares under the state securities
or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have
designated to the Company.

          (e) The Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall
have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date hereof, the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, of Arthur Andersen LLP confirming that they
are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in their
opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and included in
the Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules
and Regulations and containing such other statements and information as is
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical
information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

          (f) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the
effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, each of them severally represents as follows:

          (i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has
been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to his
knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;

          (ii) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be;

          (iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules 424 or
430A under the Act have been made;

          (iv) He has carefully examined the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and, in his or her opinion, as of the effective date of the
Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement
were true and correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein not misleading, and since the effective
date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been
set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not
been so set forth in such supplement or amendment; and

                                       18
<PAGE>

          (v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or
affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company or the Bank or
the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or the Bank,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.

          (g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative such
further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representative may reasonably have requested.

          (h) The Shares have been approved for listing upon notice of issuance
on NASDAQ.

          (i) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(j) are in full force
and effect.

          The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects satisfactory to the Representative and to Stoel Rives LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters.

          If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representative by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or by
telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be.

          In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any
obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8
hereof).


     7.  Conditions of the Obligations of the Company.
         --------------------------------------------

          The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion of the
Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.


     8.  Indemnification.
         ---------------

          (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such
Underwriter or any such controlling person may become

                                       19
<PAGE>

subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and will reimburse
each Underwriter and each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or
governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such
Underwriter or controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding;
provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged
omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by or through the
Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise
have.

          (b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or
any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representative
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.

          (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as
provided in this

                                       20
<PAGE>

Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the
proceeding to which such notice would have related and was materially prejudiced
by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall
not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or
they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on
account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any such proceeding
shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as
incurred the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying
party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and
expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the
retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding
(including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would
be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them or
(iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ
counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time
after notice of commencement of the action. It is understood that the
indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related
proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such
firm shall be designated in writing by you in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled
with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against
any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the
indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.

          (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party

                                       21
<PAGE>

in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in
respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company
bears to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.

          The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8(d). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (d), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 8(d) to
contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.

          (e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of
such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as
an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.

          (f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any

                                       22
<PAGE>

Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its
directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of
any Shares and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this
Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or
officers, or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the
benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained
in this Section 8.


     9.  Default by Underwriters.
         -----------------------

          If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares
which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date
(otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as
Representative of the Underwriters, shall use reasonable efforts to procure
within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others,
to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms set forth herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during
such 36 hours you, as such Representative, shall not have procured such other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as
the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, with
respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you as the
Representative of the Underwriters will have the right, by written notice given
within the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate
this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters
or of the Company except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof. In the
event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this
Section 9, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, may be
postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representative,
may determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement
or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
The term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting
Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.


     10.  Notices.
          -------

All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as otherwise
provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed and
confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters,

                                       23
<PAGE>

to Paulson Investment Company, Inc., 811 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, Oregon
97204, Attention: Chester L.F. Paulson; with a copy to Stoel Rives LLP, 900 SW
Fifth Avenue, Suite 2600, Portland, Oregon 97204, Attention: John J. Halle; if
to the Company, to Pacific Mercantile Bancorp, at 450 Newport Center Drive,
Suite 100, Newport Beach, California 92660, Attention: _________________; with
copy to Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, 660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600,
Newport Beach, California 92660, Attention: Ben Frydman.


     11.  Termination.
          -----------

          This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the Company as
follows:

          (a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the Shares are
released by you for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or (ii) 11:30 a.m. on
the first business day following the date of this Agreement;

          (b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has
occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the
condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company, the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
declaration of war or national emergency or other national or international
calamity or crisis or change in economic or political conditions if the effect
of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change
on the financial markets of the United States would, in your reasonable
judgment, make it impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Shares, (iii) the Dow Jones Industrial Average shall have fallen
by 15 percent or more from its closing price on the day immediately preceding
the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the
Commission, (iv) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on prices (other
than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on
either such Exchange, (v) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other
governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely affects or
may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company,
(vi) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State
authorities, (vii) any downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt
securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (viii) the
suspension of trading of the Common Stock or the Warrants by the Commission or
NASDAQ, or (ix) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in
respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a
material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or

          (c) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.

                                       24
<PAGE>

     12.  Successors.
          ----------

          This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter
shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.


     13.  Information Provided by Underwriters.
          ------------------------------------

          The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only
information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for
inclusion in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists of the
information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page (insofar as
such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by Item 502(b)
of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Prospectus.


     14.  Miscellaneous.
          -------------

          The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or
its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under
this Agreement.

          This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.

          This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Oregon. All disputes relating to this Underwriting
Agreement shall be adjudicated before a court located in Multnomah County,
Oregon to the exclusion of all other courts that might have jurisdiction.

     If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                       25
<PAGE>

                                    Pacific Mercantile Bancorp



                                    By: __________________________________

                                        ________________, ________________

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.

PAULSON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
As Representative of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I


By: ___________________________________
    Authorized Officer

                                       26

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.2


                      THIS WARRANT HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE
                           EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN

                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

                                PURCHASE WARRANT

                                   Issued to:

                        PAULSON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.

                            Exercisable to Purchase

                       __________ Shares of Common Stock


                                       of


                           PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP



                         Void after ____________, 2005
<PAGE>

     This is to certify that, for value received and subject to the terms and
conditions set forth below, the Warrantholder (hereinafter defined) is entitled
to purchase, and the Company (hereinafter defined) promises and agrees to sell
and issue to the Warrantholder, at any time on or after ________________, 2001
and on or before ____________, 2005, up to ______ shares of the Company's common
stock at the Exercise Price (hereinafter defined).

     This Warrant Certificate is issued subject to the following terms and
conditions:

     1. Definitions of Certain Terms.  Except as may be otherwise clearly
        ----------------------------
required by the context, the following terms have the following meanings:

     (a)  "Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

     (b) "Cashless Exercise" means an exercise of Warrants in which, in lieu of
payment of the Exercise Price, the Holder elects to receive a lesser number of
Securities such that the value of the Securities that such Holder would
otherwise have been entitled to receive but has agreed not to receive, as
determined by the closing price of such Securities on the date of exercise or,
if such date is not a trading day, on the next prior trading day, is equal to
the Exercise Price with respect to such exercise.  A Holder may only elect a
Cashless Exercise if the Securities issuable by the Company on such exercise are
publicly traded securities.

     (c)  "Closing Date" means the date on which the Offering is closed.

     (d)  "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     (e)  "Common Stock" means the common stock, without par value, of the
Company.

     (f)  "Company" means Pacific Mercantile Bancorp, a California corporation.

     (g)  "Company's Expenses" means any and all expenses payable by the Company
or the Warrantholder in connection with an offering described in Section 6
hereof, except Warrantholder's Expenses.

     (h)  "Effective Date" means the date on which the Registration Statement is
declared effective by the Commission.

     (i)  "Exercise Price" means the price at which the Warrantholder may
purchase one Share upon exercise of Warrants as determined from time to time
pursuant to the provisions hereof.  The initial Exercise Price is $____ per
Share.

     (j) "Offering" means the public offering of Common Stock made pursuant to
the Registration Statement.

                                       2
<PAGE>

     (k)  "Participating Underwriter" means any underwriter participating in the
sale of the Securities pursuant to a registration under Section 6 of this
Warrant Certificate.

     (l)  "Registration Statement" means the Company's registration statement
(File No. 333 -_____) as amended on the Closing Date.

     (m)  "Rules and Regulations" means the rules and regulations of the
Commission adopted under the Act.

     (n)  "Securities" means the securities obtained or obtainable upon exercise
of the Warrant or securities obtained or obtainable upon exercise, exchange, or
conversion of such securities.

     (o)  "Share" or "Shares" refers to one or more shares of Common Stock
issuable on exercise of the Warrant.

     (o)  "Warrant Certificate" means a certificate evidencing the Warrant or a
portion thereof.

     (t)    "Warrantholder" means a record holder of the Warrant or Securities.
The initial Warrantholder is Paulson Investment Company, Inc.

     (u)  "Warrantholder's Expenses" means the sum of (i) the aggregate amount
of cash payments made to an underwriter, underwriting syndicate, or agent in
connection with an offering described in Section 6 hereof multiplied by a
fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate sales price of the Securities
sold by such underwriter, underwriting syndicate, or agent in such offering and
the denominator of which is the aggregate sales price of all of the securities
sold by such underwriter, underwriting syndicate, or agent in such offering and
(ii) all out-of-pocket expenses of the Warrantholder, except for the fees and
disbursements of one firm retained as legal counsel for the Warrantholder that
will be paid by the Company.

     (v)  "Warrant" means the warrant evidenced by this certificate, any similar
certificate issued in connection with the Offering, or any certificate obtained
upon transfer or partial exercise of the Warrant evidenced by any such
certificate.

          2. Exercise of Warrants.  All or any part of the Warrant may be
             --------------------
exercised commencing on the first anniversary of the Effective Date and ending
at 5 p.m. Pacific Time on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date by
surrendering this Warrant Certificate, together with appropriate instructions,
duly executed by the Warrantholder or by its duly authorized attorney, at the
office of the Company, 450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100, Newport Beach,
California  92660, Attention: _________________, or at such other office or
agency as the Company may designate.  The date on which such instructions are
received by the Company shall be the date of exercise.  If the Holder has

                                       3
<PAGE>

elected a Cashless Exercise, such instructions shall so state. Upon receipt of
notice of exercise, the Company shall immediately instruct its transfer agent to
prepare certificates for the Securities to be received by the Warrantholder upon
completion of the Warrant exercise.  When such certificates are prepared, the
Company shall notify the Warrantholder and deliver such certificates to the
Warrantholder or in accordance with the Warrantholder's instructions immediately
upon payment in full by the Warrantholder, in lawful money of the United States,
of the Exercise Price payable with respect to the Securities being purchased, if
any.  If the Warrantholder shall represent and warrant that all applicable
registration and prospectus delivery requirements for their sale have been
complied with upon sale of the Securities received upon exercise of the Warrant,
such certificates shall not bear a legend with respect to the Securities Act of
1933.

  If fewer than all the Securities purchasable under the Warrant are purchased,
the Company will, upon such partial exercise, execute and deliver to the
Warrantholder a new Warrant Certificate (dated the date hereof), in form and
tenor similar to this Warrant Certificate, evidencing that portion of the
Warrant not exercised.  The Securities to be obtained on exercise of the Warrant
will be deemed to have been issued, and any person exercising the Warrants will
be deemed to have become a holder of record of those Securities, as of the date
of the payment of the Exercise Price.

  3. Adjustments in Certain Events.  The number, class, and price of the Stock
     -----------------------------
Derivative Securities are subject to adjustment from time to time upon the
happening of certain events as follows:

  (a)  If the outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock are divided into
a greater number of shares or a dividend in stock is paid on the Common Stock,
the number of Shares for which the Warrant is then exercisable will be
proportionately increased and the Exercise Price will be proportionately
reduced; and, conversely, if the outstanding shares of Common Stock are combined
into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, the number of Shares for which
the Warrant is then exercisable will be proportionately reduced and the Exercise
Price will be proportionately increased.  The increases and reductions provided
for in this subsection 3(a) will be made with the intent and, as nearly as
practicable, the effect that neither the percentage of the total equity of the
Company obtainable on exercise of the Warrants nor the price payable for such
percentage upon such exercise will be affected by any event described in this
subsection 3(a).

  (b)  In case of any change in the Common Stock through merger, consolidation,
reclassification, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation, purchase of
substantially all the assets of the Company, or other change in the capital
structure of the Company, then, as a condition of such change, lawful and
adequate provision will be made so that the holder of this Warrant Certificate
will have the right thereafter to receive upon the exercise of the Warrant the
kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property to which he
would have been entitled if, immediately prior to such event, he had held the
number of Shares obtainable upon the exercise of the Warrant. In any such case,

                                       4
<PAGE>

appropriate adjustment will be made in the application of the provisions set
forth herein with respect to the rights and interest thereafter of the
Warrantholder, to the end that the provisions set forth herein will thereafter
be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares of
stock or other property thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Warrant.
The Company will not permit any change in its capital structure to occur unless
the issuer of the shares of stock or other securities to be received by the
holder of this Warrant Certificate, if not the Company, agrees to be bound by
and comply with the provisions of this Warrant Certificate.

  (c)  When any adjustment is required to be made in the number of Shares or
other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of the Warrant, the
Company will promptly determine the new number of such Shares or other
securities or property purchasable upon exercise of the Warrant and (i) prepare
and retain on file a statement describing in reasonable detail the method used
in arriving at the new number of such Shares or other securities or property
purchasable upon exercise of the Warrant and (ii) cause a copy of such statement
to be mailed to the Warrantholder within thirty (30) days after the date of the
event giving rise to the adjustment.

  (d)  No fractional shares of Common Stock or other securities will be issued
in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, but the Company will pay, in
lieu of fractional shares, a cash payment therefor on the basis of the mean
between the bid and asked prices of the Common Stock in the over-the-counter
market or the closing price on a national securities exchange on the day
immediately prior to exercise.

  (e)  If securities of the Company or securities of any subsidiary of the
Company are distributed pro rata to holders of Common Stock, such number of such
securities will be distributed to the Warrantholder or his assignee upon
exercise of this Warrant as the Warrantholder or assignee would have been
entitled to if the portion of the Warrant evidenced by this Warrant Certificate
had been exercised prior to the record date for such distribution.  The
provisions with respect to adjustment of the Common Stock provided in this
Section 3 will also apply to the securities to which the Warrantholder or his
assignee is entitled under this subsection 3(e).

  (f)  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, there will be no
adjustment made hereunder on account of the sale of the Shares or other
Securities purchasable upon exercise of the Warrant.

  4. Reservation of Securities.  The Company agrees that the number of shares of
     -------------------------
Common Stock or other Securities sufficient to provide for the exercise of the
Warrant upon the basis set forth above will at all times during the term of the
Warrant be reserved for exercise.

  5. Validity of Securities.  All Securities delivered upon the exercise of the
     ----------------------
Warrant will be duly and validly issued in accordance with their terms, and the
Company

                                       5
<PAGE>

will pay all documentary and transfer taxes, if any, in respect of the original
issuance thereof upon exercise of the Warrant.

  6. Registration of Securities Issuable on Exercise of Warrant Certificate.
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  (a)  The Company will register the Shares with the Commission pursuant to the
Act so as to allow the unrestricted sale of the Shares to the public from time
to time commencing on the first anniversary of the Effective Date and ending at
5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date (the
"Registration Period").  The Company will also file such applications and other
documents necessary to permit the sale of the Shares to the public during the
Registration Period in those states in which the Shares were qualified for sale
in the Offering or such other states as the Company and the Warrantholder agree
to.  In order to comply with the provisions of this Section 6(a), the Company is
not required to file more than one registration statement.  No registration
right of any kind, "piggyback" or otherwise, will last longer than five years
from the Effective Date.

  (b)  The Company will pay all of the Company's Expenses and each Warrantholder
will pay its pro rata share of the Warrantholder's Expenses relating to the
registration, offer, and sale of the Shares.

  (c)  Except as specifically provided herein, the manner and conduct of the
registration, including the contents of the registration, will be entirely in
the control and at the discretion of the Company.  The Company will file such
post-effective amendments and supplements as may be necessary to maintain the
currency of the registration statement during the period of its use.  In
addition, if the Warrantholder participating in the registration is advised by
counsel that the registration statement, in their opinion, is deficient in any
material respect, the Company will use its best efforts to cause the
registration statement to be amended to eliminate the concerns raised.

  (d)  The Company will furnish to the Warrantholder the number of copies of a
prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the
requirements of the Act, and such other documents as it may reasonably request
in order to facilitate the disposition of Securities owned by it.

  (e) The Company will, at the request of Warrantholders holding at least 50
percent of the then outstanding Warrants, (i) furnish an opinion of the counsel
representing the Company for the purposes of the registration pursuant to this
Section 6, addressed to the Warrantholders and any Participating Underwriter,
(ii) furnish an appropriate letter from the independent public accountants of
the Company, addressed to the Warrantholders and any Participating Underwriter,
and (iii) make representations and warranties to the Warrantholders and any
Participating Underwriter. A request pursuant to this subsection (e) may be made
on three occasions. The documents required to be delivered pursuant to this
subsection (e) will be dated within ten days of the request and will be, in form
and substance, equivalent to similar documents furnished to the

                                       6
<PAGE>

underwriters in connection with the Offering, with such changes as may be
appropriate in light of changed circumstances.

  7. Indemnification in Connection with Registration.
     ------------------------------------------------

  (a)  If any of the Securities are registered, the Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each selling Warrantholder, any person who controls any selling
Warrantholder within the meaning of the Act, and any Participating Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages, or liabilities, joint or several, to which
any Warrantholder, controlling person, or Participating Underwriter may be
subject under the Act or otherwise; and it will reimburse each Warrantholder,
each controlling person, and each Participating Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Warrantholder, controlling person, or
Participating Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage, liability, or action, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities, joint or several (or actions in respect thereof), arise
out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained, on the effective date thereof, in any such registration
statement or any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that
                                                         ------------------
the Company will not be liable in any case to the extent that any loss, claim,
damage, or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any
registration statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished by a Warrantholder for use in the preparation thereof.
The indemnity agreement contained in this subparagraph (a) will not apply to
amounts paid to any claimant in settlement of any suit or claim unless such
payment is first approved by the Company, such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld.

  (b)  Each selling Warrantholder, as a condition of the Company's registration
obligation, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors,
each of its officers who have signed any registration statement or other filing
or any amendment or supplement thereto, and any person who controls the Company
within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages, or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer, or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, and will reimburse any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director,
officer, or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in said registration statement, any preliminary or final prospectus, or other
filing, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue

                                       7
<PAGE>

statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made
in said registration statement, preliminary or final prospectus, or other
filing, or amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished by such Warrantholder for use in the preparation
thereof; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this
         ------------------
subparagraph (b) will not apply to amounts paid to any claimant in settlement of
any suit or claim unless such payment is first approved by the Warrantholder,
such approval not to be unreasonably withheld.

  (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subparagraphs (a) or
(b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the omission to
notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability that it may
have to any indemnified party otherwise than under subparagraphs (a) and (b).

  (d)  If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it
notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it may wish,
jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; and after
notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election to
assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation.

  8. Restrictions on Transfer. This Warrant Certificate and the Warrant may not
     ------------------------
be sold, transferred, assigned or hypothecated for a one-year period after the
Effective Date except to underwriters of the Offering or to individuals who are
either a partner or an officer of such an underwriter or by will or by operation
of law.  The Warrant may be divided or combined, upon request to the Company by
the Warrantholder, into a certificate or certificates evidencing the same
aggregate number of Warrants.

  9. No Rights as a Shareholder.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the
     --------------------------
Warrantholder will not, by virtue of ownership of the Warrant, be entitled to
any rights of a shareholder of the Company but will, upon written request to the
Company, be entitled to receive such quarterly or annual reports as the Company
distributes to its shareholders.

  10. Notice.  Any notices required or permitted to be given hereunder will be
      ------
in writing and may be served personally or by mail; and if served will be
addressed as follows:

            If to the Company:

            Pacific Mercantile Bancorp

                                       8
<PAGE>

            450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100
            Newport Beach, California  92660
            Attention: _________________

            If to the Warrantholder:

            at the address furnished
            by the Warrantholder to the
            Company for the purpose of
            notice.

       Any notice so given by mail will be deemed effectively given 48 hours
after mailing when deposited in the United States mail, registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid and addressed as specified
above. Any party may by written notice to the other specify a different address
for notice purposes.

  11. Applicable Law.  This Warrant Certificate will be governed by and
      --------------
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Oregon, without reference
to conflict of laws principles thereunder.  All disputes relating to this
Warrant Certificate shall be tried before the courts of Oregon located in
Multnomah County, Oregon to the exclusion of all other courts that might have
jurisdiction.

  Dated as of _______________, 1999

  PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP


  By:
     __________________________________
     President

  Agreed and Accepted as of __________________, 2000

  PAULSON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.


  By:____________________________________________
     Lorraine Maxfield, Senior Vice President -- Research


                                       9

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.1

                  PLAN OF REORGANIZATION AND MERGER AGREEMENT

     This Plan of Reorganization and Merger Agreement (the "Agreement") is
entered into as of February 29, 2000, by and between PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK
(the "Bank") and PMBSUB ("Subsidiary"), and is joined in by PACIFIC MERCANTILE
BANCORP (the "Holding Company") as a party to this Agreement, with reference to
the following:

                           RECITALS AND UNDERTAKINGS
                           -------------------------

     A.  The Bank is a California banking corporation with its principal office
in the city of Newport Beach, California.  Subsidiary and Holding Company are
corporations duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of
California, with their principal offices in the city of Newport Beach,
California.

     B.  As of the date hereof, the Bank's authorized capital stock consists of:
(i) 10,000,000 shares of common stock, no par value of which 1,860,081 shares
are issued and outstanding, and (ii) 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par
value, of which no shares are issued or outstanding.

     C.  As of the date hereof, Subsidiary's authorized capital stock consists
of 1,000 shares of common stock, without par value.  Immediately prior to the
Effective Date (as hereinafter defined), a total of 100 shares of such common
stock will be issued and outstanding, all of which shares will be owned by
Holding Company.  As of the Effective Date the Subsidiary will not have
conducted any business and will not have any liabilities or obligations, fixed
or contingent, other than its obligations under this Agreement.

     D.  As of the date hereof, Holding Company's authorized capital stock
consists of: (i) 10,000,000 shares of common stock, without par value, and (ii)
2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, without par value.  Immediately prior to
the Effective Date there will be authorized and reserved for issuance pursuant
to this Agreement the number of shares of common stock required for the Holding
Company to perform its obligations under Section 2 of this Agreement.

     E.  The Boards of Directors of the Bank and the Subsidiary, respectively,
have approved and authorized the execution of this Agreement, which provides for
the merger of the Subsidiary with and into the Bank under the laws of the State
of California and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement
(the "Merger"); and the Board of Directors, and the Bank as sole shareholder, of
the Holding Company have approved this Agreement and have authorized the Holding
Company to join in and be bound by this Agreement and to perform its obligations
under this Agreement.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants,
agreements and undertakings of the parties herein set forth and for the purpose
of prescribing the terms and conditions of the Merger, the parties hereto agree
as follows:

1.   GENERAL
     -------

     1.1  The Merger.  At the Effective Date (as hereinafter defined), the
          ----------
Subsidiary shall be merged into the Bank and the Bank shall be the surviving
corporation in that merger (the "Surviving Corporation").  The Surviving
Corporation shall be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Holding Company, and its
name shall continue to be Pacific Mercantile Bank.

<PAGE>
     1.2  Effective Date.  The Merger described herein shall become effective,
          --------------
and actions to consummate the Merger shall commence, on the date and at the time
on such date (the "Effective Date"), on which an executed counterpart of the
Merger Agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Attachment A (as
amended, if necessary to conform to any requirements of law or governmental
authority or agency, which requirements are not materially in contravention of
any of the substantive terms hereof), shall have been filed in the Office of the
Secretary of State of the State of California, in accordance with Section 1103
of the California Corporations Code.

     1.3  Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Certificate of Authority of the
          ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Surviving Corporation.  On the Effective Date, the Articles of Incorporation of
- ---------------------
the Bank, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, shall be and
remain the Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until amended;
the Bylaws of the Bank, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date,
shall be and remain the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until altered,
amended or repealed; and the Certificate of Authority of the Bank issued by the
Commissioner of Financial Institutions of the State of California (the
"Commissioner") shall be and remain the Certificate of Authority of the
Surviving Corporation in the Merger.

     1.4  Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation.  On the Effective
          ---------------------------------------------------
Date, the directors and officers of the Bank immediately prior thereto shall be
and remain the directors and officers of the Surviving Corporation.  The
directors of the Surviving Corporation shall serve until the next annual meeting
of shareholders of the Surviving Corporation or until such time as their
successors are elected and have qualified.

     1.5  Effect of the Merger.
          --------------------

          (a) Assets and Rights.  On the Effective Date and thereafter, the
              -----------------
separate existence of Subsidiary shall cease and the Surviving Corporation shall
succeed, without other transfer, to all rights, privileges, franchises and
property of Subsidiary, and all debts and liabilities, if any, due or to become
due to Subsidiary, including things in action and every interest or asset of
conceivable value or benefit, shall be deemed fully and finally, and without any
right of reversion, transferred to and vested in the Surviving Corporation
without further act or deed; and the Surviving Corporation shall have and hold
the same in its own right as fully as the same was possessed and held by
Subsidiary.

          (b) Liabilities.  On the Effective Date and thereafter, all debts,
              -----------
liabilities and obligations due or to become due of, and all claims and demands
for any cause existing against, Subsidiary, if any, shall be and become the
debts, liabilities or obligations of, or the claims or demands against, the
Surviving Corporation in the same manner as if the Surviving Corporation had
itself incurred or become liable for them.

          (c) Creditors' Rights and Liens.  On the Effective Date and
              ---------------------------
thereafter, all rights of creditors of the Bank and Subsidiary, and all liens
upon the property of the Bank and Subsidiary, shall be preserved unimpaired, and
shall be limited to the property affected by such liens immediately prior to the
Effective Date.

          (d) Pending Actions.  On the Effective Date and thereafter, any action
              ---------------
or proceeding pending by or against the Bank or Subsidiary shall not be deemed
to have abated or been discontinued, but may be pursued to judgment with full
right to appeal or review.  Any such action or proceeding may be pursued as if
the Merger described herein had not occurred, or with the Surviving Corporation
substituted in place of the Bank or Subsidiary, as the case may be.

                                       2
<PAGE>

     1.6  Further Assurances.  The Bank and Subsidiary each agree that, at any
          ------------------
time, or from time to time, as and when requested by the Surviving Corporation
or its successors or assigns, or by the Holding Company, it shall execute and
deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, in its name by its last acting
officers or by the corresponding officers of the Surviving Corporation, all such
conveyances, assignments, transfers, deeds and other instruments, and will take
or cause to be taken such further or other action as the Surviving Corporation,
or its successors or assigns, may deem necessary or desirable in order to carry
out the vesting, perfecting, confirming, assignment, devolution or other
transfer of the interests, property, privileges, powers, immunities, franchises
and other rights referred to in this Section 1, or otherwise to carry out the
intent and purposes of this Agreement.

2.   STOCK OF SURVIVING CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
     ---------------------------------------------

     2.1  Stock of Subsidiary.  On the Effective Date, each share of common
          -------------------
stock of Subsidiary issued and outstanding immediately prior thereto shall, by
virtue of the merger described herein, be deemed to be exchanged for and
converted into one fully paid share of common stock of the Bank as the Surviving
Corporation.

     2.2  Stock of The Bank.  On the Effective Date, each share of common stock
          -----------------
of the Bank issued and outstanding immediately prior thereto shall, by virtue of
the Merger described herein, and without any action on the part of the holder
thereof, be exchanged for and converted, in accordance with the provisions of
Section  2.4 below, into one (1) share of common stock of the Holding Company
that is fully paid and non-assessable.

     2.3  Stock of the Holding Company.  On the Effective Date, any shares of
          ----------------------------
Bancorp common stock owned by directors (which will be the only shares of stock
of the Holding Company that will be outstanding prior to the Effective Date)
shall be cancelled and the Holding Company shall issue shares of its common
stock pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof.

     2.4  Exchange of Stock by Bank Shareholders.  The conversion of the shares
          --------------------------------------
of the Bank as provided in Section 2.2 above shall occur automatically on the
Effective Date without action by the holders thereof and each share certificate
evidencing ownership of shares of the Bank common stock thereupon shall be
deemed to evidence a like number of shares of common stock of the Holding
Company.  Each holder of shares of Bank common stock may choose, but shall not
be required, to surrender his or her share certificate or certificates (the
"Bank Certificates") to the Holding Company; and upon any such surrender shall
be entitled to receive in exchange therefor a certificate or certificates
representing the number of shares of Holding Company common stock into which the
shares theretofore represented his or her Bank certificate or certificates shall
have been converted as provided above.

     2.5  Employee Stock Options.  On the Effective Date, the Holding Company
          ----------------------
will assume the Bank's rights and obligations under the Bank's 1999 Stock Option
Plan (the "1999 Plan") and under each of the outstanding stock options to
purchase common stock of the Bank previously granted under the 1999 Plan (each
such stock option existing immediately prior to the Effective Date being called
an "Existing Option" and each such stock option so assumed by the Holding
Company being called an "Assumed Option").  By reason of such assumption, each
option agreement that evidenced the right to purchase Bank common stock shall
thereafter represent, and each holder of an Existing Option shall have, the
right to purchase one share of Holding Company common stock for each share of
Bank common stock which such holder was entitled to purchase under his or her
Existing Option and the right to exercise the Existing Option into shares of
Bank common stock shall automatically terminate without

                                       3
<PAGE>
the necessity of any action on the part of the Bank, the Bancorp or any
optionee. The price per share of Holding Company common stock at which an
Assumed Option may be exercised shall be the same price per share that was
applicable to the purchase of Bank common stock pursuant to the Existing
Options, immediately prior to the Effective Date. Each Assumed Option, subject
to such modification as set forth hereinafter, shall constitute a continuation
of the Existing Option, on the same terms and conditions set forth in the 1999
Plan in each optionee's stock option agreement that formerly evidenced the right
to purchase Bank common stock, except as follows: (i) shares of Holding Company
Common Stock will be substituted for the shares of Bank common stock into which
the existing options had been exercisable, (ii) the Holding Company shall be
substituted for the Bank as the issuer of shares under the 1999 Plan and (iii)
the Holding Company shall be authorized under the 1999 Plan to issue options to
purchase Holding Company shares not only to directors, officers and key
employees of the Bank, but also to directors, officers and key employees of the
Holding Company and any other subsidiaries it may establish in the future. In
addition, each option granted under the 1999 Plan on or after the Effective Date
shall evidence the right to purchase shares of common stock of the Holding
Company rather than shares of common stock of the Bank and the Plan shall be
modified to so provide. In all other respects, the 1999 Plan shall be unchanged.

3.   OBLIGATIONS OF PARTIES PENDING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF MERGER
     -----------------------------------------------------------

     3.1  Stockholder Approvals.  As soon as practicable, this Agreement shall
          ---------------------
be submitted to the respective shareholders of the parties for the purpose of
considering and acting upon this Agreement and the Merger in the manner required
by law.  The Bank and the Subsidiary each shall use its best efforts to obtain
the requisite approval of its shareholders to this Agreement and the Merger as
contemplated herein.  Each of the parties, through its respective officers and
directors, shall execute and file with the appropriate regulatory authorities
all necessary applications, documents and instruments and shall take every
reasonable and necessary step and action to comply with and to secure such
approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein as may be
required by all applicable statutes, rules and regulations.

     3.2  Transferability of Common Stock.  The Bank will use its best efforts
          -------------------------------
to obtain for the Holding Company, prior to the Effective Date, a letter signed
by each person, if any, who is an "affiliate", as that term is defined by the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), of the Bank for purposes of Rule 145
of the SEC, under the Securities Act of 1933, to the effect that (i) such person
will not dispose of any shares of common stock to be received by him pursuant to
the Merger in violation of the Securities Act of 1933 or the rules and
regulations of the SEC thereunder, or in any event prior to such time as
financial results covering at least 30 days of post-merger combined operations
have been published, and (ii) he or she consents to the placing of a legend on
the certificate(s) evidencing such shares of Holding Company common stock that
refers to the issuance of such shares in a transaction to which Rule 145 is
applicable and to the giving of stop-transfer instructions to the transfer agent
of Holding Company with respect to such certificate(s).

4.   CONDITIONS PRECEDENT, TERMINATION AND PAYMENT OF EXPENSES
     ---------------------------------------------------------

     4.1  Conditions Precedent to the Merger.  Consummation of the Merger as
          ----------------------------------
described herein, is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:

          (a) Approval of this Agreement by the respective shareholders of the
Bank, the Subsidiary and the Holding Company, if and to the extent required by
applicable law;

          (b) The obtaining of all other consents and approvals, on terms and
conditions satisfactory to each of the parties hereto, and satisfying all other
requirements, prescribed by law or

                                       4
<PAGE>

otherwise, which are necessary for the Merger described herein to be
consummated, including without limitation, an approval from the Commissioner
under Section 701 et seq. of the California Financial Code and from the Federal
Reserve Bank of San Francisco under 12 U.S.C Section 18(a) (c) of the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956;

          (c) Procuring all other consents or approvals, governmental or other,
which in the opinion of counsel for the Bank are or may be necessary to permit
or to enable the Surviving Corporation to conduct, from and after consummation
of the Merger, all of the business and other activities in which the Bank will
be engaged up to the time of such Merger, in the same manner and to the same
extent as such businesses and other activities are then conducted; and

          (d) Performance by each of the parties hereto of all obligations under
this Agreement which are to be performed prior to the consummation of the
Merger.

     4.2  Termination of the Merger.  If any condition specified in Section 4.1
          -------------------------
cannot be fulfilled, or, prior to the Effective Date, the Board of Directors of
any of the parties hereto has determined that:

          (a) The number of shares of common stock of the Bank voting against
the Merger, makes its consummation inadvisable; or

          (b) Any action, suit, proceeding or claim relating to the Merger,
whether initiated or threatened, makes consummation of such Merger inadvisable;
or

          (c) Consummation of the merger described herein is inadvisable for any
other reason;

then, this Agreement may be terminated by any of the parties hereto, whether
before or after shareholder and other approvals have been obtained in
satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.1.  Upon as such
termination, this Agreement shall be void and of no further effect, and there
shall be no liability by reason of this Agreement or the termination thereof on
the part of any of the parties hereto or their respective directors, officers,
employees, agents or shareholders.

     4.3  Expenses of the Merger.  The Bank shall pay expenses incurred in
          ----------------------
connection with the Merger.

5.   MISCELLANEOUS
     -------------

     5.1  Entire Agreement.  This Agreement embodies the entire agreement among
          ----------------
the parties and there have been and are no agreements, representations or
warranties among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement other than those set forth herein or those provided for herein.

     5.2  Governing Law.  This Agreement has been executed in California and the
          -------------
laws of such State shall govern the validity and the interpretation hereof and
the performance by the parties hereto.

     5.3  Counterparts.  To facilitate the filing of this Agreement, any number
          ------------
of counterparts hereof may be executed and each such counterpart shall be deemed
to be an original instrument, but all such counterparts together shall
constitute but one instrument.

     5.4  Captions.  The captions contained in this Agreement are solely for
          --------
convenience of reference and shall not be deemed to affect the meaning or
interpretation of any provisions of this Agreement.

                                 (Signatures of the Parties follow on next page)

                                       5
<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Plan of
Reorganization and Merger Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized
officers as of the day and year first above written.

PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK                     PMBSUB


By:  /s/Raymond E. Dellerba           By:  /s/Raymond E. Dellerba
   --------------------------------      ------------------------------
   Raymond E. Dellerba, President        Raymond E. Dellerba, President



By:  /s/Barbara Palermo               By:  /s/Barbara Palermo
   --------------------------------      ------------------------------
   Barbara Palermo, Secretary            Barbara Palermo, Secretary


PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

By:  /s/Raymond E. Dellerba
   --------------------------------
   Raymond E. Dellerba, President


By:  /s/Barbara Palermo
   --------------------------------
   Barbara Palermo, Secretary

                                       6
<PAGE>

                                  ATTACHMENT A
                                  ------------

                                       TO
                                       --

                  PLAN OF REORGANIZATION AND MERGER AGREEMENT
                  -------------------------------------------

     This MERGER AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered into as of this
__ day of February, 2000, by and between PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK, a California
banking corporation (the "Bank") and PMBSUB, a California corporation
("Subsidiary"), and PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP, a California corporation (the
"Holding Company").

                                R E C I T A L S
                                - - - - - - - -

     A.  The Bank is a California banking corporation, the authorized capital
stock of which consists of: (i) ten million (10,000,000) shares of common stock,
of which one million eight hundred sixty thousand eighty three (1,860,080)
shares of common stock are issued and outstanding, and (ii) two million
(2,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, none of which are issued or outstanding.

     B.  Subsidiary is a California corporation with one thousand (1,000) shares
of common stock authorized and one hundred (100) shares issued and outstanding,
all of which are owned by the Holding Company.

     C.  Holding Company's authorized capital stock consists of (i) ten million
(10,000,000) shares of common stock of which ten (10) shares are issued and
outstanding; and (ii) two million (2,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, none of
which have been issued or are outstanding. As of the date hereof, 10 shares of
the Holding Company's common stock were outstanding, all of which are held by
directors of the Company (the "Directors' Shares").

     D.  A Plan of Reorganization and Merger Agreement (the "Reorganization
Agreement") was entered into on February    , 2000, by and among the Bank, the
Subsidiary and the Holding Company, for the purpose of merging Subsidiary into
the Bank in order to make the Bank a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Holding
Company.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants of
the parties herein set forth and for the purpose of prescribing the terms and
conditions of the merger, the parties agree as follows:

1.   General.
     -------

     1.1  The Merger.  At the Effective Time, Subsidiary shall be merged into
          ----------
the Bank, which shall be the surviving corporation (the "Surviving
Corporation").  The Surviving Corporation shall be a subsidiary of the Holding
Company, and its name shall continue to be Pacific Mercantile Bank.

     1.2  Effective Time.  The merger described herein (the "Merger") shall
          --------------
become effective on the date and at the time on such date (the "Effective Time")
on which an executed counterpart of this Merger Agreement shall have been filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of California, in accordance with (SS)
1103 of the California Corporations Code.

     1.3  Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Certificate of Authority .  At
          ---------------------------------------------------------------
the Effective Time, the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Bank, as
in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be and remain the
Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws, respectively, of the Surviving
Corporation until amended thereafter; and the Certificate of Authority of the
Bank issued by the California Commissioner of Financial Institutions shall be
and remain the Certificate of Authority of the Surviving Corporation.

     1.4  Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation.  At the Effective
          ---------------------------------------------------
Time, the directors and officers of the Bank immediately prior thereto shall be
and remain the directors and officers
<PAGE>

of the Surviving Corporation. The directors of the Surviving Corporation shall
serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Surviving Corporation
or until such time as their successors are elected and have qualified.

2.   Stock of the Surviving Corporation.
     ----------------------------------

     2.1  Stock of Subsidiary.  At the close of business at the Effective Time,
          -------------------
each share of common stock of Subsidiary issued and outstanding immediately
prior thereto shall, by virtue of the Merger described herein, be deemed to be
exchanged for and converted into one fully paid and nonassessable share of
common stock of the Bank as the Surviving Corporation.

     2.2  Stock of the Bank.  At the Effective Time, each share of common stock
          -----------------
of the Bank that is issued and outstanding immediately prior thereto shall, by
virtue of the Merger described herein, and without any action on the part of
each holder thereof, be converted and exchanged into one fully paid and non-
assessable share of common stock of Holding Company, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 2.3 hereof.

     2.3  Stock of the Holding Company. On the Effective Date, any issued and
          ----------------------------
outstanding Director Shares shall be cancelled and the Holding Company shall
issue shares of its common stock pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof.

     2.4  Exchange of Stock by the Bank Shareholders.  The conversion of the
          ------------------------------------------
shares of common stock of the Bank, as provided in Section 2.2 above, shall
occur automatically at the Effective Time without action by the holders thereof
and each share certificate evidencing ownership of shares of the Bank common
stock thereupon shall be deemed to evidence ownership of a like number of shares
of common stock of the Holding Company.  Each holder of shares of Bank common
stock may elect, but is not required, to surrender his share certificate or
certificates to the Holding Company and shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of
Holding Company common stock into which his or her shares of Bank common stock
theretofore represented by the certificate or certificates so surrendered shall
have been converted as aforesaid.

     2.5  Stock Options.  At the Effective Time, the Holding Company will assume
          -------------
the Bank's rights and obligations under the Bank's 1999 Stock Option Plan (the
"1999 Plan") and under each of the outstanding stock options to purchase common
stock of the Bank previously granted under the 1999 Plan (each such stock option
existing immediately prior to the Effective Time being called an "Existing
Option" and each such stock option so assumed by the Holding Company being
called an "Assumed Option").  By reason of such assumption, and each option
agreement that evidenced the right to purchase Bank common stock shall
thereafter represent, and each holder of an Existing Option shall have, the
right to purchase one share of Holding Company common stock for each share of
Bank common stock which such holder was entitled to purchase under his or her
Existing Option at an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price of
the Existing Options.  Each Assumed Option shall constitute a continuation of
the Existing Option, on the same terms and conditions set forth in the 1999 Plan
and in each optionee's stock option agreement that formerly evidenced the right
to purchase Bank common stock, except as follows: (i) shares of Holding Company
Common Stock will be substituted for the shares of Bank common stock into which
the existing options had been exercisable, (ii) the Holding Company shall be
substituted for the Bank as the issuer of shares under the 1999 Plan and (iii)
the Holding Company shall be authorized under the 1999 Plan to issue options to
purchase Holding Company shares not only to directors, officers and key
employees of the Bank, but also to directors, officers and key employees of the
Holding Company and any other subsidiaries it may establish in the future. In
addition, each option granted under the 1999 Plan at or after the Effective Time
shall evidence the right to purchase shares of common

                                       2
<PAGE>

stock of the Holding Company rather than shares of common stock of the Bank and
the Plan shall be modified to so provide. In all other respects, the 1999 Plan
shall be unchanged.

     3.  Termination of Merger.  In the event, prior to the Effective Time, the
         ---------------------
Board of Directors of any of the parties hereto has determined that:

         (a) the number of shares of common stock of the Bank voting against
the merger makes consummation of such merger inadvisable; or

         (b) any action, suit, proceeding or claim relating to the merger
described herein, whether initiated or threatened, makes consummation of such
merger inadvisable; or

         (c) consummation of the merger described herein is advisable for any
other reason; then this Agreement shall be terminated.

Upon any such termination, this Agreement shall be void and of no further
effect, and there shall be no liability by reason of this Agreement or the
termination thereof on the part of any of the parties hereto or any of their
respective directors, officers, employees, agents or stockholders.

4.   Miscellaneous.
     -------------

     4.1  Governing Law.  This Agreement has been executed in California and the
          -------------
laws of such State shall govern the validity and the interpretation hereof and
the performance by the parties hereto.

     4.2  Counterparts.  To facilitate the filing of this agreement, any number
          ------------
of counterparts hereof may be executed and each such counterpart shall be deemed
to be an original instrument, but all such counterparts together shall
constitute but one instrument.

     4.3  Entire Agreement.  This Merger Agreement, together with the
          ----------------
Reorganization Agreement, embody the entire agreement among the parties and
there have not been and there exist no other agreements, representations or
warranties among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement or the Reorganization Agreement other than those set forth herein and
therein.

     4.4  Captions.  The captions contained in this Agreement are solely for
          --------
convenience of reference and shall not be deemed to affect the meaning or
interpretation of any paragraph hereof.

                  [remainder of page intentionally left blank]

                                       3
<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Merger Agreement to
be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above
written.

PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK                     PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP


By: /s/ RAYMOND E. DELLERBA             By: /s/ RAYMOND E. DELLERBA
   ------------------------------          ------------------------------
   Raymond E. Dellerba, President          Raymond E. Dellerba, President


By: /s/ BARBARA PALERMO                 By: /s/ BARBARA PALERMO
   ------------------------------          ------------------------------
   Barbara Palermo, Secretary              Barbara Palermo, Secretary



PMBSUB


By: /s/ RAYMOND E. DELLERBA
   ------------------------------
   Raymond E. Dellerba, President


By: /s/ BARBARA PALERMO
   ------------------------------
   Barbara Palermo, Secretary

                                       4

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.1

                           ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

                                      OF

                          PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP


                              ARTICLE ONE:  NAME

         The name of this Corporation is:  Pacific Mercantile Bancorp

                             ARTICLE TWO:  PURPOSE

     The purpose of this Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity
for which a Corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of
California other than the banking business, the trust company business or the
practice of a profession permitted to be incorporated by the California
Corporations Code.

                       ARTICLE THREE:  AUTHORIZED SHARES

     The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be
designated "Common Stock" and "Preferred Stock", respectively.  The total number
of shares that this Corporation is authorized to issue is twelve million
(12,000,000) shares; ten million (10,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock, no
par value per share, and two million (2,000,000) shares shall be Preferred
Stock, no par value per share.

     The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series
by action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation alone.  The Board of
Directors of the Corporation is hereby authorized to determine the number of
series into which the shares of Preferred Stock may be divided, and (except to
the extent such matters are fixed by the Articles of Incorporation) to determine
and alter the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted to or
imposed upon any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock, to fix the
designation and number of shares constituting any series prior to the issue of
shares of that series and to increase or decrease, within the limits stated in
any resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors originally fixing the
number of shares constituting any series (but not below the number of shares of
such series then outstanding), the number of shares of any such series
subsequent to the issue of shares of that series.

               ARTICLE FOUR:  LIMITATION OF DIRECTORS' LIABILITY

     The liability of the directors of this Corporation for monetary damages
shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permissible under California law.

                         ARTICLE FIVE:  INDEMNIFICATION

     This Corporation is authorized to indemnify the directors and officers of
this Corporation to the fullest extent permissible under California law and in
excess of that otherwise permitted under Section 317 of the California
Corporations Code.

                        ARTICLE SIX:  AGENT FOR SERVICE

     The name and address in the State of California of the Corporation's
initial agent for service of process is Ben A. Frydman, 660 Newport Center
Drive, Suite 1600, Newport Beach, California 92660.
<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed these Articles of
Incorporation on January 5, 2000.


                                    /s/  LAURA ST. CHARLES
                                    --------------------------------------
                                         Laura A. St. Charles, Incorporator

                                       2

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.2

                                   BYLAWS OF

                          PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP,

                           a California Corporation
<PAGE>

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                    Page
<S>                                                                                                  <C>
Article I. Offices................................................................................     1
     Section 1.  Principal Executive Office.......................................................     1
     Section 2.  Other Offices....................................................................     1

Article II. Meetings of Shareholders..............................................................     1
     Section 1.  Place of Meetings................................................................     1
     Section 2.  Annual Meetings..................................................................     1
     Section 3.  Special Meetings.................................................................     2
     Section 4.  Quorum...........................................................................     3
     Section 5.  Adjourned Meeting and Notice Thereof.............................................     3
     Section 6.  Voting...........................................................................     3
     Section 7.  Validation of Defectively Called or Noticed Meetings.............................     3
     Section 8.  Action Without Meeting...........................................................     4
     Section 9.  Proxies..........................................................................     4
     Section 10. Inspectors of Election...........................................................     5

Article III. Directors............................................................................     5
     Section 1.  Powers...........................................................................     5
     Section 2.  Number and Qualification of Directors............................................     6
     Section 3.  Election and Term of Office......................................................     7
     Section 4.  Vacancies........................................................................     7
     Section 5.  Place of Meeting.................................................................     7
     Section 6.  Organization Meeting.............................................................     8
     Section 7.  Other Regular Meetings...........................................................     8
     Section 8.  Special Meetings.................................................................     8
     Section 9.  Action Without Meeting...........................................................     8
     Section 10. Action at a Meeting:  Quorum and Required Vote...................................     8
     Section 11. Validation of Defectively Called or Noticed Meetings.............................     8
     Section 12. Adjournment......................................................................     9
     Section 13. Notice of Adjournment............................................................     9
     Section 14. Fees and Compensation............................................................     9
     Section 15. Indemnification of Agents of the Corporation; Purchase of Liability Insurance....     9

Article IV. Officers..............................................................................    13
     Section 1.  Officers.........................................................................    13
     Section 2.  Election.........................................................................    13
     Section 3.  Subordinate Officers, Etc........................................................    13
     Section 4.  Removal and Resignation..........................................................    13
     Section 5.  Vacancies........................................................................    13
     Section 6.  Chairman of the Board............................................................    13
     Section 7.  President........................................................................    13
     Section 8.  Vice President...................................................................    14
     Section 9.  Secretary........................................................................    14
     Section 10. Chief Financial Officer..........................................................    14

Article V. Miscellaneous..........................................................................    14
</TABLE>
                                      -i-
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                  <C>
     Section 1.  Record Date......................................................................    14
     Section 2.  Inspection of Corporate Records..................................................    15
     Section 3.  Checks, Drafts, Etc..............................................................    15
     Section 4.  Annual Report to Shareholders....................................................    15
     Section 5.  Contracts, Etc., How Executed....................................................    16
     Section 6.  Certificate for Shares...........................................................    16
     Section 7.  Representation of Shares of Other Corporations...................................    17
     Section 8.  Inspection of Bylaws.............................................................    17
     Section 9.  Construction and Definitions.....................................................    17

Article VI. Amendments............................................................................    17
     Section 1.  Power of Shareholders............................................................    17
     Section 2.  Power of Directors...............................................................    17

</TABLE>
                                     -ii-
<PAGE>

                       BYLAWS FOR THE REGULATION, EXCEPT
                    AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY STATUTE OR ITS
                         ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, OF
                          PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP,
                           a California corporation


                                   Article I
                                   ---------


                                    Offices

     Section 1.  Principal Executive Office.  The principal executive office of
     ---------
Pacific Mercantile Bancorp, a California corporation (the "corporation") is
hereby fixed and located at 450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100, Newport Beach,
California  92660.  The Board of Directors is hereby granted full power and
authority to change said principal executive office from one location to
another.  Any change in the location of the principal office of the corporation
shall be noted on the bylaws by the secretary, opposite this section, or this
section may be amended to state the new location.

     Section 2.  Other Offices.  Other business offices may at any time be
     ---------
established by the Board of Directors at any place or places where the
corporation is qualified to do business.

                                  Article II
                                  ----------

                           Meetings of Shareholders


     Section 1.  Place of Meetings.  All annual or other meetings of
     ---------
shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the corporation,
or at any other place within or without the State of California which may be
designated either by the Board of Directors or by the written consent of all
persons entitled to vote thereat and not present at the meeting, given either
before or after the meeting and filed with the secretary of the corporation.

     Section 2.  Annual Meetings.  Annual meetings of shareholders shall be held
     ---------
on the second Tuesday in April or such other date as may be set by the Board of
Directors; provided, however, that, should said day fall upon a legal holiday,
then any such annual meeting of shareholders shall be held at the same time and
place on the next day thereafter ensuing which is a full business day.  At such
meetings, directors shall be elected, reports of the affairs of the corporation
shall be considered, and any other business may be transacted which is within
the powers of the shareholders.  Written notice of each annual meeting shall be
given to each shareholder entitled to vote, either personally or by mail or
other means of written communication, charges prepaid, addressed to such
shareholder at his address appearing on the books of the Corporation or given by
him to the Corporation for the purpose of notice.  If any notice or report
addressed to the shareholder at the address of such shareholder appearing on the
books of the corporation is returned to the corporation by the United States
Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is
unable to deliver the notice or report to the shareholder at such address, all
future notices or reports shall be deemed to have been duly given without
further mailing if the same shall be available for the shareholder upon written
demand of the shareholder at the principal executive office of the Corporation
for a period of one year from the date of the giving of the notice or report to
all other shareholders. If a shareholder gives no address, notice shall be
deemed to
<PAGE>

have been given him if sent by mail or other means of written communication
addressed to the place where the principal executive office of the Corporation
is situated, or if published at least once in some newspaper of general
circulation in the county in which said principal executive office is located.

     All such notices shall be given to each shareholder entitled thereto not
less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days before each annual
meeting. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when
delivered personally or deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written
communication. An affidavit of mailing of any such notice in accordance with the
foregoing provisions, executed by the secretary, assistant secretary or any
transfer agent of the Corporation, shall be prima facie evidence of the giving
of the notice.

     Such notices shall specify:

          (a)  the place, the date, and the hour of such meeting;

          (b)  those matters which the Board, at the time of the mailing of the
               notice, intends to present for action by the shareholders;

          (c)  if directors are to be elected, the names of nominees intended at
               the time of the notice to be presented by management for
               election;

          (d)  the general nature of a proposal, if any, to take action with
               respect to approval of (i) a contract or other transaction with
               an interested director, (ii) amendment of the Articles of
               Incorporation, (iii) a reorganization of the Corporation as
               defined in Section 181 of the General Corporation Law, (iv)
               voluntary dissolution of the Corporation, or (v) a distribution
               in dissolution other than in accordance with the rights of
               outstanding preferred shares, if any; and

          (e)  such other matters, if any, as may be expressly required by
               statute.

     Section 3.  Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the shareholders, for
     ---------
the purpose of taking any action permitted by the shareholders under the General
Corporation Law and the Articles of Incorporation of this Corporation, may be
called at any time by the Chairman of the Board or the President, or by the
Board of Directors, or by one or more shareholders holding not less than ten
percent (10%) of the votes at the meeting.  Upon request in writing that a
special meeting of shareholders be called for any proper purpose, directed to
the Chairman of the Board, President, Vice President or Secretary by any person
(other than the Board) entitled to call a special meeting of shareholders, the
officer forthwith shall cause notice to be given to shareholders entitled to
vote that a meeting will be held at a time requested by the person or persons
calling the meeting, not less than thirty-five (35) nor more than sixty (60)
days after receipt of the request.  Except in special cases where other express
provision is made by statute, notice of such special meetings shall be given in
the same manner as for the annual meetings of shareholders.  In addition to the
matters required by items (a) and, if applicable, (c) of the preceding Section,
notice of any special meeting shall specify the general nature of the business
to be transacted, and no other business may be transacted at such meeting.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

     Section 4.  Quorum.  The presence in person or by proxy of the persons
     ---------
entitled to vote a majority of the voting shares at any meeting shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business.  The shareholders present at a duly
called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to do business
until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to
leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is
approved by at least a majority of the shares required to constitute a quorum.

     Section 5.  Adjourned Meeting and Notice Thereof.  Any shareholders'
     ---------
meeting, annual or special, whether or not a quorum is present, may be adjourned
from time to time by the vote of a majority of the shares, the holders of which
are either present in person or represented by proxy thereat, but in the absence
of a quorum no other business may be transacted at such meeting, except as
provided in Section 4 above.

     When any shareholders' meeting, either annual or special, is adjourned for
forty-five days or more, or if after adjournment a new record date is fixed for
the adjourned meeting, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the
case of an original meeting.  Except as provided above, it shall not be
necessary to give any notice of the time and place of the adjourned meeting or
of the business to be transacted thereat, other than by announcement of the time
and place of the adjourned meeting or of the business to be transacted thereat,
other than by announcement of the time and place thereof at the meeting at which
such adjournment is taken.

     Section 6.  Voting.  Unless a record date for voting purposes be fixed as
     ---------
provided in Section 1 of Article V of these bylaws, then, subject to the
provisions of Sections 702 and 704, inclusive, of the Corporations Code of
California (relating to voting of shares held by a fiduciary, in the name of a
Corporation, or in joint ownership), only persons in whose names shares entitled
to vote stand on the stock records of the Corporation at the close of business
on the business day next preceding the day on which notice of the meeting is
given or if such notice is waived, at the close of business on the business day
next preceding the day on which the meeting of shareholders is held, shall be
entitled to vote at such meeting, and such day shall be the record date for such
meeting.  Such vote may be viva voce or by ballot; provided, however, that all
elections for directors must be by ballot upon demand made by a shareholder at
any election and before the voting begins.  If a quorum is present, except with
respect to election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of the
shares represented at the meeting and entitled to vote on any matter shall be
the act of the shareholders, unless the vote of a greater number or voting by
classes is required by the General Corporation Law or the Articles of
Incorporation.  Subject to the requirements of the next sentence, every
shareholder entitled to vote at any election for directors shall have the right
to cumulate his votes and give one candidate a number of votes equal to the
number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which his
shares are entitled, or to distribute his votes on the same principle among as
many candidates as he shall think fit.  No shareholder shall be entitled to
cumulative votes unless the name of the candidate or candidates for whom such
votes would be cast has been placed in nomination prior to the voting, and any
shareholder has given notice at the meeting prior to the voting of such
shareholder's intention to cumulate his votes.  The candidates receiving the
highest number of votes of shares entitled to be voted for them, up to the
number of directors to be elected, shall be elected.

     Section 7.  Validation of Defectively Called or Noticed Meetings.  The
     ---------
transactions of any meeting of shareholders, either annual or special, however
called and noticed, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after
regular call and notice, if a quorum be present either in person or by proxy,
and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the persons entitled to
vote, not present in person or by proxy, or who, though present, has, at the
beginning of the meeting, properly objected to the

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

transaction of any business because the meeting was not lawfully called or
convened, or to particular matters of business legally required to be included
in the notice, but not so included, signs a written waiver of notice, or a
consent to the holding of such meeting, or an approval of the minutes thereof.
All such waivers, consents or approvals shall be filed with the corporate
records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

     Section 8.  Action Without Meeting.  Directors may be elected without a
     ---------
meeting by a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, signed by
all of the persons who would be entitled to vote for the election of directors,
provided that, without notice except as hereinafter set forth, a director may be
elected at any time to fill a vacancy not filled by the directors by the written
consent of persons holding a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote
for the election of directors.

     Any other action which, under any provision of the California General
Corporation Law, may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders, may be taken
without a meeting, and without notice except as hereinafter set forth, if a
consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders
of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that
would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all
shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.  Unless the consents of
all shareholders entitled to vote have been solicited in writing,

          (a)  Notice of any proposed shareholder approval of (i) a contract or
               other transaction with an interested director, (ii)
               indemnification of an agent of the Corporation as authorized by
               Section 15, of Article III, of these bylaws, (iii) a
               reorganization of the Corporation as defined in Section 181 of
               the General Corporation Law, or (iv) a distribution in
               dissolution other than in accordance with the rights of
               outstanding preferred shares, if any, without a meeting by less
               than unanimous written consent, shall be given at least ten (10)
               days before the consummation of the action authorized by such
               approval; and

          (b)  Prompt notice shall be given of the taking of any other corporate
               action approved by shareholders without a meeting by less than
               unanimous written consent to those shareholders entitled to vote
               who have not consented in writing.  Such notices shall be given
               in the manner and shall be deemed to have been given as provided
               in Section 2 of Article II of these bylaws.

     Unless, as provided in Section 1 of Article V of these bylaws, the Board of
Directors has fixed a record date for the determination of shareholders entitled
to notice of and to give such written consent, the record date for such
determination shall be the day on which the first written consent is given. All
such written consents shall be filed with the secretary of the Corporation.

     Any shareholder giving a written consent, or the shareholder's
proxyholders, or a transferee of the shares or a personal representative of the
shareholder or their respective proxyholders, may revoke the consent by a
writing received by the Corporation prior to the time that written consents of
the number of shares required to authorize the proposed action have been filed
with the secretary of the Corporation, but may not do so thereafter. Such
revocation is effective upon its receipt by the secretary of the Corporation.

     Section 9.  Proxies.  Every person entitled to vote or execute consents
     ---------
shall have the right to do so either in person or by one or more agents
authorized by a written proxy executed by such person or his duly authorized
agent and filed with the secretary of the Corporation.  Any proxy duly executed
is not

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

revoked and continues in full force and effect until (i) an instrument revoking
it or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date is filed with the secretary of
the Corporation prior to the vote pursuant thereto, (ii) the person executing
the proxy attends the meeting and votes in person, or (iii) written notice of
the death or incapacity of the maker of such proxy is received by the
Corporation before the vote pursuant thereto is counted; provided that no such
proxy shall be valid after the expiration of eleven (11) months from the date of
its execution, unless the person executing it specifies therein the length of
time for which such proxy is to continue in force.

     Section 10.  Inspectors of Election.  In advance of any meeting of
     ----------
shareholders, the Board of Directors may appoint any persons other than nominees
for office as inspectors of election to act at such meeting or any adjournment
thereof.  If inspectors of election be not so appointed, the chairman of any
such meeting may, and on the request of any shareholder or his proxy shall, make
such appointment at the meeting.  The number of inspectors shall be either one
or three.  If appointed at a meeting on the request of one or more shareholders
or proxies, the majority of shares represented in person or by proxy shall
determine whether one or three inspectors are to be appointed.  In case any
person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, the
vacancy may, and on the request of any shareholder or a shareholder's proxy
shall, be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors in advance of the
meeting, or at the meeting by the chairman of the meeting.

     The duties of such inspectors shall be as prescribed by Section 707 of the
General Corporation Law and shall include determining the number of shares
outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting,
the existence of a quorum, the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies;
receiving votes, ballots or consents; hearing and determining all challenges and
questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote; counting and
tabulating all votes or consents; determining when the polls shall close;
determining the result; and such acts as may be proper to conduct the election
or vote with fairness to all shareholders.  In the determination of the validity
and effect of proxies, the dates contained on the forms of proxy shall
presumptively determine the order of execution of the proxies, regardless of the
postmark dates on the envelopes in which they are mailed.

     The inspectors of election shall perform their duties impartially, in good
faith, to the best of their ability and as expeditiously as is practical.  If
there are three inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a
majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of
all.  Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima
facie evidence by the facts stated therein.

                                  Article III
                                  -----------

                                   Directors


     Section 1.  Powers.  Subject to any applicable limitations of the Articles
     ---------
of Incorporation, the California General Corporation Law and the California
Financial Code, such as, but not limited to, any provisions thereof requiring
any action to be authorized or approved by the shareholders, and subject to the
duties of directors as prescribed by the bylaws, all corporate powers shall be
exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the
corporation shall be controlled by, the Board of Directors.  Without prejudice
to such general powers, but subject to the same limitations, it is hereby
expressly declared that the directors shall have the following powers, to wit:

                                      -5-
<PAGE>

     First--To select and remove all the officers, agents and employees of the
Corporation, prescribe such powers and duties for them as may not be
inconsistent with law, with the Articles of Incorporation or the bylaws, fix
their compensation and require from them security for faithful service.

     Second--To conduct, manage and control the affairs and business of the
Corporation, and to make such rules and regulations therefor not inconsistent
with law, or with the Articles of Incorporation or the bylaws, as they may deem
best.

     Third--To change the principal executive office and principal office for
the transaction of the business of the Corporation from one location to another
as provided in Article I, Section 1, hereof; to fix and locate from time to time
one or more branch offices of the Corporation within or without the State of
California, as provided in Article I, Section 2, hereof; to designate any place
within or without the State of California for the holding of any shareholders'
meeting or meetings; and to adopt, make and use a corporate seal, and to
prescribe the forms of certificates of stock, and to alter the form of such seal
and of such certificates from time to time, as in their judgment they may deem
best, provided such seal and such certificates shall at all times comply with
applicable provisions of law.

     Fourth--To authorize the issue of shares of stock of the Corporation from
time to time, upon such terms as may be lawful.

     Fifth--Subject to obtaining any permits or other approvals required under
applicable laws or regulations to borrow money and incur indebtedness for the
purposes of the Corporation, and to cause to be executed and delivered therefor,
in the corporate name, promissory notes, bonds, debentures, deeds of trust,
mortgages, pledges, hypothecations or other evidences of debt and securities
therefor.

     Sixth--By resolution adopted by a majority of the authorized number of
directors, to designate an executive and other committees, each consisting of
two or more directors, to serve at the pleasure of the Board, and to prescribe
the manner in which proceedings of such committee shall be conducted.  Unless
the Board of Directors shall otherwise prescribe the manner of proceedings of
any such committee, meetings of such committee may be regularly scheduled in
advance and may be called at any time by any two members thereof; otherwise, the
provisions of the bylaws with respect to notice and conduct of meetings of the
Board shall govern.  Any such committee, to the extent provided in a resolution
of the Board, shall have all of the authority of the Board, except with respect
to:

          (a)  the approval of any action for which the General Corporation Law
               or the Articles of Incorporation also require shareholder
               approval;

          (b)  the filling of vacancies on the Board or in any committee;

          (c)  the fixing of compensation of the directors for serving on the
               Board or on any committee;

          (d)  the adoption, amendment or repeal of the bylaws;

          (e)  the amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board;

          (f)  any distribution to the shareholders, except at a rate or in a
               periodic amount or within a price range determined by the Board;
               and

          (g)  the appointment of other committees of the Board or the members
               thereof.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>

     Section 2.  Number and Qualification of Directors.  The authorized number
     ---------
of directors shall not be less than five (5) nor more than nine (9) until
changed by amendment to the Articles of Incorporation or by a bylaw amending
this Section 2 of Article duly adopted by the vote or written consent of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote; provided that
a proposal to reduce the authorized number of directors below five cannot be
adopted if the votes cast against its adoption at a meeting, or the shares not
consenting in the case of action by written consent, are equal to more than 16-
2/3 percent of the outstanding shares entitled to vote.  The exact number of
directors shall be fixed from time to time, within the limits set forth in the
Articles of Incorporation or, if no such limits are contained therein, within
the limits set forth in this Section 2 of Article III hereof, (i) by a
resolution approved by the Board of Directors or (ii) an amendment of this bylaw
duly adopted by the vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote that are
represented at a duly held meeting of shareholders at which a quorum is present,
or by the written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares
entitled to vote, or by the Board of Directors; or (iii) by approval of the
shareholders (as defined in Section 153 of the General Corporation Law.

     Section 3.  Election and Term of Office.  The directors shall be elected at
     ---------
each annual meeting of shareholders but, if any such annual meeting is not held
or the directors are not elected thereat, the directors may be elected at any
special meeting of shareholders held for that purpose.  All directors shall hold
office until their respective successors are elected, subject to the General
Corporation Law and the provisions of these bylaws with respect to vacancies on
the Board.

     Section 4.  Vacancies.  A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed
     ---------
to exist in case of the (i) death, (ii) resignation or removal of any director
with or without cause, (iv) pursuant to Section 302 of the California
Corporations Code if a director has been declared of unsound mind by order of
court or convicted of a felony, (v) if the authorized number of directors be
increased, or if the shareholders fail, at any annual or special meeting of
shareholders at which any director or directors are elected, to elect the full
authorized number of directors to be voted for at that meeting.

     Vacancies in the Board of Directors, except for a vacancy created by the
removal of a director, may be filled by a majority of the remaining directors,
though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and each director so
elected shall hold office until his successor is elected at an annual or a
special meeting of the shareholders.  A vacancy in the Board of Directors
created by the removal of a director may only be filled by the vote of a
majority of the shares entitled to vote represented at a duly held meeting at
which a quorum is present, or by the written consent of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares.

     The shareholders may elect a director or directors at any time to fill any
vacancy or vacancies not filled by the directors.  Any such election by written
consent shall require the consent of holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares entitled to vote.

     Any director may resign effective upon giving written notice to the
chairman of the Board, the president, the secretary or the Board of Directors of
the Corporation, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness
of such resignation. If the Board of Directors accepts the resignation of a
director tendered to take effect at a future time, the Board or the shareholders
shall have power to elect a successor to take office when the resignation is to
become effective.

     No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of
removing any director prior to the expiration of his term of office.

                                      -7-
<PAGE>

     Section 5.  Place of Meeting.  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors
     ---------
shall be held at any place within or without the State which has been designated
from time to time by resolution of the Board or by written consent of all
members of the Board.  In the absence of such designation, regular meetings
shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation.  Special
meetings of the Board may be held either at a place so designated or at the
principal executive office.

     Section 6.  Organization Meeting.  Immediately following each annual
     ---------
meeting of shareholders, the Board of Directors shall hold a regular meeting at
the place of said annual meeting or at such other place as shall be fixed by the
Board of Directors, for the purpose of organization, election of officers, and
the transaction of other business.  Call and notice of such meetings are hereby
dispensed with.

     Section 7.  Other Regular Meetings.  Other regular meetings of the Board of
     ---------
Directors shall be held without call as provided in a resolution adopted by the
Board of Directors from time to time; provided, however, should said day fall
upon a legal holiday, then said meeting shall be held at the same time on the
next day thereafter ensuing which is a full business day.  Notice of all such
regular meetings of the Board of Directors is hereby dispensed with.

     Section 8.  Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors
     ----------
for any purpose or purposes shall be called at any time by the chairman of the
Board, the president, any vice president, the secretary or by any two directors.

     Written notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be delivered
personally to each director or communicated to each director by telephone or by
telegraph or mail, charges prepaid, addressed to him at his address as it is
shown upon the records of the Corporation or, if it is not so shown on such
records or is not readily ascertainable, at the place at which the meetings of
the directors are regularly held.  In case such notice is mailed, it shall be
deposited in the United States mail in the place in which the principal
executive office of the Corporation is located at least four days' prior to the
time of holding the meeting.  In case such notice is delivered, personally or by
telephone or telegraph, as above provided, it shall be so delivered at least
forty-eight hours prior to the time of the holding of the meeting.  Such
mailing, telegraphing or delivery, personally or by telephone, as above
provided, shall be due, legal and personal notice to such director.

     Section 9.  Action Without Meeting.  Any action by the Board of Directors
     ---------
may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board shall individually or
collectively consent in writing to such action.  Such written consent or
consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board and
shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of such directors.

    Section 10.  Action at a Meeting:  Quorum and Required Vote.  Presence of a
    ----------
majority of the authorized number of directors at a meeting of the Board of
Directors constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, except as
hereinafter provided.  Members of the Board may participate in a meeting through
use of conference telephone or similar communications equipment, so long as all
members participating in such meeting can hear one another.  Participation in a
meeting as permitted in the preceding sentence constitutes presence in person at
such meeting.  Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors
present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as
the act of the Board of Directors, unless a greater number, or the same number
after disqualifying one or more directors from voting, is required by law, by
the Articles of Incorporation, or by these bylaws.  A meeting at which a quorum
is initially present may continue to transact business

                                      -8-
<PAGE>

notwithstanding the withdrawal of directors, provided that any action taken is
approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for such meeting.

     Section 11.  Validation of Defectively Called or Noticed Meetings.  The
     -----------
transactions of any meeting of the Board of Directors, however called and
noticed or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held
after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present and if, either before or
after the meeting, each of the directors not present or who, though present,
has, prior to the meeting or at its commencement, protested the lack of proper
notice to him, signs a written waiver of notice or a consent to holding such
meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof.  All such waivers, consents or
approvals shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the
minutes of the meeting.

     Section 12.  Adjournment.  A quorum of the directors may adjourn any
     -----------
directors' meeting to meet again at a stated day and hour; provided, however,
that in the absence of a quorum a majority of the directors present at any
directors' meeting, either regular or special, may adjourn from time to time
until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board.

     Section 13.  Notice of Adjournment.  If the meeting is adjourned for more
     -----------
than twenty-four hours, notice of any adjournment to another time or place shall
be given prior to the time of the adjourned meeting to the directors who were
not present at the time of adjournment.  Otherwise notice of the time and place
of holding an adjourned meeting need not be given to absent directors if the
time and place be fixed at the meeting adjourned.

     Section 14.  Fees and Compensation.  Directors and members of committees
     -----------
may receive such compensation, if any, for their services, and such
reimbursement for expenses, as may be fixed or determined by resolution of the
Board.

     Section 15.  Indemnification of Agents of the Corporation; Purchase of
     -------------
Liability Insurance.

          (a)   For the purposes of this Section, "agent" means any person who
                is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the
                Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
                Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
                foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture,
                trust or other enterprise, or was a director, officer, employee
                or agent of a foreign or domestic corporation which was a
                predecessor corporation of the corporation or of another
                enterprise at the request of such predecessor corporation;
                "executive officer" means any person who is or was a director or
                an officer serving a chief policy making function, or is or was
                serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or
                officer of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership,
                joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or was a director or
                officer serving a chief policy making function of a foreign or
                domestic corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the
                Corporation or of another enterprise at the request of the
                corporation;  "proceeding" means any threatened, pending or
                completed action or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
                administrative or investigative; and "expenses" includes,
                without limitation, attorneys' fees and any expenses of
                establishing a right to indemnification under subsection (d) or
                paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of this section.

                                      -9-
<PAGE>

           (b)  This Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a
                party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any proceeding
                (other than an action by or in the right of this Corporation) by
                reason of the fact that such person is or was an executive
                officer of the Corporation, against expenses, judgments, fines,
                settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred
                in connection with such proceeding if such person acted in good
                faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in
                the best interests of the Corporation and, in the case of a
                criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the
                conduct of such person was unlawful.  This Corporation may
                indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to
                be made a party, to any proceeding (other than an action by or
                in the right of this Corporation) by reason of the fact that
                such person is or was an agent of the Corporation by a majority
                vote of a quorum consisting of directors who are not a party to
                such proceeding, against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements
                and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection
                with such proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a
                manner such person reasonably believed to be in the best
                interests of the Corporation and, in the case of a criminal
                proceeding, had no reason to believe the conduct of such person
                was unlawful.  The termination of any proceeding by judgment,
                order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere
                or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption
                that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which
                the person reasonably believed to be in the best interests of
                this Corporation or that the person had reasonable cause to
                believe that the person's conduct was unlawful.

          (c)   This Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a
                party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened,
                pending or completed action by or in the right of this
                Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
                fact that such person is or was an executive officer of this
                Corporation, against expenses actually and reasonably incurred
                by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of
                such action if such person acted in good faith, in a manner such
                person believed to be in the best interests of this Corporation
                and its shareholders.  No indemnification shall be made under
                subsection (b) and/or (c):

               (1)  in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such
                    person shall have been adjudged to be liable to this
                    Corporation in the performance of such person's duty to this
                    Corporation and its shareholders, unless and only to the
                    extent that the court in which such proceeding is or was
                    pending shall determine upon application that, in view of
                    all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and
                    reasonably entitled to indemnity for expenses and then only
                    to the extent that the court shall determine;

               (2)  Of amounts paid in settling or otherwise disposing of a
                    pending action without court approval; or

               (3)  Of expenses incurred in defending a pending action which is
                    settled or otherwise disposed of without court approval.

                                     -10-
<PAGE>

          (d)  To the extent that an agent or executive officer of this
               Corporation has been successful on the merits in defense of any
               proceeding referred to in subsection (b) or (c) or in defense of
               any claim, issue or matter therein, the agent or executive
               officer shall be indemnified against expenses actually and
               reasonably incurred by the agent or executive officer in
               connection therewith.

          (e)  Except as provided in subsection (d), any indemnification under
               this section shall be made by this Corporation only if authorized
               in the specific case, upon a determination that indemnification
               of the agent or executive officer is proper in the circumstances
               because the agent or executive officer has met the applicable
               standard of conduct set forth in subsection (b) or (c), by:

                    (1)  A majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who
                         are not a party to such proceeding;

                    (2)  If such a quorum of directors is not obtainable, by
                         independent legal counsel in a written opinion;

                    (3)  Approval or ratification by the affirmative vote of a
                         majority of the shares of this Corporation entitled to
                         vote represented at a duly held meeting at which a
                         quorum is present or by the written consent of holders
                         of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to
                         vote.  For such purpose, the shares owned by the person
                         to be indemnified shall not be considered outstanding
                         or entitled to vote thereon; or

                    (4)  The court in which such proceeding is or was pending
                         upon application made by this Corporation or the agent
                         or the attorney or other person rendering services in
                         connection with the defense, whether or not such
                         application by the agent, attorney or other person is
                         opposed by this Corporation.

          (f)  Expenses incurred in defending any proceeding may be advanced by
               the Corporation prior to the final disposition of such proceeding
               upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the agent or
               executive officer to repay such amount if it shall be determined
               ultimately that the agent or executive officer is not entitled to
               be indemnified as authorized in this section.

          (g)  The indemnification provided by this section shall not be deemed
               exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
               indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote
               of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as
               to action in an official capacity and as to action in another
               capacity while holding such office, to the extent such additional
               rights to indemnification are authorized in the articles of this
               Corporation.  The rights to indemnity hereunder shall continue as
               to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or
               agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and
               administrators of the person.  Nothing contained in this section
               shall affect any right to indemnification to which persons other
               than such directors and officers may be entitled by contract or
               otherwise.

          (h)  No indemnification or advance shall be made under this section,
               except as provided in subsection (d) or paragraph (3) of
               subsection (e), in any circumstance where it appears:

                                     -11-
<PAGE>

               (1)  That it would be inconsistent with a provision of the
                    articles, bylaws, a resolution of the shareholders or an
                    agreement in effect at the time the accrual of the alleged
                    cause of action asserted in the proceeding in which the
                    expenses were incurred or other amounts were paid, which
                    prohibits or otherwise limits indemnification; or

               (2)  That it would be inconsistent with any condition expressly
                    imposed by a court in approving a settlement.

          (i)  This Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of
               any agent of this Corporation against any liability asserted
               against or incurred by the agent in such capacity or arising out
               of the agent's status as such, whether or not this Corporation
               would have the power to indemnify the agent against such
               liability under the provisions of this section.  The fact that
               this Corporation owns all or a portion of the shares of the
               company issuing a policy of insurance shall not render this
               subsection inapplicable if either of the following conditions are
               satisfied:

               (1)  If authorized in the Articles of Incorporation of this
                    Corporation, any policy issued is limited to the extent
                    provided by subdivision (d) of Section 204 of the California
                    Corporations Code; or

               (2)  (i)  The company issuing the insurance policy is organized,
                    licensed, and operated in a manner that complies with the
                    insurance laws and regulations applicable to its
                    jurisdiction of organization,

                    (ii)   The company issuing the policy provides procedures
                           for processing claims that do not permit that company
                           to be subject to the direct control of the
                           Corporation that purchased that policy, and

                    (iii)  The policy issued provides for some manner of risk
                           sharing between the issuer and purchaser of the
                           policy, on one hand, and some unaffiliated person or
                           persons, on the other, such as by providing for more
                           than one unaffiliated owner of the company issuing
                           the policy or by providing that a portion of the
                           coverage furnished will be obtained from some
                           unaffiliated insurer or re-insurer.

          (j)  This Section 15 does not apply to any proceeding against any
               trustee, investment manager or other fiduciary of an employee
               benefit plan in such person's capacity as such, even though such
               person may also be an agent of the Corporation as defined in
               subsection (a) of this Section.  This Corporation shall have
               power to indemnify such a trustee, investment manager or other
               fiduciary to the extent permitted by subdivision (f) of Section
               207 of the California General Corporation Law.

                                     -12-
<PAGE>

                                  Article IV
                                  ----------

                                   Officers

    Section 1.  Officers.  The officers of the corporation shall be a
    ----------
president, a secretary and a chief financial officer.  The corporation may also
have, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a Chairman of the Board, one
or more vice presidents, one or more assistant secretaries, one or more
assistant treasurers and such other officers as may be appointed in accordance
with the provisions of Section 3 of this Article.

    Section 2.  Election.  The officers of the corporation, except such
    ----------
officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 or
Section 5 of this Article, shall be chosen annually by the Board of Directors,
and each shall hold his office until he shall resign or shall be removed or
otherwise disqualified to serve, or his successor shall be elected and
qualified.

    Section 3.  Subordinate Officers, Etc.  The Board of Directors may appoint,
    ----------
and may empower the president to appoint, such other officers as the business of
the Corporation may require, each of whom shall hold office, for such period,
have such authority and perform such duties as are provided in the bylaws or as
the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

    Section 4.  Removal and Resignation.  Any officer may be removed, either
    ----------
with or without cause, by the Board of Directors, at any regular or special
meeting thereof, or, except in case of an officer chosen by the Board of
Directors, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred  by
the Board of Directors (subject, in each case, to the rights, if any, of an
officer under any contract of employment).

    Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of
Directors or to the president, or to the secretary of the corporation, without
prejudice, however, to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract
to which such officer is a party.  Any such resignation shall take effect at the
date of the receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein; and,
unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not
be necessary to make it effective.

    Section 5.  Vacancies.  A vacancy in any office because of death,
    ----------
resignation, removal, disqualification or any other cause shall be filled in the
manner prescribed in the bylaws for regular appointments to such office.

    Section 6.  Chairman of the Board.  The Chairman of the Board, if there
    ----------
shall be such an officer, shall, if present, preside at all meetings of the
Board of Directors and exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may
be from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or prescribed by
the bylaws.

    Section 7.  President.  Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may
    ----------
be given by the Board of Directors to the Chairman of the Board, if there be
such an officer, the president shall be the chief executive officer of the
Corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have
general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the
Corporation.  He shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and, in the
absence of the Chairman of the Board, or if there be none, at all meetings of
the Board of Directors.  He shall be ex officio a member of all the standing
committees, including the executive committee, if any, and shall have the
general powers and duties of

                                     -13-
<PAGE>

management usually vested in the office of president of a Corporation, and shall
have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors
or the bylaws.

    Section 8.  Vice President.  In the absence or disability of the president,
    ----------
the vice presidents in order of their rank as fixed by the Board of Directors
or, if not ranked, the vice president designated by the Board of Directors,
shall perform all the duties of the president, and when so acting shall have
such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be
prescribed for them respectively by the Board of Directors or the bylaws.

    Section 9.  Secretary.  The secretary shall record or cause to be recorded,
    ----------
and shall keep or cause to be kept, at the principal executive office and such
other place as the Board of Directors may order, a book of minutes of actions
taken at all meetings of directors and shareholders, with the time and place of
holding, whether regular or special, and, if special, how authorized, the notice
thereof given, the names of those present at directors' meetings, the number of
shares present or represented at shareholders' meetings, and the proceedings
thereof.

    The secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal executive
office or at the office of the Corporation's transfer agent, a share register,
or a duplicate share register, showing the names of the shareholders and their
addresses, the number and classes of shares held by each, the number and date of
certificates issued for the same, and the number and date of cancellation of
every certificate surrendered for cancellation.

    The secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all the meetings
of the shareholders and of the Board of Directors required by the bylaws or by
law to be given, and he shall keep the seal of the Corporation in safe custody,
and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by the Board of Directors or by the bylaws.

    Section 10.  Chief Financial Officer.  The Chief Financial Officer of the
    -----------
Corporation shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained,
adequate and correct accounts of the properties and business transactions of the
Corporation, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts,
disbursements, gains, losses, capital, surplus and shares.  Any surplus,
including earned surplus, paid in surplus and surplus arising from a reduction
of stated capital, shall be classified according to source and shown in a
separate account.  The books of account shall at all reasonable times be open to
inspection by any director.

    The Chief Financial Officer shall deposit all monies and other valuables in
the name and to the credit of the Corporation with such depositories as may be
designated by the Board of Directors.  He shall disburse the funds of the
Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, shall render to the
president and directors, whenever they request it, an account of all of his
transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the
Corporation, and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as
may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the bylaws.

                                     -14-
<PAGE>

                                  Article V.
                                  ----------

                                 Miscellaneous


    Section 1.  Record Date.  The Board of Directors may fix a time in the
    ----------
future as a record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to
notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders or entitled to give consent
to corporate action in writing without a meeting, to receive any report, to
receive any dividend or distribution, or any allotment of rights, or to exercise
rights in respect to any change, conversion or exchange of shares.  The record
date so fixed shall be not more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days
prior to the date of any meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any
other event for the purposes of which it is fixed.  When a record date is so
fixed, only shareholders of record on that date are entitled to notice of and to
vote at any such meeting, to give consent without a meeting, to receive any
report, to receive a dividend, distribution or allotment of rights, or to
exercise the rights, as the case may be, notwithstanding any transfer of any
shares on the books of the corporation after the record date, except as
otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation or bylaws.

    Section 2.  Inspection of Corporate Records.  The accounting books and
    ----------
records, the record of shareholders, and minutes of proceedings of the
shareholders and the Board and committees of the Board of this Corporation and
any subsidiary of this Corporation shall be open to inspection upon the written
demand on the Corporation of any shareholder or holder of a voting trust
certificate at any reasonable time during usual business hours, for a purpose
reasonably related to such holder's interests as a shareholder or as the holder
of such voting trust certificate.  Such inspection by a shareholder or holder of
a voting trust certificate may be made in person or by agent or attorney, and
the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts.

    A shareholder or shareholders holding at least 5 percent in the aggregate of
the outstanding voting shares of the Corporation or who hold at least 1 percent
of such voting shares and have filed a Schedule 14B with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the election of directors of the
Corporation shall have (in person, or by agent or attorney) the right to inspect
and copy the record of shareholders' names and addresses and shareholdings
during usual business hours upon five business days' prior written demand upon
the Corporation and to obtain from the transfer agent for the Corporation, upon
written demand and upon the tender of its usual charges, a list of the
shareholders' names and addresses, who are entitled to vote for the election of
directors, and their shareholdings, as of the most recent record date for which
it has been compiled or as of a date specified by the shareholder subsequent to
the date of demand.  The list shall be made available on or before the later of
five business days after the demand is received or the date specified therein as
the date as of which the list is to be compiled.

    Every director shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to
inspect and copy all books, records and documents of every kind and to inspect
the physical properties of the Corporation. Such inspection by a director may be
made in person or by agent or attorney and the right of inspection includes the
right to copy and make extracts.

    Section 3.  Checks, Drafts, Etc.  All checks, drafts or other orders for
    ----------
payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name
of or payable to the Corporation, shall be signed or endorsed by such person or
persons and in such manner as, from time to time, shall be determined by
resolution of the Board of Directors.

                                     -15-
<PAGE>

    Section 4.  Annual Report to Shareholders.  The annual report to
    ----------
shareholders referred to in Section 1501 of the California General Corporation
Law is expressly waived, but nothing herein shall be interpreted as prohibiting
the Board from issuing annual or other periodic reports to shareholders.

    A shareholder or shareholders holding at least five percent of the
outstanding shares of any class of the Corporation may make a written request to
the Corporation for an income statement of the Corporation for the three-month,
six-month or nine-month period of the current fiscal year ended more than 30
days prior to the date of the request and a balance sheet of the Corporation as
of the end of such period and, in addition, if no annual report for the last
fiscal year has been sent to shareholders, the annual report for the last fiscal
year. The Corporation shall use its best efforts to deliver on the statement to
the person making the request within 30 days thereafter. A copy of any such
statements shall be kept on file in the principal executive office of the
Corporation for 12 months and they shall be exhibited at all reasonable times to
any shareholder demanding an examination of them or a copy shall be mailed to
such shareholder.

    The Corporation shall, upon the written request of any shareholder, mail to
the shareholder a copy of the last annual, semiannual or quarterly income
statement which it has prepared and a balance sheet as of the end of the period.
The quarterly income statements and balance sheets referred to in this section
shall be accompanied by the report thereon, if any, of any independent
accountants engaged by the Corporation or the certificate of an authorized
officer of the Corporation that such financial statements were prepared without
audit from the books and records of the Corporation.

    Section 5.  Contracts, Etc., How Executed.  The Board of Directors, except
    ----------
as in the bylaws otherwise provided, may authorize any officer or officers,
agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the
name of and on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or
confined to specific instances; and, unless so authorized by the Board of
Directors, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to
bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to
render it liable for any purpose or to any amount.

    Section 6.  Certificate for Shares.  Every holder of shares in the
    ----------
Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed in the name of the
Corporation by the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board or the President or
any Vice President and by the Chief Financial Officer or an Assistant Chief
Financial Officer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, certifying the
number of shares and the class or series of shares owned by the shareholder.
Any of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimile, provided that in such
event at least one signature, of either officer or, in the alternative, of the
Corporation's registrar or transfer agent, if any, shall be manually signed.  In
case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile
signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such
officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may
be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were an
officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

    Any such certificate shall also contain such legend or other statement as
may be required by Section 418 of the General Corporation Law, the Corporate
Securities Law of 1968, the federal securities laws, and any agreement between
the Corporation and the issuee thereof.

    Certificates for shares may be issued prior to full payment under such
restrictions and for such purposes as the Board of Directors or the bylaws may
provide; provided, however, that any such certificate so issued prior to full
payment shall state on the face thereof the amount remaining unpaid and the
terms of payment thereof.

                                     -16-
<PAGE>

    No new certificate for shares shall be issued in lieu of an old certificate
unless the latter is surrendered and canceled at the same time; provided,
however, that a new certificate will be issued without the surrender and
cancellation of the old certificate if (1) the old certificate is lost,
apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken; (2) the request for the issuance of
the new certificate is made within a reasonable time after the owner of the old
certificate has notice of its loss, destruction or theft; (3) the request for
the issuance of a new certificate is made prior to the receipt of notice by the
Corporation that the old certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser;
(4) the owner of the old certificate files a sufficient indemnity bond with or
provides other adequate security to the Corporation; and (5) the owner satisfies
any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Corporation.  In the event of
the issuance of a new certificate, the rights and liabilities of the
Corporation, and of the holders of the old and new certificates, shall be
governed by the provisions of Sections 8104 and 8405 of the California Uniform
Commercial Code.

    Section 7.  Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.  The president
    ----------
or any vice president and the secretary or any assistant secretary of this
Corporation are authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this
Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares of any other corporation
or corporations standing in the name of this Corporation.  The authority herein
granted to said officers to vote or represent on behalf of this Corporation any
and all shares held by this corporation in any other corporation or corporations
may be exercised either by such officers in person or by any other person
authorized so to do by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by said
officers.

    Section 8.  Inspection of Bylaws.  The Corporation shall keep in its
    ----------
principal executive office in California, or, if its principal executive office
is not in California, then at its principal business office in California (or
otherwise provide upon Written request of any shareholder) the original or a
copy of the bylaws as amended or otherwise altered to date, certified by the
secretary, which shall be open to inspection by the shareholders at all
reasonable times during office hours.

    Section 9.  Construction and Definitions.  Unless the context otherwise
    ----------
requires, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions
contained in the California General Corporation Law shall govern the
construction of these bylaws.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter, the singular number
includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular, and the term
"person" includes a corporation as well as a natural person.

                                 Article VI.
                                 ----------

                                 Amendments

    Section 1.  Power of Shareholders.  New bylaws may be adopted or these
    ----------
bylaws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
outstanding shares entitled to vote, or by the written assent of shareholders
entitled to vote such shares, except as otherwise provided by law or by the
Articles of Incorporation.

    Section 2.  Power of Directors.  Subject to the right of shareholders as
    ----------
provided in Section 1 of this Article VI to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws,
bylaws, other than a bylaw or amendment thereof changing the authorized number
of directors, may be adopted, amended or repealed by the Board of Directors.

                                     -17-

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

    --------------                                   --------------
        NUMBER                                           SHARES

    LU                              PACIFIC
    --------------        [GRAPHIC] MERCANTILE       --------------
                                    BANCORP
     COMMON STOCK                                     COMMON STOCK

                                                 SEE REVERSE FOR STATEMENTS
INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS                   RELATING TO RIGHTS, PREFERENCES,
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA                  PRIVILEGES AND RESTRICTIONS, IF ANY

                                                   CUSIP 0694553 10 8

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Certifies that



is the record holder of
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE, OF

     ---=================== PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP ====================---

transferable on the books of the Corporation in person or by duly authorized
attorney on surrender of this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate
shall not be valid until countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and
Registrar.

     WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the signatures of its
duly authorized officers.

     Dated:

                                [CORPORATE SEAL]

           SECRETARY                                       PRESIDENT


                                            COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
                                               U.S. STOCK TRANSFER CORPORATION
                                                    TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

                                            BY

                                                            AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE
<PAGE>

     A statement of the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted
to or imposed upon the respective classes or series of shares and upon the
holders thereof as established, from time to time, by the Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation and by any certificate of determination, and
the number of shares constituting each class and series and the designations
thereof, may be obtained by the holder hereof upon written request and without
charge from the Secretary of the Corporation at its corporate headquarters.

     KEEP THIS CERTIFICATE IN A SAFE PLACE. IF IT IS LOST, STOLEN, OR DESTROYED
THE CORPORATION WILL REQUIRE A BOND OF INDEMNITY AS A CONDITION TO THE ISSUANCE
OF A REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE.

     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

<TABLE>
<S>                                               <C>
TEN COM --  as tenants in common                  UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -- .............. Custodian ..................
TEN ENT --  as tenants by the entireties                                   (Cust)                     (Minor)
JT TEN  --  as joint tenants with right of                             under Uniform Gifts to Minors
            survivorship and not as tenants                            Act .......................................
            in common                                                                      (State)
                                                  UNIF TRF MIN ACT  -- .............. Custodian (until age ......)
                                                                           (Cust)
                                                                       ................... under Uniform Transfers
                                                                             (Minor)
                                                                       to Minors Act .............................
                                                                                                (State)
                  Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
</TABLE>

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________________ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto


PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
______________________________________

______________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________
  (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)

________________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________________ Shares
of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint

_______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated __________________________


                      X ________________________________________________________

                      X ________________________________________________________
                NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH
                        THE NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE
                        IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT
                        OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.


Signature(s) Guaranteed




By ____________________________________________________
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE
GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN
AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM),
PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.1

                            PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK

                             1999 STOCK OPTION PLAN

     This 1999 STOCK OPTION PLAN (the "Plan") is hereby established by Pacific
Mercantile Bank, a California corporation (the "Company"), and adopted by its
Board of Directors as of March 2, 1999.

                                   Article 1.

                              PURPOSES OF THE PLAN
                              --------------------

     1.1  Purposes.  The purposes of the Plan are (a) to enhance the Company's
          --------
ability to attract and retain the services of officers and qualified employees
and directors, upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts the successful
conduct and development of the Company's business largely depends, and (b) to
provide additional incentives to such persons or entities to devote their utmost
effort and skill to the advancement and betterment of the Company, by providing
them an opportunity to participate in the ownership of the Company and thereby
have an interest in the success and increased value of the Company.

                                   Article 2.

                                  DEFINITIONS
                                  -----------

     For purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:

     2.1  Administrator.  "Administrator" means the Board or, if the Board
          -------------
delegates responsibility for any matter to the Committee, the term Administrator
shall mean the Committee.

     2.2  Affiliated Company.  "Affiliated Company" means any "parent
          ------------------
corporation" or "subsidiary corporation" of the Company, whether now existing or
hereafter created or acquired, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and
424(f) of the Code, respectively.

     2.3  Board.  "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
          -----

     2.4  Change in Control.  "Change in Control" shall mean (i) the
          -----------------
acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or group (within the meaning
of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of the
beneficial ownership of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty
percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all outstanding securities
of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the
surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to
change the state in which the Company is incorporated; (iii) a reverse merger in
which the Company is the surviving entity but in which securities possessing
more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
Company's outstanding securities are transferred to or acquired by a person or
persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately prior to
such merger; (iv) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company; or (v) a complete liquidation or
dissolution of the Company.

     2.5  Code.  "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from
          ----
time to time.

     2.6  Committee.  "Committee" means a committee of two or more members of
          ---------
the Board to which administration of the Plan is delegated, as set forth in
Section 6.1 hereof.
<PAGE>

     2.7  Common Stock.  "Common Stock" means the Common Stock, no par value, of
          ------------
the Company, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof.


     2.8  Disability.  "Disability" means permanent and total disability as
          ----------
defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.  The Administrator's determination of a
Disability or the absence thereof shall be conclusive and binding on all
interested parties.

     2.9  Effective Date.  "Effective Date" means the date on which the Plan is
          --------------
adopted by the Board, as set forth on the first page hereof.

     2.10  Exercise Price.  "Exercise Price" means the purchase price per share
           --------------
of Common Stock payable upon exercise of an Option.

     2.11  Fair Market Value.   "Fair Market Value" on any given date means the
           -----------------
value of one share of Common Stock, determined as follows:

          (a) If the Common Stock is then listed or admitted to trading on a
NASDAQ market system or a stock exchange which reports closing sale prices, the
Fair Market Value shall be the closing sale price on the date of valuation on
such NASDAQ market system or principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock
is then listed or admitted to trading, or, if no closing sale price is quoted on
such day, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing sale price of the
Common Stock on such NASDAQ market system or such exchange on the next preceding
day for which a closing sale price is reported.

          (b) If the Common Stock is not then listed or admitted to trading on a
NASDAQ market system or a stock exchange which reports closing sale prices, the
Fair Market Value shall be the average of the closing bid and asked prices of
the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market on the date of valuation.

          (c) If neither (a) nor (b) is applicable as of the date of valuation,
then the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Administrator in good
faith using any reasonable method of evaluation, which determination shall be
conclusive and binding on all interested parties.

     2.12  Incentive Option.  "Incentive Option" means any Option designated and
           ----------------
qualified as an "incentive stock option" as defined in Section 422 of the Code.

     2.13  Incentive Option Agreement.  "Incentive Option Agreement" means an
           --------------------------
Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Option.

     2.14  NASD Dealer.  "NASD Dealer" means a broker-dealer that is a member of
           -----------
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

     2.15  Nonqualified Option.  "Nonqualified Option" means any Option that is
           -------------------
not an Incentive Option.  To the extent that any Option designated as an
Incentive Option fails in whole or in part to qualify as an Incentive Option,
including, without limitation, for failure to meet the limitations applicable to
a 10% Shareholder or because it exceeds the annual limit provided for in Section
5.6 below, it shall to that extent constitute a Nonqualified Option.

     2.16  Nonqualified Option Agreement.  "Nonqualified Option Agreement" means
           -----------------------------
an Option Agreement with respect to a Nonqualified Option.

                                       2
<PAGE>

     2.17  Option.  "Option" means any option to purchase Common Stock granted
           ------
pursuant to the Plan.

     2.18  Option Agreement.  "Option Agreement" means the written agreement
           ----------------
entered into between the Company and the Optionee with respect to an Option
granted under the Plan.

     2.19  Optionee.  "Optionee" means an individual or entity who holds an
           --------
Option.

     2.20  10% Shareholder.  "10% Shareholder" means a person who, as of a
           ---------------
relevant date, owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules
applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of
the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of an
Affiliated Company.

                                   Article 3.

                                  ELIGIBILITY
                                  -----------

     3.1  Incentive Options.  Officers and other key employees of the Company or
          -----------------
of an Affiliated Company (including members of the Board if they are employees
of the Company or of an Affiliated Company) are eligible to receive Incentive
Options under the Plan.

     3.2  Nonqualified Options.  Officers and other key employees and members of
          --------------------
the Board of the Company or of an Affiliated Company, and members of the Board
(whether or not they are employed by the Company or an Affiliated Company), are
eligible to receive Nonqualified Options under the Plan.

     3.3  Limitation on Shares.  In no event shall any Optionee be granted
          --------------------
Options in any one calendar year pursuant to which the aggregate number of
shares of Common Stock that may be acquired thereunder exceeds sixty thousand
(60,000) shares.

                                   Article 4.

                                  PLAN SHARES
                                  -----------

     4.1  Shares Subject to the Plan.  As of March 2, 1999, the date as of which
          --------------------------
this Plan was adopted by the Board, a total of one hundred sixty thousand
(160,000) shares of Common Stock are authorized for issuance under the Plan,
subject to adjustment as to the number and kind of shares pursuant to Section
4.2 hereof.  As of such date, a total 836,251 shares of Common Stock were
outstanding.  Upon the sale or issuance of additional shares of Common Stock by
the Company (other than shares issued pursuant to this Plan), the number of
shares of Common Stock that are authorized for issuance under this Plan shall be
increased in the same proportion as the increase in the number of outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company by reason of that sale and issuance of
additional shares.  By way of example, if the Company were to sell and issue a
number of shares of Common Stock, subsequent to March 2, 1999 (other than
pursuant to this Plan), which increases the total number of shares of Common
Stock that are outstanding by 20%, the number of shares of Common Stock
authorized to be issued under the Plan shall be increase by 20% (which would be
32,000 shares).  For purposes of the foregoing limitations, in the event that
(a) all or any portion of any Option granted or offered under the Plan can no
longer under any circumstances be exercised, or (b) any shares of Common Stock
are reacquired by the Company pursuant to an Incentive Option Agreement or
Nonqualified Option Agreement, the shares of Common Stock allocable to the
unexercised portion of such Option or the shares so reacquired, shall again be
available for grant or issuance under the Plan.

                                       3
<PAGE>

     4.2  Changes in Capital Structure.  In the event that the outstanding
          ----------------------------
shares of Common Stock are hereafter increased or decreased or changed into or
exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the
Company by reason of a stock split, combination of shares, reclassification,
stock dividend, or other similar change in the capital structure of the Company,
then appropriate adjustments shall be made by the Administrator to the aggregate
number and kind of shares subject to this Plan, and the number and kind of
shares and the price per share subject to outstanding Option Agreements, in
order to preserve, as nearly as practical, but not to increase, the benefits to
Optionees.

                                   Article 5.

                                    OPTIONS
                                    -------

     5.1  Option Agreement.  Each Option granted pursuant to this Plan shall be
          ----------------
evidenced by an Option Agreement which shall specify the number of shares
subject thereto, the Exercise Price per share, and whether the Option is an
Incentive Option or Nonqualified Option.  As soon as is practical following the
grant of an Option, an Option Agreement shall be duly executed and delivered by
or on behalf of the Company to the Optionee to whom such Option was granted.
Each Option Agreement shall be in such form and contain such additional terms
and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, as the
Administrator shall, from time to time, deem desirable, including, without
limitation, the imposition of any rights of first refusal and resale obligations
upon any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option Agreement.  Each
Option Agreement may be different from each other Option Agreement.

     5.2  Exercise Price.  The Exercise Price per share of Common Stock covered
          --------------
by each Option shall be determined by the Administrator; provided, however, that
                                                         --------  -------
the Exercise Price of an Incentive or a Nonqualified Option shall not be less
than 100% of Fair Market Value on the date the Incentive Option is granted; and
provided, further, that, if the person to whom an Incentive Option is granted is
- --------  -------
a 10% Shareholder on the date of grant, the Exercise Price shall not be less
than 110% of Fair Market Value on the date the Option is granted.

     5.3  Payment of Exercise Price.  Payment of the Exercise Price shall be
          -------------------------
made upon exercise of an Option and may be made, in the discretion of the
Administrator, subject to any legal restrictions, by cash or check; or, subject
to the approval of the Administrator by any of the following methods of payment:
(a) the surrender of shares of Common Stock owned by the Optionee that have been
held by the Optionee for at least six (6) months, which surrendered shares shall
be valued at Fair Market Value as of the date of such exercise; (b) the
Optionee's promissory note in a form and on terms acceptable to the
Administrator; (c) the cancellation of indebtedness of the Company to the
Optionee; (d) the waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Optionee for
services rendered.  In addition, provided that a public market for the Common
Stock exists, payment may be made by means of: (x) a "same day sale" commitment
from the Optionee and an NASD Dealer whereby the Optionee irrevocably elects to
exercise the Option and to sell a portion of the shares so purchased to pay for
the Exercise Price and whereby the NASD Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt
of such shares to forward the Exercise Price directly to the Company; or (y) a
"margin" commitment from the Optionee and an NASD Dealer whereby the Optionee
irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to pledge the shares so purchased
to the NASD Dealer in a margin account as security for a loan from the NASD
Dealer in the amount of the Exercise Price, and whereby the NASD Dealer
irrevocably commits upon receipt of such shares to forward the Exercise Price
directly to the Company.  With the approval of the Administrator, payment may
also be made by any combination of the foregoing methods of payment or any other
consideration or method of payment as shall be permitted by applicable corporate
and banking laws.

                                       4
<PAGE>

     5.4  Term and Termination of Options.  The term and provisions for
          -------------------------------
termination of each Option shall be as fixed by the Administrator, but no Option
may be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date it is granted.  An
Incentive Option granted to a person who is a 10% Shareholder on the date of
grant shall not be exercisable more than five (5) years after the date it is
granted.

     5.5  Vesting and Exercise of Options.  Each Option shall vest and become
          -------------------------------
exercisable in one or more installments at such time or times and subject to
such conditions, including without limitation the achievement of specified
performance goals or objectives, as shall be determined by the Administrator.

     5.6  Annual Limit on Incentive Options.  To the extent required for
          ---------------------------------
"incentive stock option" treatment under Section 422 of the Code, the aggregate
Fair Market Value (determined as of the time of grant) of the Common Stock shall
not, with respect to which Incentive Options granted under this Plan and any
other plan of the Company or any Affiliated Company become exercisable for the
first time by an Optionee during any calendar year, exceed $100,000.

     5.7  Nontransferability of Options.  No Option shall be assignable or
          -----------------------------
transferable except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and during
the life of the Optionee shall be exercisable only by such Optionee; provided,
however, that, in the discretion of the Administrator, any Option may be
assigned or transferred in any manner which an "incentive stock option" is
permitted to be assigned or transferred under the Code.

     5.8  Rights as Shareholder.  An Optionee or permitted transferee of an
          ---------------------
Optionee shall have no rights or privileges as a shareholder with respect to any
shares covered by an Option until the Option has been duly exercised and
certificates for the shares purchased have been issued to such person.

                                   Article 6.

                           ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
                           --------------------------

     6.1  Administrator.  Authority to control and manage the operation and
          -------------
administration of the Plan shall be vested in the Board, which may delegate such
responsibilities in whole or in part to a committee consisting of two (2) or
more members of the Board (the "Committee").  Members of the Committee may be
appointed from time to time by, and shall serve at the pleasure of, the Board.
As used herein, the term "Administrator" means the Board or, with respect to any
matter as to which responsibility has been delegated to the Committee, the term
Administrator shall mean the Committee.

     6.2  Powers of the Administrator.  In addition to any other powers or
          ---------------------------
authority conferred upon the Administrator elsewhere in the Plan or by law, the
Administrator shall have full power and authority: (a) to determine the persons
to whom, and the time or times at which, Incentive Options or Nonqualified
Options shall be granted, the number of shares to be represented by each Option
and the consideration to be received by the Company upon the exercise thereof;
(b) to interpret the Plan; (c) to create, amend or rescind rules and regulations
relating to the Plan; (d) to determine the terms, conditions and restrictions
contained in, and the form of Option Agreements; (e) to determine the identity
or capacity of any persons who may be entitled to exercise an Optionee's rights
under any Option under the Plan; (f) to correct any defect or supply any
omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Option Agreement;
(g) to accelerate the vesting of any Option or release or waive any repurchase
rights of the Company; (h) to extend the exercise date of any Option; (i) to
provide for rights of first refusal and/or repurchase rights; (j) to amend
outstanding Option Agreements to provide for, among other things, any change or
modification which the Administrator could have provided for upon the grant of
an

                                       5
<PAGE>

Option or in furtherance of the powers provided for herein; and (k) to make
all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the
Plan, but only to the extent not contrary to the express provisions of the Plan.
Any action, decision, interpretation or determination made in good faith by the
Administrator in the exercise of its authority conferred upon it under the Plan
shall be final and binding on the Company and all Optionees.

     6.3  Limitation on Liability.  No employee of the Company or member of the
          -----------------------
Board or Committee shall be subject to any liability with respect to duties
under the Plan unless the person acts fraudulently or in bad faith.  To the
extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each member of the Board or
Committee, and any employee of the Company with duties under the Plan, who was
or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending
or completed proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, by reason of such person's conduct in the performance of duties
under the Plan.

                                   Article 7.

                               CHANGE IN CONTROL
                               -----------------

     7.1  Change in Control.  In order to preserve an Optionee's rights in the
          -----------------
event of a Change in Control of the Company, (i) the time period relating to the
exercise or realization of all outstanding Options shall automatically
accelerate immediately prior to the consummation of such Change in Control, and
(ii) with respect to Options, the Administrator in its discretion may, at any
time an Option is granted, or at any time thereafter, take one or more of the
following actions:  (A) provide for the purchase or exchange of each Option for
an amount of cash or other property having a value equal to the difference, or
spread, between (x) the value of the cash or other property that the Optionee
would have received pursuant to such Change in Control transaction in exchange
for the shares issuable upon exercise of the Option had the Option been
exercised immediately prior to such Change in Control transaction and (y) the
Exercise Price of such Option, (B) adjust the terms of the Options in a manner
determined by the Administrator to reflect the Change in Control, (C) cause the
Options to be assumed, or new rights substituted therefor, by another entity,
through the continuance of the Plan and the assumption of outstanding Options,
or the substitution for such Options of new options of comparable value covering
shares of a successor corporation, with appropriate adjustments as to the number
and kind of shares and Exercise Prices, in which event the Plan and such
Options, or the new options substituted therefor, shall continue in the manner
and under the terms so provided, or (D) make such other provision as the
Administrator may consider equitable.  If the Administrator does not take any of
the forgoing actions, all Options shall terminate upon the consummation of the
Change in Control and the Administrator shall cause written notice of the
proposed transaction to be given to all Optionees not less than fifteen (15)
days prior to the anticipated effective date of the proposed transaction.

                                   Article 8.

                     AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN
                     -------------------------------------

     8.1  Amendments.  The Board may from time to time alter, amend, suspend or
          ----------
terminate the Plan in such respects as the Board may deem advisable.  No such
alteration, amendment, suspension or termination shall be made which shall
substantially affect or impair the rights of any Optionee under an outstanding
Option Agreement without such Optionee's consent.  The Board may alter or amend
the Plan to comply with requirements under the Code relating to Incentive
Options or other types of options which give Optionees more favorable tax
treatment than that applicable to Options granted under this Plan as of the date
of its adoption.  Upon any such alteration or amendment, any outstanding Option
granted hereunder may, if the Administrator so determines and if permitted by
applicable law, be subject to the more favorable tax treatment afforded to an
Optionee pursuant to such terms and conditions.

                                       6
<PAGE>

     8.2  Plan Termination.  Unless the Plan shall theretofore have been
          ----------------
terminated, the Plan shall terminate on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the
Effective Date and no Options may be granted under the Plan thereafter, but
Option Agreements then outstanding shall continue in effect in accordance with
their respective terms.

                                   Article 9.

                                TAX WITHHOLDING
                                ---------------

     9.1  Withholding.  The Company shall have the power to withhold, or require
          -----------
a Optionee to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy any
applicable Federal, state, and local tax withholding requirements with respect
to any Options exercised under the Plan.  To the extent permissible under
applicable tax, securities and other laws, the Administrator may, in its sole
discretion and upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate, permit
an Optionee to satisfy his or her obligation to pay any such tax, in whole or in
part, up to an amount determined on the basis of the highest marginal tax rate
applicable to such Optionee, by (a) directing the Company to apply shares of
Common Stock to which the Optionee is entitled as a result of the exercise of an
Option or (b) delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock owned by the
Optionee.  The shares of Common Stock so applied or delivered in satisfaction of
the Optionee's tax withholding obligation shall be valued at their Fair Market
Value as of the date of measurement of the amount of income subject to
withholding.

                                  Article 10.

                                 MISCELLANEOUS
                                 -------------

     10.1  Benefits Not Alienable.  Other than as provided above, benefits under
           ----------------------
the Plan may not be assigned or alienated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.
Any unauthorized attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition
shall be without effect.

     10.2  No Enlargement of Employee Rights.  This Plan is strictly a voluntary
           ---------------------------------
undertaking on the part of the Company and shall not be deemed to constitute a
contract between the Company and any Optionee to be consideration for, or an
inducement to, or a condition of, the employment of any Optionee.  Nothing
contained in the Plan shall be deemed to give the right to any Optionee to be
retained as an employee of the Company or any Affiliated Company or to limit the
right of the Company or any Affiliated Company to discharge any Optionee at any
time.

     10.3  Application of Funds.  The proceeds received by the Company from the
           --------------------
sale of Common Stock pursuant to Option Agreements, except as otherwise provided
herein, will be used for general corporate purposes.

                                  Article 11.

                           EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PLAN
                           -------------------------

     11.1  Effectiveness of the Plan.  The Plan shall become effective and
           -------------------------
options maybe granted under the Plan commencing on the date that this Plan is
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company, which was March 2, 1999.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, no options that may be granted under
this Plan shall become exercisable unless and until (i) the Plan is approved by
the Company's shareholders and (ii) the Company receives the approvals or
exemptions, if any, required to be obtained from regulatory agencies having
jurisdiction over the issuance of shares of stock by the Company under this
Plan.

                                       7

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2

                            PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK

                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------

     Type of Option (check one):        [_]  Incentive      [_]  Nonqualified

     This Stock Option Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into as of
________________, 1999, by and between Pacific Mercantile Bank, a California
corporation (the "Company"), and ____________________ (the "Optionee") pursuant
to the Company's 1999 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

     1.  Grant of Option.  The Company hereby grants to Optionee an option (the
         ---------------
"Option") to purchase all or any portion of a total of ___________________
(________) shares (the "Shares") of the Common Stock of the Company at a
purchase price of _________________________ ($_______) per share  (the "Exercise
Price"), subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and the provisions
of the Plan.  If the box marked "Incentive" above is checked, then this Option
is intended to qualify as an "incentive stock option" as defined in Section 422
of the Internal Revenue Code of l986, as amended (the "Code").  If this Option
fails in whole or in part to qualify as an incentive stock option, or if the box
marked "Nonqualified" is checked, then this Option shall to that extent
constitute a nonqualified stock option.

     2.  Vesting of Option.  The right to exercise this Option shall vest in
         -----------------
installments, and this Option shall be exercisable from time to time in whole or
in part as to any vested installment, as follows:

                          This Option shall be
  On or After:            Exercisable as to:
  -----------             ------------------------


                    [To be Determined at the time of Grant]


No additional shares shall vest after the date of termination of Optionee's
"Continuous Service" (as defined in Section 3 below), but this Option shall
continue to be exercisable in accordance with Section 3 hereof with respect to
that number of shares that have vested as of the date of termination of
Optionee's Continuous Service.  If the Option is granted prior to the approval
of the Plan by the shareholders of the Company, then, notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, this Option shall not become exercisable
unless and until the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company.

     3.   Term of Option.  Optionee's right to exercise this Option shall
          --------------
terminate upon the first to occur of the following:

          (a) the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of this Agreement;

          (b) the expiration of three (3) months from the date of termination of
Optionee's Continuous Service if such termination occurs for any reason other
than permanent disability, death or voluntary resignation; provided, however,
that if Optionee dies during such three-month period the provisions of Section
3(e) below shall apply;
<PAGE>

          (c) the expiration of one (1) month from the date of termination of
Optionee's Continuous Service if such termination occurs due to voluntary
resignation; provided, however, that if Optionee dies during such one-month
period the provisions of Section 3(e) below shall apply;

          (d) the expiration of one (1) year from the date of termination of
Optionee's Continuous Service if such termination is due to permanent disability
of the Optionee (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code);

          (e) the expiration of one (1) year from the date of termination of
Optionee's Continuous Service if such termination is due to Optionee's death or
if death occurs during either the three-month or one-month period following
termination of Optionee's Continuous Service pursuant to Section 3(b) or 3(c)
above, as the case may be; or

          (f) upon the consummation of a "Change in Control" (as defined in
Section 2.4 of the Plan), unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 11
below.

As used herein, the term "Continuous Service" means (i) employment by either the
Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company, or by a
corporation or a parent or subsidiary of a corporation issuing or assuming a
stock option in a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies, which
is uninterrupted except for vacations, illness (except for permanent disability,
as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), or leaves of absence which are
approved in writing by the Company or any of such other employer corporations,
if applicable, (ii) service as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company
until Optionee resigns, is removed from office, or Optionee's term of office
expires and he or she is not reelected, or (iii) so long as Optionee is engaged
as a consultant or service provider to the Company or other corporation referred
to in clause (i) above.

     4.   Exercise of Option.  On or after the vesting of any portion of this
          ------------------
Option in accordance with Sections 2 or 11 hereof, and until termination of the
right to exercise this Option in accordance with Section 3 above, the portion of
this Option which has vested may be exercised in whole or in part by the
Optionee (or, after his or her death, by the person designated in Section 5
below) upon delivery of the following to the Company at its principal executive
offices:

          (a) a written notice of exercise which identifies this Agreement and
states the number of Shares then being purchased (but no fractional Shares may
be purchased);

          (b) a check or cash in the amount of the Exercise Price (or payment of
the Exercise Price in such other form of lawful consideration as the
Administrator may approve from time to time under the provisions of Section 5.3
of the Plan);

          (c) a check or cash in the amount reasonably requested by the Company
to satisfy the Company's withholding obligations under federal, state or other
applicable tax laws with respect to the taxable income, if any, recognized by
the Optionee in connection with the exercise of this Option (unless the Company
and Optionee shall have made other arrangements for deductions or withholding
from Optionee's wages, bonus or other compensation payable to Optionee, or by
the withholding of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Option or the delivery
of Shares owned by the Optionee in accordance with Section 10.1 of the Plan,
provided such arrangements satisfy the requirements of applicable tax laws); and

     5.   Death of Optionee; No Assignment.  The rights of the Optionee under
          --------------------------------
this Agreement may not be assigned or transferred except by will or by the laws
of descent and distribution, and may be exercised during the lifetime of the
Optionee only by such Optionee.  Any

                                       2
<PAGE>

attempt to sell, pledge, assign, hypothecate, transfer or dispose of this Option
in contravention of this Agreement or the Plan shall be void and shall have no
effect. If the Optionee's Continuous Service terminates as a result of his or
her death, and provided Optionee's rights hereunder shall have vested pursuant
to Section 2 hereof, Optionee's legal representative, his or her legatee, or the
person who acquired the right to exercise this Option by reason of the death of
the Optionee (individually, a "Successor") shall succeed to the Optionee's
rights and obligations under this Agreement. After the death of the Optionee,
only a Successor may exercise this Option.

     6.   Receipt of Plan by Optionee.  Optionee acknowledges receipt of a copy
          ---------------------------
of the Plan and understands that all rights and obligations connected with this
Option are set forth in this Agreement and in the Plan.

     7.   Adjustments Upon Changes in Capital Structure.  If the outstanding
          ---------------------------------------------
shares of Common Stock of the Company are hereafter increased or decreased or
changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other
securities of the Company by reason of a stock split, combination of shares,
reclassification, stock dividend or other similar change in the capital
structure of the Company, then appropriate adjustment shall be made by the
Administrator to the number of Shares subject to the unexercised portion of this
Option and to the Exercise Price per share, in order to preserve, as nearly as
practical, but not to increase, the benefits of the Optionee under this Option,
in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.2 of the Plan.

     8.   Change in Control.  In the event of a Change in Control (as defined in
          -----------------
Section 2.4 of the Plan) of the Company, (i) the vesting of this Option pursuant
to Section 2 above shall automatically accelerate immediately prior to the
consummation of such Change in Control, and (ii) the Administrator in its
discretion may take one or more of the following actions:  (A) provide for the
purchase or exchange of this Option for an amount of cash or other property
having a value equal to the difference, or spread, between (x) the value of the
cash or other property that the Optionee would have received pursuant to such
Change in Control transaction in exchange for the shares issuable upon exercise
of this Option had this Option been exercised immediately prior to such Change
in Control transaction and (y) the Exercise Price, (B) adjust the terms of this
Option in a manner determined by the Administrator to reflect the Change in
Control, (C) cause this Option to be assumed, or new rights substituted
therefor, by another entity, through the continuance of the Plan and the
assumption of this Option, or  the substitution for this Option of a  new option
of comparable value covering shares of a successor corporation, with appropriate
adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and Exercise Price, in which
event the Plan and this Option, or the new option substituted therefor, shall
continue in the manner and under the terms so provided, or (D) make such other
provision as the Administrator may consider equitable.  If the Administrator
does not take any of the forgoing actions, this Option shall terminate upon the
consummation of the Change in Control and the Administrator shall cause written
notice of the proposed transaction to be given to the Optionee not less than
fifteen (15) days prior to the anticipated effective date of the proposed
transaction.

     9.   No Employment Contract Created.  Neither the granting of this Option
          ------------------------------
nor the exercise hereof shall be construed as granting to the Optionee any right
with respect to continuance of employment by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.  The right of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to terminate
at will the Optionee's employment at any time (whether by dismissal, discharge
or otherwise), with or without cause, is specifically reserved.

     10.  No Rights as Shareholder.  The Optionee (or transferee of this option
          ------------------------
by will or by the laws of descent and distribution) shall have no rights as a
shareholder with respect to any Shares

                                       3
<PAGE>

covered by this Option until the date of the issuance of a stock certificate or
certificates to him or her for such Shares, notwithstanding the exercise of this
Option.

     11.  "Market Stand-Off" Agreement.  Optionee agrees that, if requested by
          ----------------------------
the Company or the managing underwriter of any proposed public offering of the
Company's securities, Optionee will not sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of
any Shares held by Optionee without the prior written consent of the Company or
such underwriter, as the case may be, during such period of time, not to exceed
180 days following the effective date of the registration statement filed by the
Company with respect to such offering, as the Company or the underwriter may
specify.

     12.  Interpretation.  This Option is granted pursuant to the terms of the
          --------------
Plan, and shall in all respects be interpreted in accordance therewith.  The
Administrator shall interpret and construe this Option and the Plan, and any
action, decision, interpretation or determination made in good faith by the
Administrator shall be final and binding on the Company and the Optionee.  As
used in this Agreement, the term "Administrator" shall refer to the committee of
the Board of Directors of the Company appointed to administer the Plan, and if
no such committee has been appointed, the term Administrator shall mean the
Board of Directors.

     13.  Notices.  Any notice, demand or request required or permitted to be
          -------
given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when
delivered personally or three (3) days after being deposited in the United
States mail, as certified or registered mail, with postage prepaid, and
addressed, if to the Company, at its principal place of business, Attention:
the Chief Financial Officer, and if to the Optionee, at his or her most recent
address as shown in the employment or stock records of the Company.

     14.  Annual and Other Periodic Reports.  During the term of this Agreement,
          ---------------------------------
the Company will furnish to the Optionee copies of all annual and other periodic
financial and informational reports that the Company distributes generally to
its shareholders.

     15.  Governing Law.  The validity, construction, interpretation, and effect
          -------------
of this Option shall be governed by and determined in accordance with the laws
of the State of California.

     16.  Severability.  Should any provision or portion of this Agreement be
          ------------
held to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions and
portions of this Agreement shall be unaffected by such holding.

     17.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more
          ------------
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which
together shall be deemed one instrument.


     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date
first above written.

PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK                    "OPTIONEE"


- -----------------------------------        -------------------------------------
                                                           (Signature)
Name:
     ------------------------------
Title:
      -----------------------------        -------------------------------------
                                                    (Type or print name)


                                       4

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.5

                              OFFICE SPACE LEASE


                                    BETWEEN


                              THE IRVINE COMPANY


                                      AND



                            PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK
<PAGE>

                              OFFICE SPACE LEASE


     THIS LEASE is made as of the 8th day of December, 1999, by and between THE
IRVINE COMPANY, hereafter called "Landlord," and PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK, a
California corporation, hereinafter called "Tenant."


                      ARTICLE I.  BASIC LEASE PROVISIONS


     Each reference in this Lease to the "Basic Lease Provisions" shall mean and
refer to the following collective terms, the application of which shall be
governed by the provisions in the remaining Articles of this Lease.

1.   Tenant's Trade Name:  N/A

2.   Premises:  Suite No.  360 (the Premises are more particularly described in
     Section 2.1).

     Address of Building:  450 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA  92660

     Project Description (if applicable):  Newport Center Block 400

3.   Use of Premises:  General Office and for no other use.

4.   Commencement Date:  December 9, 1999

5.   Lease Term:  Twelve (12) months, plus such additional days as may be
     required to cause this Lease to terminate on the final day of the calendar
     month.

6.   Basic Rent:  Five Thousand One Hundred Ninety-Six Dollars ($5,196.00) per
     month.

     Rental Adjustments:  None



7.   Property Tax Base: The Property Taxes per rentable square foot incurred by
     Landlord and attributable to the twelve month period ending  N/A.
                                                                 ----

     Building Cost Base: The Building Costs per rentable square foot incurred by
     Landlord and attributable to the twelve month period ending  N/A.
                                                                 ----

     Expense Recovery Period:  Every twelve month period during the Term (or
     portion thereof during the first and last Lease years) ending N/A.
                                                                   ---

8.   Floor Area of Premises:  approximately 1,551 rentable square feet

9.   Security Deposit:  $5,715.00

10.  Broker(s):  SZ Real Estate Management Services

11.  Plan Approval Date:  N/A

12.  Parking: Five (5) unreserved vehicle parking spaces.

13.  Address for Payments and Notices:

            LANDLORD                                 TENANT

     The Irvine Company                      Pacific Mercantile Bank
     c/o PM Realty Group                     450 Newport Center Drive
     630 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100     Suite 360
     Newport Beach, CA  92660                Newport Beach, CA  92660
     Attn:  Property Manager


     with a copy of notices to:

     THE IRVINE COMPANY
     P.O. Box 6370
     Newport Beach, CA  92658-6370
     Attn:  Vice President, Operations - Office Properties

<PAGE>

                             ARTICLE II.  PREMISES


     SECTION 2.1.  LEASED PREMISES.  Landlord leases to Tenant and Tenant rents
from Landlord the premises shown in Exhibit A (the "Premises"), containing
approximately the floor area set forth in Item 8 of the Basic Lease Provisions
and known by the suite number identified in Item 2 of the Basic Lease
Provisions.  The Premises are located in the building identified in Item 2 of
the Basic Lease Provisions (the "Building"), which is a portion of the project
described in Item 2 (the "Project").  If, upon completion of the space plans for
the Premises, Landlord's architect or space planner determines that the rentable
square footage of the Premises differs from that set forth in the Basic Lease
Provisions, then Landlord shall so notify Tenant and the Basic Rent (as shown in
Item 6 of the Basic Lease Provisions) shall be promptly adjusted in proportion
to the change in square footage.  Within five (5) days following Landlord's
request, the parties shall memorialize the adjustments by executing an amendment
to this Lease prepared by Landlord.

     SECTION 2.2.  ACCEPTANCE OF PREMISES.  Tenant acknowledges that neither
Landlord nor any representative of Landlord has made any representation or
warranty with respect to the Premises or the Building or the suitability or
fitness of either for any purpose, except as set forth in this Lease.  The
taking of possession or use of the Premises by Tenant for any purpose other than
construction shall conclusively establish that the Premises and the Building
were in satisfactory condition and in conformity with the provisions of this
Lease in all respects, except for those matters which Tenant shall have brought
to Landlord's attention on a written punch list.  The list shall be limited to
any items required to be accomplished by Landlord under the Work Letter (if any)
attached as Exhibit X, and shall be delivered to Landlord within thirty (30)
days after the term ("Term") of this Lease commences as provided in Article III
below.  If there is no Work Letter, or if no items are required of Landlord
under the Work Letter, by taking possession of the Premises Tenant accepts the
improvements in their existing condition, and waives any right or claim against
Landlord arising out of the condition of the Premises.  Nothing contained in
this Section shall affect the commencement of the Term or the obligation of
Tenant to pay rent.  Landlord shall diligently complete all punch list items of
which it is notified as provided above.

     SECTION 2.3.  BUILDING NAME AND ADDRESS.  Tenant shall not utilize any name
selected by Landlord from time to time for the Building and/or the Project as
any part of Tenant's corporate or trade name.  Landlord shall have the right to
change the name, number or designation of the Building or Project without
liability to Tenant.


                              ARTICLE III.  TERM


     SECTION 3.1.  GENERAL.  The Term shall be for the period shown in Item 5 of
the Basic Lease Provisions.  The Term shall commence ("Commencement Date") on
the Commencement Date as set forth  in Item 4 of the Basic Lease Provisions and
shall end upon the expiration of the period set forth in Item 5 of the Basic
Lease Provisions ("Expiration Date").


                   ARTICLE IV.  RENT AND OPERATING EXPENSES


     SECTION 4.1.  BASIC RENT.  From and after the Commencement Date, Tenant
shall pay to Landlord without deduction or offset a Basic Rent for the Premises
in the total amount shown (including subsequent adjustments, if any) in Item 6
of the Basic Lease Provisions.  Any rental adjustment shown in Item 6 shall be
deemed to occur on the specified monthly anniversary of the Commencement Date,
whether or not that date occurs at the end of a calendar month.  The rent shall
be due and payable in advance commencing on the Commencement Date and continuing
thereafter on the first day of each successive calendar month of the Term, as
prorated for any partial month.  No demand, notice or invoice shall be required.
An installment of rent in the amount of one (1) full month's Basic Rent at the
initial rate specified in Item 6 of the Basic Lease Provisions shall be
delivered to Landlord concurrently with Tenant's execution of this Lease and
shall be applied against the Basic Rent first due hereunder; the next
installment of Basic Rent shall be due on the first day of the second calendar
month of the Term, which installment shall, if applicable, be appropriately
prorated to reflect the amount prepaid for that calendar month.

     SECTION 4.2.  OPERATING EXPENSE INCREASE.

          (a) Tenant shall compensate Landlord, as additional rent, for Tenant's
proportionate shares of "Building Costs" and "Property Taxes," as those terms
are defined below, incurred by Landlord in the operation of the Building and
Project.  Property Taxes and Building Costs are mutually exclusive and may be
billed separately or in combination as determined by Landlord.  Tenant's
proportionate share

                                       2
<PAGE>

of Property Taxes shall equal the product of the rentable floor area of the
Premises multiplied by the difference of (i) Property Taxes per rentable square
foot less (ii) the Property Tax Base set forth in Item 7 of the Basic Lease
Provisions.  Tenant's proportionate share of Building Costs shall equal the
product of the rentable floor area of the Premises multiplied by the difference
of (i) Building Costs per rentable square foot less (ii) the Building Cost Base
set forth in Item 7 of the Basic Lease Provisions.  Tenant acknowledges
Landlord's rights to make changes or additions to the Building and/or Project
from time to time pursuant to Section 6.5 below, in which event the total
rentable square footage within the Building and/or Project may be adjusted.  For
convenience of reference, Property Taxes and Building Costs may sometimes be
collectively referred to as "Operating Expenses."

          (b) Commencing prior to the start of the first full "Expense Recovery
Period" of the Lease (as defined in Item 7 of the Basic Lease Provisions), and
prior to the start of each full or partial Expense Recovery Period thereafter,
Landlord shall give Tenant a written estimate of the amount of Tenant's
proportionate shares of Building Costs and Property Taxes for the Expense
Recovery Period or portion thereof.  Tenant shall pay the estimated amounts to
Landlord in equal monthly installments, in advance, with Basic Rent.  If
Landlord has not furnished its written estimate for any Expense Recovery Period
by the time set forth above, Tenant shall continue to pay cost reimbursements at
the rates established for the prior Expense Recovery Period, if any; provided
that when the new estimate is delivered to Tenant, Tenant shall, at the next
monthly payment date, pay any accrued cost reimbursements based upon the new
estimate.  Landlord may from time to time change the Expense Recovery Period to
reflect a calendar year or a new fiscal year of Landlord, as applicable, in
which event Tenant's share of Operating Expenses shall be equitably prorated for
any partial year.

          (c) Within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each Expense
Recovery Period, Landlord shall furnish to Tenant a statement setting forth the
actual or prorated Property Taxes and Building Costs attributable to that
period, and the parties shall within thirty (30) days thereafter make any
payment or allowance necessary to adjust Tenant's estimated payments, if any, to
Tenant's actual proportionate shares as shown by the annual statement.  If
Tenant has not made estimated payments during the Expense Recovery Period, any
amount owing by Tenant pursuant to subsection (a) above shall be paid to
Landlord in accordance with Article XVI.  If actual Property Taxes or Building
Costs allocable to Tenant during any Expense Recovery Period are less than the
Property Tax Base or the Building Cost Base, respectively, Landlord shall not be
required to pay that differential to Tenant, although Landlord shall refund any
applicable estimated payments collected from Tenant.  Should Tenant fail to
object in writing to Landlord's determination of actual Operating Expenses
within sixty (60) days following delivery of Landlord's expense statement,
Landlord's determination of actual Operating Expenses for the applicable Expense
Recovery Period shall be conclusive and binding on Tenant.

          (d) Even though the Lease has terminated and the Tenant has vacated
the Premises, when the final determination is made of Tenant's share of Property
Taxes and Building Costs for the Expense Recovery Period in which the Lease
terminates, Tenant shall upon notice pay the entire increase due over the
estimated expenses paid; conversely, any overpayment made in the event expenses
decrease shall be rebated by Landlord to Tenant.  However, in lieu thereof,
Landlord may deliver a reasonable estimate of the anticipated reconciliation
amount to Tenant prior to the expiration of the Term, in which event the
appropriate party shall fund that amount by the termination date.

          (e) If, at any time during any Expense Recovery Period, any one or
more of the Operating Expenses are increased to a rate(s) or amount(s) in excess
of the rate(s) or amount(s) used in calculating the estimated expenses for the
year, then Tenant's estimated share of Property Taxes or Building Costs, as
applicable, shall be increased for the month in which the increase becomes
effective and for all succeeding months by an amount equal to Tenant's
proportionate share of the increase.  Landlord shall give Tenant written notice
of the amount or estimated amount of the increase, the month in which the
increase will become effective, Tenant's monthly share thereof and the months
for which the payments are due.  Tenant shall pay the increase to Landlord as a
part of Tenant's monthly payments of estimated expenses as provided in paragraph
(b) above, commencing with the month in which effective.

          (f) The term "Building Costs" shall include all expenses of operation
and maintenance of the Building and the Project, together with all appurtenant
Common Areas (as defined in Section 6.2), and shall include the following
charges by way of illustration but not limitation:  water and sewer charges;
insurance premiums or reasonable premium equivalents should Landlord elect to
self-insure any risk or deductible that Landlord is authorized to insure
hereunder; license, permit, and inspection fees; heat; light; power; janitorial
services; repairs; air conditioning; supplies; materials; equipment; tools;
tenant services; programs instituted to comply with transportation management
requirements; amortization of capital investments reasonably intended to produce
a reduction in operating charges or energy conservation; amortization of capital
investments necessary to bring the Building into compliance with applicable laws
and building codes enacted subsequent to the completion of construction of the
Building; labor; reasonably allocated wages and salaries, fringe benefits, and
payroll taxes for administrative and other personnel directly applicable to the
Building and/or Project, including both Landlord's personnel and outside
personnel; any expense incurred pursuant to Sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 7.2, and
10.2 and Exhibits B and C below; and a reasonable overhead/management fee.  It
is understood that

                                       3
<PAGE>

Building Costs shall include competitive charges for direct services provided by
any subsidiary or division of Landlord.  The term "Property Taxes" as used
herein shall include the following:  (i) all real estate taxes or personal
property taxes, as such property taxes may be reassessed from time to time; and
(ii) other taxes, documentary transfer fees, charges and assessments which are
levied with respect to this Lease or to the Building and/or the Project, and any
improvements, fixtures and equipment and other property of Landlord located in
the Building and/or the Project, except that general net income and franchise
taxes imposed against Landlord shall be excluded; and (iii) any tax, surcharge
or assessment which shall be levied in addition to or in lieu of real estate or
personal property taxes, other than taxes covered by Article VIII; and (iv)
costs and expenses incurred in contesting the amount or validity of any Property
Tax by appropriate proceedings.  A copy of Landlord's unaudited statement of
expenses shall be made available to Tenant upon request.  The Building Costs may
be extrapolated by Landlord to reflect at least ninety-five percent (95%)
occupancy of the rentable area of the Building.

          (g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord hereby agrees that Tenant
shall not be obligated to reimburse Landlord for Operating Expenses accruing
during the initial twelve (12) month Lease Term.

     SECTION 4.3.  SECURITY DEPOSIT.  Concurrently with Tenant's delivery of
this Lease, Tenant shall deposit with Landlord the sum, if any, stated in Item 9
of the Basic Lease Provisions (the "Security Deposit"), to be held by Landlord
as security for the full and faithful performance of Tenant's obligations under
this Lease to pay any rent as and when due, including without limitation such
additional rent as may be owing under any provision hereof, and to maintain the
Premises as required by Sections 7.1 and 15.3 or any other provision of this
Lease.  Upon any breach of those obligations by Tenant, Landlord may apply all
or part of the Security Deposit as full or partial compensation.  If any portion
of the Security Deposit is so applied, Tenant shall within five (5) days after
written demand by Landlord deposit cash with Landlord in an amount sufficient to
restore the Security Deposit to its original amount.  Landlord shall not be
required to keep this Security Deposit separate from its general funds, and
Tenant shall not be entitled to interest on the Security Deposit.  In no event
may Tenant utilize all or any portion of the Security Deposit as a payment
toward any rental sum due under this Lease.  If Tenant fully performs its
obligations under this Lease, the Security Deposit or any balance thereof shall
be returned to Tenant or, at Landlord's option, to the last assignee of Tenant's
interest in this Lease.


                               ARTICLE V. USES


     SECTION 5.1.  USE.  Tenant shall use the Premises only for the purposes
stated in Item 3 of the Basic Lease Provisions.  The parties agree that any
contrary use shall be deemed to cause material and irreparable harm to Landlord
and shall entitle Landlord to injunctive relief in addition to any other
available remedy.  Tenant shall not do or permit anything to be done in or about
the Premises which will in any way interfere with the rights or quiet enjoyment
of other occupants of the Building or the Project, or use or allow the Premises
to be used for any  unlawful  purpose, nor shall Tenant permit any nuisance or
commit any waste in the Premises or the Project.  Tenant shall not allow
occupancy of the Premises (exclusive of transient visitors) at a level in excess
of four persons per one thousand usable square feet of the Premises.  Tenant
shall not do or permit to be done anything which will invalidate or increase the
cost of any insurance policy(ies) covering the Building, the Project and/or
their contents, and shall comply with all applicable insurance underwriters
rules.  Tenant shall comply at its expense with all present and future laws,
ordinances and requirements of all governmental authorities that pertain to
Tenant or its use of the Premises, including without limitation all federal and
state occupational health and safety and handicap access requirements, whether
or not Tenant's compliance will necessitate expenditures or interfere with its
use and enjoyment of the Premises.  Tenant shall not generate, handle, store or
dispose of hazardous or toxic materials (as such materials may be identified in
any federal, state or local law or regulation) in the Premises or Project
without the prior written consent of Landlord; provided that the foregoing shall
not be deemed to proscribe the use by Tenant of customary office supplies in
normal quantities so long as such use comports with all applicable laws.  Tenant
agrees that it shall promptly complete and deliver to Landlord any disclosure
form regarding hazardous or toxic materials that may be required by any
governmental agency.  Tenant shall also, from time to time upon request by
Landlord, execute such affidavits concerning Tenant's best knowledge and belief
regarding the presence of hazardous or toxic materials in the Premises.
Landlord shall have the right at any time to perform an assessment of the
environmental condition of the Premises and of Tenant's compliance with this
Section. As part of any such assessment, Landlord shall have the right, upon
reasonable prior notice to Tenant, to enter and inspect the Premises and to
perform tests, provided those tests are performed in a manner that minimizes
disruption to Tenant. Tenant will cooperate with Landlord in connection with any
assessment by, among other things, promptly responding to inquiries and
providing relevant documentation and records. The reasonable cost of the
assessment/testing shall be reimbursed by Tenant to Landlord if such
assessment/testing determines that Tenant failed to comply with the requirements
of this Section. In all events Tenant shall indemnify Landlord in the manner
elsewhere provided in this Lease from any release of hazardous or toxic
materials caused by Tenant, its agents,

                                       4
<PAGE>

employees, contractors, subtenants or licensees. The foregoing covenants shall
survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.

     SECTION 5.2.  SIGNS.  Landlord shall, upon request by Tenant and at
Tenant's expense, affix and maintain a sign (restricted solely to Tenant's name
as set forth herein or such other name as Landlord may consent to in writing)
adjacent to the entry door of the Premises, together with a directory strip in
any applicable lobby directory of the Building.  The signage shall conform to
the criteria for signs established by Landlord and shall be ordered through
Landlord.  Tenant shall not place or allow to be placed any other sign,
decoration or advertising matter of any kind that is visible from the exterior
of the Premises.  Any violating sign or decoration may be immediately removed by
Landlord at Tenant's expense without notice and without the removal constituting
a breach of this Lease or entitling Tenant to claim damages.


                        ARTICLE VI.  LANDLORD SERVICES


     SECTION 6.1.  UTILITIES AND SERVICES.  Landlord shall furnish to the
Premises the utilities and services described in Exhibit B, subject to the
conditions and payment obligations and standards set forth in this Lease.
Landlord shall not be liable for any failure to furnish any services or
utilities when the failure is the result of any accident or other cause beyond
Landlord's reasonable control, nor shall Landlord be liable for damages
resulting from power surges or any breakdown in telecommunications facilities or
services.  Landlord's temporary inability to furnish any services or utilities
shall not entitle Tenant to any damages, relieve Tenant of the obligation to pay
rent or constitute a constructive or other eviction of Tenant, except that
Landlord shall diligently attempt to restore the service or utility promptly.
Tenant shall comply with all rules and regulations which Landlord may reasonably
establish for the provision of services and utilities, and shall cooperate with
all reasonable conservation practices established by Landlord.  Landlord shall
at all reasonable times have free access to all electrical and mechanical
installations of Landlord.

     SECTION 6.2.  OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF COMMON AREAS.  During the Term,
Landlord shall operate all Common Areas within the Building and the Project.
The term "Common Areas" shall mean all areas within the Building and other
buildings in the Project which are not held for exclusive use by persons
entitled to occupy space, and all other appurtenant areas and improvements
provided by Landlord for the common use of Landlord and tenants and their
respective employees and invitees, including without limitation parking areas
and structures, driveways, sidewalks, landscaped and planted areas, hallways and
interior stairwells not located within the premises of any tenant, common
entrances and lobbies, elevators, and restrooms not located within the premises
of any tenant.

     SECTION 6.3.  USE OF COMMON AREAS.  The occupancy by Tenant of the Premises
shall include the use of the Common Areas in common with Landlord and with all
others for whose convenience and use the Common Areas may be provided by
Landlord, subject, however, to compliance with all rules and regulations as are
prescribed from time to time by Landlord.  Landlord shall at all times during
the Term have exclusive control of the Common Areas, and may restrain or permit
any use or occupancy, except as otherwise provided in this Lease or in
Landlord's rules and regulations.  Tenant shall keep the Common Areas clear of
any obstruction or unauthorized use related to Tenant's operations.  Landlord
may temporarily close any portion of the Common Areas for repairs, remodeling
and/or alterations, to prevent a public dedication or the accrual of
prescriptive rights, or for any other reasonable purpose.

     SECTION 6.4.  PARKING.  Parking  shall be provided in accordance with the
provisions set forth in Exhibit C to this Lease.

     SECTION 6.5.  CHANGES AND ADDITIONS BY LANDLORD.  Landlord reserves the
right to make alterations or additions to the Building or the Project, or to the
attendant fixtures, equipment and Common Areas.  No change shall entitle Tenant
to any abatement of rent or other claim against Landlord, provided that the
change does not deprive Tenant of reasonable access to or use of the Premises.

                    ARTICLE VII.  MAINTAINING THE PREMISES


     SECTION 7.1.  TENANT'S MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.  Subject to Article XI,
Tenant at its sole expense shall make all repairs necessary to keep the Premises
and all improvements and fixtures therein in the condition as existed on the
Commencement Date (or on any later date that the applicable improvements may
have been installed), excepting ordinary wear and tear.  Notwithstanding Section
7.2 below, Tenant's maintenance obligation shall include without limitation all
appliances, non-building standard lighting/electrical systems, and plumbing
fixtures and installations located within or servicing only the Premises.  All
repairs shall be at least equal in quality to the original work, shall be made
only by a licensed, bonded contractor approved in writing in advance by Landlord
and shall be made only at the time or times approved by Landlord.  Any
contractor utilized by Tenant shall be subject to Landlord's standard

                                       5
<PAGE>

requirements for contractors, as modified from time to time.  Landlord may
impose reasonable restrictions and requirements with respect to repairs, as
provided in Section 7.3, and the provisions of Section 7.4 shall apply to all
repairs.  Alternatively, should Landlord or its management agent agree to make a
repair on behalf of Tenant and at Tenant's request, Tenant shall promptly
reimburse Landlord as additional rent for all costs incurred (including the
standard coordination fee of Landlord's management agent) upon submission of an
invoice.

     SECTION 7.2.  LANDLORD'S MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.   Subject to Article XI,
Landlord shall provide service, maintenance and repair  with respect to the
heating, ventilating and air conditioning ("HVAC") equipment of the Building
(exclusive of any supplemental HVAC equipment servicing only the Premises) and
shall maintain in good repair the Common Areas, roof, foundations, footings, the
exterior surfaces of the exterior walls of the Building, and the structural,
electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems of the Building except as provided
in Section 7.1 above.  Landlord shall have the right to employ or designate any
reputable person or firm, including any employee or agent of Landlord or any of
Landlord's affiliates or divisions, to perform any service, repair or
maintenance function.  Landlord need not make any other improvements or repairs
except as specifically required under this Lease, and nothing contained in this
Section shall limit Landlord's right to reimbursement from Tenant for
maintenance, repair costs and replacement costs as provided elsewhere in this
Lease.  Tenant understands that it shall not make repairs at Landlord's expense
or by rental offset.  Except as provided in Sections 11.1 and 12.1 below, there
shall be no abatement of rent and no liability of Landlord by reason of any
injury to or interference with Tenant's business arising from the making of any
repairs, alterations or improvements to any portion of the Building, including
repairs to the Premises, nor shall any related activity by Landlord constitute
an actual or constructive eviction; provided, however, that in making repairs,
alterations or improvements, Landlord shall interfere as little as reasonably
practicable with the conduct of Tenant's business in the Premises.

     SECTION 7.3.  ALTERATIONS.  Tenant shall make no alterations, additions or
improvements to the Premises without the prior written consent of Landlord.
Landlord's consent shall not be unreasonably withheld as long as the proposed
changes do not affect the structural, electrical or mechanical components or
systems of the Building, are not visible from the exterior of the Premises, and
utilize only building standard materials.  Landlord may impose, as a condition
to its consent, any requirements that Landlord in its discretion may deem
reasonable or desirable, including but not limited to a requirement that all
work be covered by a lien and completion bond satisfactory to Landlord and
requirements as to the manner, time, and contractor for performance of the work.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Tenant shall use Landlord's
designated mechanical and electrical contractors for all work affecting the
mechanical or electrical systems of the Building.  Should Tenant perform any
work that would necessitate any ancillary Building modification or other
expenditure by Landlord, then Tenant shall promptly fund the cost thereof to
Landlord.  Tenant shall obtain all required permits for the work and shall
perform the work in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and
ordinances, and Landlord shall be entitled to a supervision fee in the amount of
five percent (5%) of the cost of the work.  Under no circumstances shall Tenant
make any improvement which incorporates asbestos-containing construction
materials into the Premises.  Any request for Landlord's consent shall be made
in writing and shall contain architectural plans describing the work in detail
reasonably satisfactory to Landlord.  Landlord may elect to cause its architect
to review Tenant's architectural plans, and the reasonable cost of that review
shall be reimbursed by Tenant.  Should the work proposed by Tenant modify the
internal configuration of the Premises, then Tenant shall, at its expense,
furnish Landlord with as-built drawings and CADD disks compatible with
Landlord's systems.  Unless Landlord otherwise agrees in writing, all
alterations, additions or improvements affixed to the Premises (excluding
moveable trade fixtures and furniture) shall become the property of Landlord and
shall be surrendered with the Premises at the end of the Term, except that
Landlord may, by notice to Tenant given at the time of Landlord's consent to the
alteration or improvement, require Tenant to remove by the Expiration Date, or
sooner termination date of this Lease, all or any alterations, decorations,
fixtures, additions, improvements and the like installed either by Tenant or by
Landlord at Tenant's request and to repair any damage to the Premises arising
from that removal.  Landlord may require Tenant to remove an improvement
provided as part of the initial build-out pursuant to Exhibit X, if any, if and
only if the improvement is a non-building standard item and Tenant is notified
of the requirement prior to the build-out. Except as otherwise provided in this
Lease or in any Exhibit to this Lease, should Landlord make any alteration or
improvement to the Premises at the request of Tenant, Landlord shall be entitled
to prompt payment from Tenant of the cost thereof, inclusive of the standard
coordination fee of Landlord's management agent.

     SECTION 7.4.  MECHANIC'S LIENS.  Tenant shall keep the Premises free from
any liens arising out of any work performed, materials furnished, or obligations
incurred by or for Tenant.  Upon request by Landlord, Tenant shall promptly
cause any such lien to be released by posting a bond in accordance with
California Civil Code Section 3143 or any successor statute.  In the event that
Tenant shall not, within thirty (30) days following the imposition of any lien,
cause the lien to be released of record by payment or posting of a proper bond,
Landlord shall have, in addition to all other available remedies, the right to
cause the lien to be released by any means it deems proper, including payment of
or defense against the claim giving rise to the lien.  All expenses so incurred
by Landlord, including Landlord's attorneys' fees, shall be reimbursed by Tenant
promptly following Landlord's demand, together with interest from the date of
payment by Landlord at the maximum rate permitted by law until paid.  Tenant
shall give Landlord no less than twenty (20) days' prior notice in writing
before commencing construction of any kind on the Premises so that Landlord may
post and maintain notices of nonresponsibility on the Premises.

     SECTION 7.5.  ENTRY AND INSPECTION.  Landlord shall at all reasonable times
have the right to enter the Premises to inspect them, to supply services in
accordance with this Lease, to protect the interests of Landlord in the
Premises, to make repairs and renovations as reasonably deemed

                                       6
<PAGE>

necessary by Landlord, and to submit the Premises to prospective or actual
purchasers or encumbrance holders (or, during the final twelve months of the
Term or when an uncured Tenant default exists, to prospective tenants), all
without being deemed to have caused an eviction of Tenant and without abatement
of rent except as provided elsewhere in this Lease.  Landlord shall at all times
have and retain a key which unlocks all of the doors in the Premises, excluding
Tenant's vaults and safes, and Landlord shall have the right to use any and all
means which Landlord may deem proper to open the doors in an emergency in order
to obtain entry to the Premises, and any entry to the Premises obtained by
Landlord shall not under any circumstances be deemed to be a forcible or
unlawful entry into, or a detainer of, the Premises, or any eviction of Tenant
from the Premises.

     SECTION 7.6.  SPACE PLANNING AND SUBSTITUTION.  Landlord shall have the
right, upon providing not less than forty-five (45) days written notice, to move
Tenant to other space of comparable size in the Building or in the Project.  The
new space shall be provided with improvements of comparable quality to those
within the Premises.  Landlord shall pay the reasonable out-of-pocket costs to
relocate and reconnect Tenant's personal property and equipment within the new
space; provided that Landlord may elect to cause such work to be done by its
contractors.  Landlord shall also reimburse Tenant for such other reasonable
out-of-pocket costs that Tenant may incur in connection with the relocation,
including without limitation necessary stationery revisions, provided that a
reasonable estimate thereof is given to Landlord within twenty (20) days
following Landlord's notice.  In no event, however, shall Landlord be obligated
to incur or fund total relocation costs, exclusive of tenant improvement
expenditures, in an amount in excess of two (2) months of Basic Rent at the rate
then payable hereunder.  Within ten (10) days following request by Landlord,
Tenant shall execute an amendment to this Lease prepared by Landlord to
memorialize the relocation.  Should Tenant fail timely to execute and deliver
the amendment to Landlord for any reason (including without limitation the
inability of the parties to reach an agreement on the proposed relocation), or
should Tenant thereafter fail to comply with the terms thereof, then Landlord
may at its option elect to terminate this Lease upon not less than ninety (90)
days prior written notice to Tenant.  In the event of such termination, Tenant's
obligation to pay Basic Rent during the final two (2) months of the Term shall
be waived.  Upon the effective date of any termination of this Lease, Tenant
shall vacate the Premises in accordance with Section 15.3.


           ARTICLE VIII.  TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS ON TENANT'S PROPERTY


     Tenant shall be liable for and shall pay before delinquency, all taxes and
assessments levied against all personal property of Tenant located in the
Premises.  When possible Tenant shall cause its personal property to be assessed
and billed separately from the real property of which the Premises form a part.
If any taxes on Tenant's personal property are levied against Landlord or
Landlord's property and if Landlord pays the same, or if the assessed value of
Landlord's property is increased by the inclusion of a value placed upon the
personal property of Tenant and if Landlord pays the taxes based upon the
increased assessment, Tenant shall pay to Landlord the taxes so levied against
Landlord or the proportion of the taxes resulting from the increase in the
assessment.


                    ARTICLE IX.  ASSIGNMENT AND SUBLETTING


     SECTION 9.1.  RIGHTS OF PARTIES.

          (a) Tenant may not, either voluntarily or by operation of law, assign,
sublet, encumber, or otherwise transfer all or any part of Tenant's interest in
this Lease, or permit the Premises to be occupied by anyone other than Tenant,
without Landlord's prior written consent, which consent shall not unreasonably
be withheld in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.1.(c). For purposes
of this Lease, references to any subletting, sublease or variation thereof shall
be deemed to apply not only to a sublease effected directly by Tenant, but also
to a sub-subletting or an assignment of subtenancy by a subtenant at any level.
No assignment (whether voluntary, involuntary or by operation of law) and no
subletting shall be valid or effective without Landlord's prior written consent
and, at Landlord's election, shall constitute a material default of this Lease.
Landlord shall not be deemed to have given its consent to any assignment or
subletting by any other course of action, including its acceptance of any name
for listing in the Building directory. To the extent not prohibited by
provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq. (the
"Bankruptcy Code"), including Section 365(f)(1), Tenant on behalf of itself and
its creditors, administrators and assigns waives the applicability of Section
365(e) of the Bankruptcy Code unless the proposed assignee of the Trustee for
the estate of the bankrupt meets Landlord's standard for consent as set forth in
Section 9.1(c) of this Lease. If this Lease is assigned to any person or entity
pursuant to the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, any and all monies or other
considerations to be delivered in connection with the assignment shall be
delivered to Landlord, shall be and remain the exclusive property of Landlord
and shall not constitute property of Tenant or of the estate of Tenant within
the meaning of the Bankruptcy Code. Any person or entity to which this Lease is
assigned pursuant to the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code shall be deemed to
have assumed all of the obligations arising under this Lease on and after the
date of the assignment, and shall upon demand execute and deliver to Landlord an
instrument confirming that assumption.

          (b) If Tenant is a corporation, limited liability company,
unincorporated association or partnership, the transfer of any stock or interest
in the entity which results in a change in voting control shall be deemed an
assignment within the meaning and provisions of this Article.  In addition, any
change in the status of the entity, such as, but not limited to, the withdrawal
of a general partner, shall be deemed an assignment within the meaning of this
Article.

                                       7
<PAGE>

          (c) If Tenant or any subtenant hereunder desires to transfer an
interest in this Lease, Tenant shall first notify Landlord and request in
writing Landlord's consent to the transfer.  Tenant shall also submit in writing
to Landlord:  (i) the name and address of the proposed transferee; (ii) the
nature of any proposed subtenant's or assignee's business to be carried on in
the Premises; (iii) the terms and provisions of any proposed sublease or
assignment; (iv) evidence that the proposed assignee or subtenant will comply
with the requirements of Exhibit D to this Lease; and (v) any other information
requested by Landlord and reasonably related to the transfer.  Except as
provided in Subsection (d) of this Section, Landlord shall not unreasonably
withhold its consent, provided:  (1) the use of the Premises will be consistent
with the provisions of this Lease and with Landlord's commitment to other
tenants of the Building and Project; (2) any proposed subtenant or assignee
demonstrates that it is financially responsible by submission to Landlord of all
reasonable information as Landlord may request concerning the proposed subtenant
or assignee, including, but not limited to, a balance sheet of the proposed
subtenant or assignee as of a date within ninety (90) days of the request for
Landlord's consent and statements of income or profit and loss of the proposed
subtenant or assignee for the two-year period preceding the request for
Landlord's consent; (3) any proposed subtenant or assignee demonstrates to
Landlord's reasonable satisfaction a record of successful experience in
business; (4) the proposed assignee or subtenant is neither an existing tenant
of the Building or Project nor a prospective tenant with whom Landlord is then
actively negotiating; and (5) the proposed transfer will not impose additional
burdens or adverse tax effects on Landlord.  If Landlord consents to the
proposed transfer, then the transfer may be effected within ninety (90) days
after the date of the consent upon the terms described in the information
furnished to Landlord; provided that any material change in the terms shall be
subject to Landlord's consent as set forth in this Section.  Landlord shall
approve or disapprove any requested transfer within thirty (30) days following
receipt of Tenant's written notice and the information set forth above.  Tenant
shall pay to Landlord a transfer fee of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) if and
when any transfer request submitted by Tenant is approved.

          (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (c) above, in lieu of
consenting to a proposed assignment or subletting, Landlord may elect to (i)
sublease the Premises (or the portion proposed to be subleased), or take an
assignment of Tenant's interest in this Lease, upon the same terms as offered to
the proposed subtenant or assignee (excluding terms relating to the purchase of
personal property, the use of Tenant's name or the continuation of Tenant's
business), or (ii) terminate this Lease as to the portion of the Premises
proposed to be subleased or assigned with a proportionate abatement in the rent
payable under this Lease, effective on the date that the proposed sublease or
assignment would have become effective.  Landlord may thereafter, at its option,
assign or re-let any space so recaptured to any third party, including without
limitation the proposed transferee identified by Tenant.

          (e) Should any assignment or subletting occur, Tenant shall promptly
pay or cause to be paid to Landlord, as additional rent, seventy-five percent
(75%) of any amounts paid by the assignee or subtenant, however described and
whether funded during or after the Lease Term, to the extent such amounts are in
excess of the sum of (i) the Basic Rent payable by Tenant hereunder (or, in the
event of a subletting of only a portion of the Premises, the Basic Rent
allocable to such portion as reasonably determined by Landlord) and (ii) the
direct out-of-pocket costs, as evidence by third party invoices provided to
Landlord, incurred by Tenant to effect the transfer, which costs shall be
amortized over the remaining Term of this Lease or, if shorter, over the term of
the sublease.  Upon request by Landlord, Tenant and all other parties to the
transfer shall memorialize in writing the amounts to be paid pursuant to this
paragraph.

     SECTION 9.2.  EFFECT OF TRANSFER.  No subletting or assignment, even with
the consent of Landlord, shall relieve Tenant, or any successor-in-interest to
Tenant hereunder, of its obligation to pay rent and to perform all its other
obligations under this Lease.  Moreover, Tenant shall indemnify and hold
Landlord harmless, as provided in Section 10.3, for any act or omission by an
assignee or subtenant. Each assignee, other than Landlord, shall be deemed to
assume all obligations of Tenant under this Lease and shall be liable jointly
and severally with Tenant for the payment of all rent, and for the due
performance of all of Tenant's obligations, under this Lease.  Such joint and
several liability shall not be discharged or impaired by any subsequent
modification or extension of this Lease.  No transfer shall be binding on
Landlord unless any document memorializing the transfer is delivered to Landlord
and both the assignee/subtenant and Tenant deliver to Landlord an executed
consent to transfer instrument prepared by Landlord and consistent with the
requirements of this Article.  The acceptance by Landlord of any payment due
under this Lease from any other person shall not be deemed to be a waiver by
Landlord of any provision of this Lease or to be a consent to any transfer.
Consent by Landlord to one or more transfers shall not operate as a waiver or
estoppel to the future enforcement by Landlord of its rights under this Lease.
In addition to the foregoing, no change in the status of Tenant or any party
jointly and severally liable with Tenant as aforesaid (e.g., by conversion to a
limited liability company or partnership) shall serve to abrogate the liability
of any person or entity for the obligations of Tenant, including any obligations
that may be incurred by Tenant after the status change by exercise of a pre-
existing right in this Lease.

     SECTION 9.3.  SUBLEASE REQUIREMENTS.  The following terms and conditions
shall apply to any subletting by Tenant of all or any part of the Premises and
shall be included in each sublease:

          (a) Tenant hereby irrevocably assigns to Landlord all of Tenant's
interest in all rentals and income arising from any sublease of the Premises,
and Landlord may collect such rent and income and apply same toward Tenant's
obligations under this Lease; provided, however, that until a default occurs in
the performance of Tenant's obligations under this Lease, Tenant shall have the
right to receive and collect the sublease rentals.  Landlord shall not, by
reason of this assignment or the collection of sublease rentals, be deemed
liable to the subtenant for the performance of any of Tenant's obligations under
the sublease.  Tenant hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs any subtenant,
upon receipt of a written notice from Landlord stating that an uncured default
exists in the performance of Tenant's

                                       8
<PAGE>

obligations under this Lease, to pay to Landlord all sums then and thereafter
due under the sublease.  Tenant agrees that the subtenant may rely on that
notice without any duty of further inquiry and notwithstanding any notice or
claim by Tenant to the contrary.  Tenant shall have no right or claim against
the subtenant or Landlord for any rentals so paid to Landlord.  In the event
Landlord collects amounts from subtenants that exceed the total amount then due
from Tenant hereunder, Landlord shall promptly remit the excess to Tenant.

          (b) In the event of the termination of this Lease, Landlord may, at
its sole option, take over Tenant's entire interest in any sublease and, upon
notice from Landlord, the subtenant shall attorn to Landlord.  In no event,
however, shall Landlord be liable for any previous act or omission by Tenant
under the sublease or for the return of any advance rental payments or deposits
under the sublease that have not been actually delivered to Landlord, nor shall
Landlord be bound by any sublease modification executed without Landlord's
consent or for any advance rental payment by the subtenant in excess of one
month's rent.  The general provisions of this Lease, including without
limitation those pertaining to insurance and indemnification, shall be deemed
incorporated by reference into the sublease despite the termination of this
Lease.

          (c) Tenant agrees that Landlord may, at its sole option, authorize a
subtenant of the Premises to cure a default by Tenant under this Lease.  Should
Landlord accept such cure, the subtenant shall have a right of reimbursement and
offset from and against Tenant under the applicable sublease.


                      ARTICLE X.  INSURANCE AND INDEMNITY


     SECTION 10.1.  TENANT'S INSURANCE.  Tenant, at its sole cost and expense,
shall provide and maintain in effect the insurance described in Exhibit D.
Evidence of that insurance must be delivered to Landlord prior to the
Commencement Date.

     SECTION 10.2.  LANDLORD'S INSURANCE.  Landlord may, at its election,
provide any or all of the following types of insurance, with or without
deductible and in amounts and coverages as may be determined by Landlord in its
discretion:  "all risk" property insurance, subject to standard exclusions,
covering the Building or Project, and such other risks as Landlord or its
mortgagees may from time to time deem appropriate, and commercial general
liability coverage.  Landlord shall not be required to carry insurance of any
kind on improvements, trade fixtures, furnishings, equipment, interior plate
glass, signs and all items of personal property in the Premises, and shall not
be obligated to repair or replace that property should damage occur.  All
proceeds of insurance maintained by Landlord upon the Building and Project shall
be the property of Landlord, whether or not Landlord is obligated to or elects
to make any repairs.

     SECTION 10.3.  TENANT'S INDEMNITY.  To the fullest extent permitted by law,
Tenant shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Landlord, its agents, lenders,
and any and all affiliates of Landlord,  from and against any and all claims,
liabilities, costs or expenses arising either before or after the Commencement
Date from Tenant's use or occupancy of the Premises, the Building or the Common
Areas, or from the conduct of its business, or from any activity, work, or thing
done, permitted or suffered by Tenant or its agents, employees, subtenants,
vendors, contractors, invitees or licensees in or about the Premises, the
Building or the Common Areas, or from any default in the performance of any
obligation on Tenant's part to be performed under this Lease, or from any act or
negligence of Tenant or its agents, employees, subtenants, vendors, contractors,
invitees or licensees. Landlord may, at its option, require Tenant to assume
Landlord's defense in any action covered by this Section through counsel
reasonably satisfactory to Landlord.

     SECTION 10.4.  LANDLORD'S NONLIABILITY.  Landlord shall not be liable to
Tenant, its employees, agents and invitees, and Tenant hereby waives all claims
against Landlord, its employees and agents for loss of or damage to any
property, or any injury to any person, or loss or interruption of business or
income, resulting from any condition including, but not limited to, fire,
explosion, falling plaster, steam, gas, electricity, water or rain which may
leak or flow from or into any part of the Premises or from the breakage,
leakage, obstruction or other defects of the pipes, sprinklers, wires,
appliances, plumbing, air conditioning, electrical works or other fixtures in
the Building, whether the damage or injury results from conditions arising in
the Premises or in other portions of the Building.  It is understood that any
such condition may require the temporary evacuation or closure of all or a
portion of the Building.  Should Tenant elect to receive any service from a
concessionaire, licensee or third party tenant of Landlord, Tenant shall not
seek recourse against Landlord for any breach or liability of that service
provider.  Neither Landlord nor its agents shall be liable for interference with
light or other similar intangible interests.  Tenant shall immediately notify
Landlord in case of fire or accident in the Premises, the Building or the
Project and of defects in any improvements or equipment.


                      ARTICLE XI.  DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION


     SECTION 11.1.  RESTORATION.

          (a) If the Building of which the Premises are a part is damaged as the
result of an event of casualty, then subject to the provisions below, Landlord
shall repair that damage as soon as reasonably possible unless:  (i) Landlord
reasonably determines that the cost of repair would exceed ten percent (10%) of
the full replacement cost of the Building ("Replacement Cost") and the damage is
not

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<PAGE>

covered by Landlord's fire and extended coverage insurance (or by a normal
extended coverage policy should Landlord fail to carry that insurance); or (ii)
Landlord reasonably determines that the cost of repair would exceed twenty-five
percent (25%) of the Replacement Cost; or (iii) Landlord reasonably determines
that the cost of repair would exceed ten percent (10%) of the Replacement Cost
and the damage occurs during the final twelve (12) months of the Term.  Should
Landlord elect not to repair the damage for one of the preceding reasons,
Landlord shall so notify Tenant in the "Casualty Notice" (as defined below), and
this Lease shall terminate as of the date of delivery of that notice.

          (b) As soon as reasonably practicable following the casualty event but
not later than sixty (60) days thereafter, Landlord shall notify Tenant in
writing ("Casualty Notice") of Landlord's election, if applicable, to terminate
this Lease.  If this Lease is not so terminated, the Casualty Notice shall set
forth the anticipated period for repairing the casualty damage.  If the
anticipated repair period exceeds two hundred seventy (270) days and if the
damage is so extensive as to reasonably prevent Tenant's substantial use and
enjoyment of the Premises, then Tenant may elect to terminate this Lease by
written notice to Landlord within ten (10) days following delivery of the
Casualty Notice.

          (c) To the extent and for the period that Landlord is entitled to
reimbursement from the proceeds of rental interruption insurance carried by
Landlord as part of Operating Expenses, the rental to be paid under this Lease
shall be abated in the same proportion that the floor area of the Premises that
is rendered unusable by the damage from time to time bears to the total floor
area of the Premises.

          (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a), (b) and (c) of
this Section, the cost of  any repairs shall be borne by Tenant, and Tenant
shall not be entitled to rental abatement or termination rights, if the damage
is due to the fault or neglect of Tenant or its employees, subtenants,
contractors, invitees or representatives.  In addition, the provisions of this
Section shall not be deemed to require Landlord to repair any improvements,
fixtures and other items that Tenant is obligated to repair or insure pursuant
to Article VII, Exhibit D, or any other provision of this Lease; provided,
however, that if and to the extent Landlord receives insurance proceeds for
damage to interior leasehold improvements, as reasonably determined by Landlord
after first applying any proceeds to damage in areas other than tenant suites,
then Landlord shall, subject to the rights of any mortgagee or ground lessor,
make those excess proceeds available for repair of the affected leasehold
improvements.

     SECTION 11.2.  LEASE GOVERNS.  Tenant agrees that the provisions of this
Lease, including without limitation Section 11.1, shall govern any damage or
destruction and shall accordingly supersede any contrary statute or rule of law.


                         ARTICLE XII.  EMINENT DOMAIN


     SECTION 12.1.  TOTAL OR PARTIAL TAKING.  If all or a material portion of
the Premises is taken by any lawful authority by exercise of the right of
eminent domain, or sold to prevent a taking, either Tenant or Landlord may
terminate this Lease effective as of the date possession is required to be
surrendered to the authority.  In the event title to a portion of the Building
or Project, other than the Premises, is taken or sold in lieu of taking, and if
Landlord elects to restore the  Building in such a way as to alter the Premises
materially, either party may terminate this Lease, by written notice to the
other party, effective on the date of vesting of title.  In the event neither
party has elected to terminate this Lease as provided above, then Landlord shall
promptly, after receipt of a sufficient condemnation award, proceed to restore
the Premises to substantially their condition prior to the taking, and a
proportionate allowance shall be made to Tenant for the rent corresponding to
the time during which, and to the part of the Premises of which, Tenant is
deprived on account of the taking and restoration.  In the event of a taking,
Landlord shall be entitled to the entire amount of the condemnation award
without deduction for any estate or interest of Tenant; provided that nothing in
this Section shall be deemed to give Landlord any interest in, or prevent Tenant
from seeking any award against the taking authority for, the taking of personal
property and fixtures belonging to Tenant or for relocation or business
interruption expenses recoverable from the taking authority.

     SECTION 12.2.  TEMPORARY TAKING.  No temporary taking of the Premises shall
terminate this Lease or give Tenant any right to abatement of rent, and any
award specifically attributable to a temporary taking of the Premises shall
belong entirely to Tenant.  A temporary taking shall be deemed to be a taking of
the use or occupancy of the Premises for a period of not to exceed ninety (90)
days.

     SECTION 12.3.  TAKING OF PARKING AREA.  In the event there shall be a
taking of the parking area such that Landlord can no longer provide sufficient
parking to comply with this Lease, Landlord may substitute reasonably equivalent
parking in a location reasonably close to the Building; provided that if
Landlord fails to make that substitution within ninety (90) days following the
taking and if the taking materially impairs Tenant's use and enjoyment of the
Premises, Tenant may, at its option, terminate this Lease by written notice to
Landlord.  If this Lease is not so terminated by Tenant, there shall be no
abatement of rent and this Lease shall continue in effect.


              ARTICLE XIII.  SUBORDINATION; ESTOPPEL CERTIFICATE


     SECTION 13.1.  SUBORDINATION.   At the option of Landlord or any of its
mortgagees/deed of trust beneficiaries, this Lease shall be either superior or
subordinate to all ground or underlying leases, mortgages and deeds of trust, if
any, which may hereafter affect the Building, and to all renewals,

                                      10
<PAGE>

modifications, consolidations, replacements and extensions thereof; provided,
that so long as Tenant is not in default under this Lease, this Lease shall not
be terminated or Tenant's quiet enjoyment of the Premises disturbed in the event
of termination of any such ground or underlying lease, or the foreclosure of any
such mortgage or deed of trust, to which this Lease has been subordinated
pursuant to this Section.  In the event of a termination or foreclosure, Tenant
shall become a tenant of and attorn to the successor-in-interest to Landlord
upon the same terms and conditions as are contained in this Lease, and shall
promptly execute any instrument reasonably required by Landlord's successor for
that purpose.  Tenant shall also, within ten (10) days following written request
of Landlord (or the beneficiary under any deed of trust encumbering the
Building), execute and deliver all instruments as may be required from time to
time by Landlord or such beneficiary (including without limitation any
subordination, nondisturbance and attornment agreement in the form customarily
required by such beneficiary) to subordinate this Lease and the rights of Tenant
under this Lease to any ground or underlying lease or to the lien of any
mortgage or deed of trust; provided, however, that any such beneficiary may, by
written notice to Tenant given at any time, subordinate the lien of its deed of
trust to this Lease.  Tenant shall agree that any purchaser at a foreclosure
sale or lender taking title under a deed in lieu of foreclosure shall not be
responsible for any act or omission of a prior landlord, shall not be subject to
any offsets or defenses Tenant may have against a prior landlord, and shall not
be liable for the return of any security deposit not actually recovered by such
purchaser or bound by any rent paid in advance of the calendar month in which
the transfer of title occurred; provided that the foregoing shall not release
the applicable prior landlord from any liability for those obligations.  Tenant
acknowledges that Landlord's mortgagees and successors-in-interest and all
beneficiaries under deeds of trust encumbering the Building are intended third
party beneficiaries of this Section.

     SECTION 13.2.  ESTOPPEL CERTIFICATE.     Tenant shall, within ten (10) days
following written notice from Landlord, execute, acknowledge and deliver to
Landlord, in any form that Landlord may reasonably require, a statement in
writing in favor of Landlord and/or any prospective purchaser or encumbrancer of
the Building (i) certifying that this Lease is unmodified and in full force and
effect (or, if modified, stating the nature of the modification and certifying
that this Lease, as modified, is in full force and effect) and the dates to
which the rental, additional rent and other charges have been paid in advance,
if any, and (ii) acknowledging that, to Tenant's knowledge, there are no uncured
defaults on the part of Landlord, or specifying each default if any are claimed,
and (iii) setting forth all further information that Landlord may reasonably
require.  Tenant's statement may be relied upon by any prospective purchaser or
encumbrancer of all or any portion of the Building or Project.  In addition to
Landlord's other rights and remedies, Tenant's failure to deliver any estoppel
statement within the provided time shall be conclusive upon Tenant that (i) this
Lease is in full force and effect, without modification except as may be
represented by Landlord, (ii) there are no uncured defaults in Landlord's
performance, and (iii) not more than one month's rental has been paid in
advance.


                      ARTICLE XIV.  DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES


     SECTION 14.1.  TENANT'S DEFAULTS.  In addition to any other event of
default set forth in this Lease, the occurrence of any one or more of the
following events shall constitute a default by Tenant:

          (a) The failure by Tenant to make any payment of rent required to be
made by Tenant, as and when due, where the failure continues for a period of
three (3) days after written notice from Landlord to Tenant; provided, however,
that any such notice shall be in lieu of, and not in addition to, any notice
required under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1161 and 1161(a) as
amended.  For purposes of these default and remedies provisions, the term
"additional rent" shall be deemed to include all amounts of any type whatsoever
other than Basic Rent to be paid by Tenant pursuant to the terms of this Lease.

          (b) The assignment, sublease, encumbrance or other transfer of the
Lease by Tenant, either voluntarily or by operation of law, whether by judgment,
execution, transfer by intestacy or testacy, or other means, without the prior
written consent of Landlord unless otherwise authorized herein.

          (c) The discovery by Landlord that any financial statement provided by
Tenant, or by any affiliate, successor or guarantor of Tenant, was materially
false.

          (d) The failure or inability by Tenant to observe or perform any of
the  covenants or provisions of this Lease to be observed or performed by
Tenant, other than as specified in any other subsection of this Section, where
the failure continues for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice from
Landlord to Tenant; provided, however, that any such notice shall be in lieu of,
and not in addition to, any notice required under California Code of Civil
Procedure Section 1161 and 1161(a) as amended. However, if the nature of the
failure is such that more than thirty (30) days are reasonably required for its
cure, then Tenant shall not be deemed to be in default if Tenant commences the
cure within thirty (30) days, and thereafter diligently pursues the cure to
completion.

          (e) (i) The making by Tenant of any general assignment for the benefit
of creditors; (ii) the filing by or against Tenant of a petition to have Tenant
adjudged a Chapter 7 debtor under the Bankruptcy Code or to have debts
discharged or a petition for reorganization or arrangement under any law
relating to bankruptcy (unless, in the case of a petition filed against Tenant,
the same is dismissed within sixty (60) days); (iii) the appointment of a
trustee or receiver to take possession of substantially all of Tenant's assets
located at the Premises or of Tenant's interest in this Lease, if possession is
not restored to Tenant within thirty (30) days; (iv) the attachment, execution
or other judicial seizure of substantially all of Tenant's assets located at the
Premises or of Tenant's interest in this Lease, where the

                                      11
<PAGE>

seizure is not discharged within thirty (30) days; or (v) Tenant's convening of
a meeting of its creditors for the purpose of effecting a moratorium upon or
composition of its debts.  Landlord shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any
event described in this subsection unless notification in writing is received by
Landlord, nor shall there be any presumption attributable to Landlord of
Tenant's insolvency.  In the event that any provision of this subsection is
contrary to applicable law, the provision shall be of no force or effect.

     SECTION 14.2.  LANDLORD'S REMEDIES.

          (a) In the event of any default by Tenant, then in addition to any
other remedies available to Landlord, Landlord may exercise the following
remedies:

              (i)  Landlord may terminate Tenant's right to possession of the
Premises by any lawful means, in which case this Lease shall terminate and
Tenant shall immediately surrender possession of the Premises to Landlord.  Such
termination shall not affect any accrued obligations of Tenant under this Lease.
Upon termination, Landlord shall have the right to reenter the Premises and
remove all persons and property.  Landlord shall also be entitled to recover
from Tenant:

                   (1) The worth at the time of award of the unpaid rent and
additional rent which had been earned at the time of termination;

                   (2) The worth at the time of award of the amount by which the
unpaid rent and additional rent which would have been earned after termination
until the time of award exceeds the amount of such loss that Tenant proves could
have been reasonably avoided;

                   (3) The worth at the time of award of the amount by which the
unpaid rent and additional rent for the balance of the Term after the time of
award exceeds the amount of such loss that Tenant proves could be reasonably
avoided;

                   (4) Any other amount necessary to compensate Landlord for all
the detriment proximately caused by Tenant's failure to perform its obligations
under this Lease or which in the ordinary course of things would be likely to
result from Tenant's default, including, but not limited to, the cost of
recovering possession of the Premises, commissions and other expenses of
reletting, including necessary repair, renovation, improvement and alteration of
the Premises for a new tenant, reasonable attorneys' fees, and any other
reasonable costs; and

                   (5) At Landlord's election, all other amounts in addition to
or in lieu of the foregoing as may be permitted by law. The term "rent" as used
in this Lease shall be deemed to mean the Basic Rent and all other sums required
to be paid by Tenant to Landlord pursuant to the terms of this Lease. Any sum,
other than Basic Rent, shall be computed on the basis of the average monthly
amount accruing during the twenty-four (24) month period immediately prior to
default, except that if it becomes necessary to compute such rental before the
twenty-four (24) month period has occurred, then the computation shall be on the
basis of the average monthly amount during the shorter period. As used in
subparagraphs (1) and (2) above, the "worth at the time of award" shall be
computed by allowing interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum. As
used in subparagraph (3) above, the "worth at the time of award" shall be
computed by discounting the amount at the discount rate of the Federal Reserve
Bank of San Francisco at the time of award plus one percent (1%).

              (ii) Landlord may elect not to terminate Tenant's right to
possession of the Premises, in which event Landlord may continue to enforce all
of its rights and remedies under this Lease, including the right to collect all
rent as it becomes due. Efforts by the Landlord to maintain, preserve or relet
the Premises, or the appointment of a receiver to protect the Landlord's
interests under this Lease, shall not constitute a termination of the Tenant's
right to possession of the Premises. In the event that Landlord elects to avail
itself of the remedy provided by this subsection (ii), Landlord shall not
unreasonably withhold its consent to an assignment or subletting of the Premises
subject to the reasonable standards for Landlord's consent as are contained in
this Lease.

          (b) The various rights and remedies reserved to Landlord in this Lease
or otherwise shall be cumulative and, except as otherwise provided by California
law, Landlord may pursue any or all of its rights and remedies at the same time.
No delay or omission of Landlord to exercise any right or remedy shall be
construed as a waiver of the right or remedy or of any default by Tenant.  The
acceptance by Landlord of rent shall not be a (i) waiver of any preceding breach
or default by Tenant of any provision of this Lease, other than the failure of
Tenant to pay the particular rent accepted, regardless of Landlord's knowledge
of the preceding breach or default at the time of acceptance of rent, or (ii) a
waiver of Landlord's right to exercise any remedy available to Landlord by
virtue of the breach or default.  The acceptance of any payment from a debtor in
possession, a trustee, a receiver or any other person acting on behalf of Tenant
or Tenant's estate shall not waive or cure a default under Section 14.1.  No
payment by Tenant or receipt by Landlord of a lesser amount than the rent
required by this Lease shall be deemed to be other than a partial payment on
account of the earliest due stipulated rent, nor shall any endorsement or
statement on any check or letter be deemed an accord and satisfaction and
Landlord shall accept the check or payment without prejudice to Landlord's right
to recover the balance of the rent or pursue any other remedy available to it.
Tenant hereby waives any right of redemption or relief from forfeiture under
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1174 or 1179, or under any other
present or future law, in the event this Lease is terminated by reason of any
default by Tenant.  No act or thing done by Landlord or Landlord's agents during
the Term shall be deemed an acceptance of a surrender of the Premises, and no
agreement to accept a surrender shall be valid unless in writing and signed by
Landlord.  No employee of Landlord or of Landlord's agents shall have any power
to accept the keys to the Premises

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<PAGE>

prior to the termination of this Lease, and the delivery of the keys to any
employee shall not operate as a termination of the Lease or a surrender of the
Premises.

     SECTION 14.3.  LATE PAYMENTS.

          (a) Any rent due under this Lease that is not paid to Landlord within
five (5) days of the date when due shall bear interest at the maximum rate
permitted by law from the date due until fully paid.  The payment of interest
shall not cure any default by Tenant under this Lease.  In addition, Tenant
acknowledges that the late payment by Tenant to Landlord of rent will cause
Landlord to incur costs not contemplated by this Lease, the exact amount of
which will be extremely difficult and impracticable to ascertain.  Those costs
may include, but are not limited to, administrative, processing and accounting
charges, and late charges which may be imposed on Landlord by the terms of any
ground lease, mortgage or trust deed covering the Premises.  Accordingly, if any
rent due from Tenant shall not be received by Landlord or Landlord's designee
within five (5) days after the date due, then Tenant shall pay to Landlord, in
addition to the interest provided above, a late charge in the amount of two
hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) for each delinquent payment.  Acceptance of
a late charge by Landlord shall not constitute a waiver of Tenant's default with
respect to the overdue amount, nor shall it prevent Landlord from exercising any
of its other rights and remedies.

          (b) Following each second consecutive installment of rent that is not
paid within five (5) days following notice of nonpayment from Landlord, Landlord
shall have the option (i) to require that beginning with the first payment of
rent next due, rent shall no longer be paid in monthly installments but shall be
payable quarterly three (3) months in advance and/or (ii) to require that Tenant
increase the amount, if any, of the Security Deposit by one hundred percent
(100%).  Should Tenant deliver to Landlord, at any time during the Term, two (2)
or more insufficient checks, the Landlord may require that all monies then and
thereafter due from Tenant be paid to Landlord by cashier's check.

     SECTION 14.4.  RIGHT OF LANDLORD TO PERFORM.  All covenants and agreements
to be performed by Tenant under this Lease shall be performed at Tenant's sole
cost and expense and without any abatement of rent or right of set-off.  If
Tenant fails to pay any sum of money, or fails to perform any other act on its
part to be performed under this Lease, and the failure continues beyond any
applicable grace period set forth in Section 14.1, then in addition to any other
available remedies, Landlord may, at its election make the payment or perform
the other act on Tenant's part. Landlord's election to make the payment or
perform the act on Tenant's part shall not give rise to any responsibility of
Landlord to continue making the same or similar payments or performing the same
or similar acts. Tenant shall, promptly upon demand by Landlord, reimburse
Landlord for all sums paid by Landlord and all necessary incidental costs,
together with interest at the maximum rate permitted by law from the date of the
payment by Landlord.

     SECTION 14.5.  DEFAULT BY LANDLORD.  Landlord shall not be deemed to be in
default in the performance of any obligation under this Lease unless and until
it has failed to perform the obligation within thirty (30) days after written
notice by Tenant to Landlord specifying in reasonable detail the nature and
extent of the failure; provided, however, that if the nature of Landlord's
obligation is such that more than thirty (30) days are required for its
performance, then Landlord shall not be deemed to be in default if it commences
performance within the thirty (30) day period and thereafter diligently pursues
the cure to completion.

     SECTION 14.6.  EXPENSES AND LEGAL FEES.  Should either Landlord or Tenant
bring any action in connection with this Lease, the prevailing party shall be
entitled to recover as a part of the action its reasonable attorneys' fees, and
all other costs.  The prevailing party for the purpose of this paragraph shall
be determined by the trier of the facts.

     SECTION 14.7.   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL/RIGHT TO ARBITRATE.

                (a)  LANDLORD AND TENANT EACH ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS AWARE OF
AND HAS HAD THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL OF ITS CHOICE WITH RESPECT TO ITS RIGHT TO
TRIAL BY JURY, AND EACH PARTY DOES HEREBY EXPRESSLY AND KNOWINGLY WAIVE AND
RELEASE ALL SUCH RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR
COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY EITHER PARTY HERETO AGAINST THE OTHER (AND/OR AGAINST
ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATED
ENTITIES) ON ANY MATTERS WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH
THIS LEASE, TENANT'S USE OR OCCUPANCY OF THE PREMISES, AND/OR ANY CLAIM OF
INJURY OR DAMAGE.

                (b)  SHOULD A DISPUTE ARISE BETWEEN THE PARTIES REGARDING ANY
MATTER DESCRIBED ABOVE, THEN EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS FOR UNLAWFUL OR
FORCIBLE DETAINER EITHER PARTY MAY CAUSE THE DISPUTE TO BE SUBMITTED TO
JAMS/ENDISPUTE OR ITS SUCCESSOR ("JAMS") IN THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE BUILDING IS
SITUATED FOR BINDING ARBITRATION BEFORE A SINGLE ARBITRATOR. HOWEVER, EACH PARTY
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK A PROVISIONAL REMEDY BY JUDICIAL ACTION. NO
ARBITRATION ELECTION BY EITHER PARTY PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE
EFFECTIVE IF MADE LATER THAN THIRTY (30) DAYS FOLLOWING SERVICE OF A JUDICIAL
SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BY OR UPON SUCH PARTY CONCERNING THE DISPUTE. THE
ARBITRATION SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF PRACTICE AND
PROCEDURE OF JAMS AND OTHERWISE PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ARBITRATION ACT (CODE
OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTIONS 1280 ET SEQ.). NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE
ARBITRATOR IS SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO LIMIT DISCOVERY TO THAT WHICH IS

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<PAGE>

ESSENTIAL TO THE EFFECTIVE PROSECUTION OR DEFENSE OF THE ACTION, AND IN NO EVENT
SHALL SUCH DISCOVERY BY EITHER PARTY INCLUDE MORE THAN ONE NON-EXPERT WITNESS
DEPOSITION UNLESS BOTH PARTIES OTHERWISE AGREE. THE ARBITRATOR SHALL, TO THE
EXTENT APPLICABLE, FOLLOW THE SUBSTANTIVE LAW OF CALIFORNIA AND SHALL RENDER A
REASONED WRITTEN DECISION WITHIN TWENTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE HEARING. THE
ARBITRATOR SHALL APPORTION THE COSTS OF THE ARBITRATION, TOGETHER WITH THE
ATTORNEYS' FEES OF THE PARTIES, IN THE MANNER DEEMED EQUITABLE BY THE
ARBITRATOR, IT BEING THE INTENTION OF THE PARTIES THAT THE PREVAILING PARTY
ORDINARILY BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER ITS REASONABLE COSTS AND FEES. JUDGMENT UPON
ANY AWARD RENDERED BY THE ARBITRATOR MAY BE ENTERED BY ANY COURT HAVING
JURISDICTION; PROVIDED THAT SUCH AWARD SHALL BE VACATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ARBITRATION ACT SHOULD THE COURT DETERMINE, UPON TIMELY PETITION,
THAT THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED HIS/HER POWERS BY RENDERING A DECISION INCONSISTENT
WITH CALIFORNIA LAW OR THAT OTHER GOOD AND SUFFICIENT CAUSE FOR VACATION EXISTS.


                           ARTICLE XV.  END OF TERM


     SECTION 15.1.  HOLDING OVER.  This Lease shall terminate without further
notice upon the expiration of the Term, and any holding over by Tenant after the
expiration shall not constitute a renewal or extension of this Lease, or give
Tenant any rights under this Lease, except when in writing signed by both
parties.  If Tenant holds over for any period after the expiration (or earlier
termination) of the Term, Landlord may, at its option, treat Tenant as a tenant
at sufferance only, commencing on the first (1st) day following the termination
of this Lease.  Any hold-over by Tenant shall be subject to all of the terms of
this Lease, except that the monthly rental shall be two hundred percent (200%)
of the total monthly rental for the month immediately preceding the date of
termination, subject to Landlord's right to modify same upon thirty (30) days
notice to Tenant. If Tenant fails to surrender the Premises upon the expiration
of this Lease despite demand to do so by Landlord, Tenant shall indemnify and
hold Landlord harmless from all loss or liability, including without limitation,
any claims made by any succeeding tenant relating to such failure to surrender.
Acceptance by Landlord of rent after the termination shall not constitute a
consent to a holdover or result in a renewal of this Lease. The foregoing
provisions of this Section are in addition to and do not affect Landlord's right
of re-entry or any other rights of Landlord under this Lease or at law.

     SECTION 15.2.  MERGER ON TERMINATION.  The voluntary or other surrender of
this Lease by Tenant, or a mutual termination of this Lease, shall terminate any
or all existing subleases unless Landlord, at its option, elects in writing to
treat the surrender or termination as an assignment to it of any or all
subleases affecting the Premises.

     SECTION 15.3.  SURRENDER OF PREMISES; REMOVAL OF PROPERTY.  Upon the
Expiration Date or upon any earlier termination of this Lease, Tenant shall quit
and surrender possession of the Premises to Landlord in as good order, condition
and repair as when received or as hereafter may be improved by Landlord or
Tenant, reasonable wear and tear and repairs which are Landlord's obligation
excepted, and shall remove or fund to Landlord the cost of removing all
wallpapering and voice and/or data transmission cabling installed by or for
Tenant, together with all personal property and debris, except for any items
that Landlord may by written authorization allow to remain.  Tenant shall repair
all damage to the Premises resulting from the removal, which repair shall
include the patching and filling of holes and repair of structural damage,
provided that Landlord may instead elect to repair any structural damage at
Tenant's expense.  If Tenant shall fail to comply with the provisions of this
Section, Landlord may effect the removal and/or make any repairs, and the cost
to Landlord shall be additional rent payable by Tenant upon demand.  If
requested by Landlord, Tenant shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord
an instrument in writing releasing and quitclaiming to Landlord all right, title
and interest of Tenant in the Premises.


                      ARTICLE XVI.  PAYMENTS AND NOTICES


     All sums payable by Tenant to Landlord shall be paid, without deduction or
offset, in lawful money of the United States to Landlord at its address set
forth in Item 13 of the Basic Lease Provisions, or at any other place as
Landlord may designate in writing.  Unless this Lease expressly provides
otherwise, as for example in the payment of rent pursuant to Section 4.1, all
payments shall be due and payable within five (5) days after demand.  All
payments requiring proration shall be prorated on the basis of the number of
days in the pertinent calendar month or year, as applicable.  Any notice,
election, demand, consent, approval or other communication to be given or other
document to be delivered by either party to the other may be delivered to the
other party, at the address set forth in Item 13 of the Basic Lease Provisions,
by personal service or electronic facsimile transmission, or by any courier or
"overnight" express mailing service, or may be deposited in the United States
mail,  postage prepaid.  Either party may, by written notice to the other,
served in the manner provided in this Article, designate a different address.
If any notice or other document is sent by mail, it shall be deemed served or
delivered three (3) business days after mailing or, if sooner, upon actual
receipt.  The refusal to accept delivery of a notice, or the inability to
deliver the notice (whether due to a change of address for which notice was not
duly given or other good reason), shall be deemed delivery and receipt of the
notice as of the date of attempted delivery.  If more than one person or entity
is named as Tenant under this Lease, service of any notice upon any one of them
shall be deemed as service upon all of them.

                                      14
<PAGE>

                     ARTICLE XVII.  RULES AND REGULATIONS


     Tenant agrees to comply with the Rules and Regulations attached as Exhibit
E, and any reasonable and nondiscriminatory amendments, modifications and/or
additions as may be adopted and published by written notice to tenants by
Landlord for the safety, care, security, good order, or cleanliness of the
Premises, Building, Project and/or Common Areas.  Landlord shall not be liable
to Tenant for any violation of the Rules and Regulations or the breach of any
covenant or condition in any lease or any other act or conduct by any other
tenant, and the same shall not constitute a constructive eviction hereunder.
One or more waivers by Landlord of any breach of the Rules and Regulations by
Tenant or by any other tenant(s) shall not be a waiver of any subsequent breach
of that rule or any other.  Tenant's failure to keep and observe the Rules and
Regulations shall constitute a default under this Lease.  In the case of any
conflict between the Rules and Regulations and this Lease, this Lease shall be
controlling.


                      ARTICLE XVIII.  BROKER'S COMMISSION


     The parties recognize as the broker(s) who negotiated this Lease the
firm(s), if any, whose name(s) is (are) stated in Item 10 of the Basic Lease
Provisions, and agree that Landlord shall be responsible for the payment of
brokerage commissions to those broker(s) unless otherwise provided in this
Lease.  Each party warrants that it has had no dealings with any other real
estate broker or agent in connection with the negotiation of this Lease, and
agrees to indemnify and hold the other party harmless from any cost, expense or
liability (including reasonable attorneys' fees) for any compensation,
commissions or charges claimed by any other real estate broker or agent employed
or claiming to represent or to have been employed by the indemnifying party in
connection with the negotiation of this Lease. The foregoing agreement shall
survive the termination of this Lease.


                 ARTICLE XIX.  TRANSFER OF LANDLORD'S INTEREST


     In the event of any transfer of Landlord's interest in the Premises, the
transferor shall be automatically relieved of all obligations on the part of
Landlord accruing under this Lease from and after the date of the transfer,
provided that Tenant is duly notified of the transfer.  Any funds held by the
transferor in which Tenant has an interest shall be turned over, subject to that
interest, to the transferee. No holder of a mortgage and/or deed of trust to
which this Lease is or may be subordinate shall be responsible in connection
with the Security Deposit unless the mortgagee or holder of the deed of trust
actually receives the Security Deposit.  It is intended that the covenants and
obligations contained in this Lease on the part of Landlord shall, subject to
the foregoing, be binding on Landlord, its successors and assigns, only during
and in respect to their respective successive periods of ownership.


                          ARTICLE XX.  INTERPRETATION


     SECTION 20.1.  GENDER AND NUMBER.  Whenever the context of this Lease
requires, the words "Landlord" and "Tenant" shall include the plural as well as
the singular, and words used in neuter, masculine or feminine genders shall
include the others.

     SECTION 20.2.  HEADINGS.  The captions and headings of the articles and
sections of this Lease are for convenience only, are not a part of this Lease
and shall have no effect upon its construction or interpretation.

     SECTION 20.3.  JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY.  If more than one person or
entity is named as Tenant, the obligations imposed upon each shall be joint and
several and the act of or notice from, or notice or refund to, or the signature
of, any one or more of them shall be binding on all of them with respect to the
tenancy of this Lease, including, but not limited to, any renewal, extension,
termination or modification of this Lease.

     SECTION 20.4.  SUCCESSORS.  Subject to Articles IX and XIX, all rights and
liabilities given to or imposed upon Landlord and Tenant shall extend to and
bind their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.
Nothing contained in this Section is intended, or shall be construed, to grant
to any person other than Landlord and Tenant and their successors and assigns
any rights or remedies under this Lease.

     SECTION 20.5.  TIME OF ESSENCE.  Time is of the essence with respect to the
performance of every provision of this Lease in which time of performance is a
factor.

     SECTION 20.6.  CONTROLLING LAW/VENUE.  This Lease shall be governed by and
interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California.  Should any
litigation be commenced between the parties in connection with this Lease, such
action shall be prosecuted in the applicable State Court of California in the
county in which the Building is located.

     SECTION 20.7.  SEVERABILITY.  If any term or provision of this Lease, the
deletion of which would not adversely affect the receipt of any material benefit
by either party or the deletion of which is consented to by the party adversely
affected, shall be held invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the

                                      15
<PAGE>

remainder of this Lease shall not be affected and each term and provision of
this Lease shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by
law.

     SECTION 20.8.  WAIVER.  One or more waivers by Landlord or Tenant of any
breach of any term, covenant or condition contained in this Lease shall not be a
waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or any other term, covenant or
condition.  Consent to any act by one of the parties shall not be deemed to
render unnecessary the obtaining of that party's consent to any subsequent act.
No breach of this Lease shall be deemed to have been waived unless the waiver is
in a writing signed by the waiving party.

     SECTION 20.9.  INABILITY TO PERFORM.  In the event that either party shall
be delayed or hindered in or prevented from the performance of any work or in
performing any act required under this Lease by reason of any cause beyond the
reasonable control of that party, then the performance of the work or the doing
of the act shall be excused for the period of the delay and the time for
performance shall be extended for a period equivalent to the period of the
delay.  The provisions of this Section shall not operate to excuse Tenant from
the prompt payment of rent.

     SECTION 20.10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Lease and its exhibits and other
attachments cover in full each and every agreement of every kind between the
parties concerning the Premises, the Building, and the Project, and all
preliminary negotiations, oral agreements, understandings and/or practices,
except those contained in this Lease, are superseded and of no further effect.
Tenant waives its rights to rely on any representations or promises made by
Landlord or others which are not contained in this Lease. No verbal agreement or
implied covenant shall be held to modify the provisions of this Lease, any
statute, law, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

     SECTION 20.11.   QUIET ENJOYMENT.  Upon the observance and performance of
all the covenants, terms and conditions on Tenant's part to be observed and
performed, and subject to the other provisions of this Lease, Tenant shall have
the right of quiet enjoyment and use of the Premises for the Term without
hindrance or interruption by Landlord or any other person claiming by or through
Landlord.

     SECTION 20.12.    SURVIVAL.  All covenants of Landlord or Tenant which
reasonably would be intended to survive the expiration or sooner termination of
this Lease, including without limitation any warranty or indemnity hereunder,
shall so survive and continue to be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the
respective parties and their successors and assigns.


                     ARTICLE XXI.  EXECUTION AND RECORDING


     SECTION 21.1.  COUNTERPARTS.  This Lease may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which shall
be one and the same agreement.

     SECTION 21.2.  CORPORATE AND PARTNERSHIP AUTHORITY.  If Tenant is a
corporation, limited liability company or partnership, each individual executing
this Lease on behalf of the entity represents and warrants that he is duly
authorized to execute and deliver this Lease and that this Lease is binding upon
the corporation, limited liability company  or partnership in accordance with
its terms.  Tenant shall, at Landlord's request, deliver a certified copy of its
organizational documents or an appropriate certificate authorizing or evidencing
the execution of this Lease.

     SECTION 21.3.  EXECUTION OF LEASE; NO OPTION OR OFFER.  The submission of
this Lease to Tenant shall be for examination purposes only, and shall not
constitute an offer to or option for Tenant to lease the Premises.  Execution of
this Lease by Tenant and its return to Landlord shall not be binding upon
Landlord, notwithstanding any time interval, until Landlord has in fact executed
and delivered this Lease to Tenant, it being intended that this Lease shall only
become effective upon execution by Landlord and delivery of a fully executed
counterpart to Tenant.

     SECTION 21.4.  RECORDING.  Tenant shall not record this Lease without the
prior written consent of Landlord.  Tenant, upon the request of Landlord, shall
execute and acknowledge a "short form" memorandum of this Lease for recording
purposes.

     SECTION 21.5.  AMENDMENTS.  No amendment or mutual termination of this
Lease shall be effective unless in writing signed by authorized signatories of
Tenant and Landlord, or by their respective successors in interest.  No actions,
policies, oral or informal arrangements, business dealings or other course of
conduct by or between the parties shall be deemed to modify this Lease in any
respect.


                         ARTICLE XXII.  MISCELLANEOUS

     SECTION 22.1.  NONDISCLOSURE OF LEASE TERMS.  Tenant acknowledges and
agrees that the terms of this Lease are confidential and constitute proprietary
information of Landlord.  Disclosure of the terms could adversely affect the
ability of Landlord to negotiate other leases and impair Landlord's relationship
with other tenants.  Accordingly, Tenant agrees that it, and its partners,
officers, directors, employees and attorneys, shall not intentionally and
voluntarily disclose the terms and conditions of this Lease to any other tenant
or apparent prospective tenant of the Building or Project, either directly or
indirectly, without the prior written consent of Landlord, provided, however,
that Tenant may disclose the terms to prospective subtenants or assignees under
this Lease.

                                      16
<PAGE>

     SECTION 22.2.  REPRESENTATIONS BY TENANT.  The application, financial
statements and tax returns, if any, submitted and certified to by Tenant as an
accurate representation of its financial condition have been prepared, certified
and submitted to Landlord as an inducement and consideration to Landlord to
enter into this Lease.  The application and statements are represented and
warranted by Tenant to be correct and to accurately and fully reflect Tenant's
true financial condition as of the date of execution of this Lease by Tenant.
Tenant shall during the Term promptly furnish Landlord with current annual
financial statements accurately reflecting Tenant's financial condition upon
written request from Landlord.

     SECTION 22.3.  CHANGES REQUESTED BY LENDER.  If, in connection with
obtaining financing for the Building, the lender shall request reasonable
modifications in this Lease as a condition to the financing, Tenant will not
unreasonably withhold or delay its consent, provided that the modifications do
not materially increase the obligations of Tenant or materially and adversely
affect the leasehold interest created by this Lease.

     SECTION 22.4.  MORTGAGEE PROTECTION.  No act or failure to act on the part
of Landlord which would otherwise entitle Tenant to be relieved of its
obligations hereunder or to terminate this Lease shall result in such a release
or termination unless (a) Tenant has given notice by registered or certified
mail to any beneficiary of a deed of trust or mortgage covering the Building
whose address has been furnished to Tenant and (b) such beneficiary is afforded
a reasonable opportunity to cure the default by Landlord, including, if
necessary to effect the cure, time to obtain possession of the Building by power
of sale or judicial foreclosure provided that such foreclosure remedy is
diligently pursued.

     SECTION 22.5.  DISCLOSURE STATEMENT.  Tenant acknowledges that it has read,
understands and, if applicable, shall comply with the provisions of Exhibit F to
this Lease, if that Exhibit is attached.


LANDLORD:                                TENANT:

THE IRVINE COMPANY                       PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK



By  /s/ Craig D. Brashier                By  /s/ John J. McCauley
  ------------------------------------     ------------------------------------
  Craig D. Brashier, Vice President,     Printed Name  J. McCauley
  Operations, Irvine Office Company,                 --------------------------
  a division of The Irvine Company       Title  EVP
                                              ---------------------------------


By  /s/ Vincent P. Hayes                 By  /s/ Daniel L. Erickson
  ------------------------------------     ------------------------------------
  Vicent P. Hayes                        Printed Name  Daniel L. Erickson
  Assistant Secretary                                --------------------------
                                         Title  EVP/CFO
                                              ---------------------------------

                                      17

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.6

                                   SUBLEASE
                                  (AU #90188)



                                By and Between

                            WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

                                      and

                            PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK




                          Subleased Premises Known As

                             501 N. El Camino Real
                           San Clemente, California
<PAGE>

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                               -----------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          Page
                                                                          ----
<S>                                                                       <C>
1.   Basic Sublease Provisions; Definitions.............................   1
     1.1    Building....................................................   1
     1.2    Subleased Premises..........................................   1
     1.3    Area of Subleased Premises..................................   1
     1.4    Subtenant's Percentage Share................................   1
     1.5    Sublease Term...............................................   2
     1.6    Rent Commencement Date......................................   2
     1.7    Basic Monthly Rent..........................................   2
     1.8    Rental Adjustments..........................................   2
     1.9    Permitted Use...............................................   2
     1.10   Late Charges................................................   2
     1.11   Acceptance of Subleased Premises............................   2
     1.12   Address for Payment of Rent and Notices.....................   4
     1.13   Security Deposit............................................   4
     1.14   Parking.....................................................   5
     1.15   Brokers.....................................................   5
     1.16   Tax ID Form.................................................   5
     1.17   Option to Extend............................................   5
     1.18   Subtenant Improvement Allowance.............................   5

2.   Demise; Conditions.................................................   5
     2.1    Demise......................................................   5
     2.2    Conditions Precedent........................................   5
     2.3    Failure of Conditions.......................................   6
     2.4    Compliance with Laws........................................   6

3.   Lease..............................................................   7
     3.1    Incorporation By Reference; Assumption......................   7
     3.2    Assumption of Lease Obligations.............................   7
     3.3    No Assumption by Sublandlord................................   7
     3.4    Performance Directly to Landlord............................   7
     3.5    Landlord Default; Consents..................................   7
     3.6    Termination of Lease........................................   7

4.   Covenant Of Quiet Enjoyment........................................   8

5.   Hazardous Substances...............................................   8
     5.1    Definitions.................................................   8
     5.2    Compliance with Environmental Laws..........................   8
     5.3    Response to Environmental Claims............................   9
</TABLE>

                                       i
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          Page
                                                                          ----
<S>                                                                       <C>
6.   Artwork.............................................................   9

7.   Indemnity...........................................................   9

8.   Attorneys' Fees.....................................................   9

9.   No Encumbrance......................................................   9

10.  Assignment and Subletting...........................................  10
     10.1   Restriction on Assignment and Subletting.....................  10
     10.2   Determining Factors..........................................  10
     10.3   Consents.....................................................  10
     10.4   Profit Sharing...............................................  11

11.  Alterations; Signs..................................................  11
     11.1  Alterations and Improvements By Subtenant.....................  11
     11.2  Signs.........................................................  12
     11.3  Disposition on Termination....................................  12

12.  Removal of Personal Property........................................  12

13.  Holding Over........................................................  12

14.  Liens...............................................................  13

15.  Maintenance and Repairs.............................................  13

16.  Insurance...........................................................  13
     16.1   Coverage.....................................................  13
     16.2   Policies.....................................................  14
     16.3   Subrogation..................................................  14
     16.4   Primary Coverage.............................................  14

17.  Events of Default...................................................  14

18.  Remedies of Sublandlord on Default..................................  15
     18.1   Termination of Sublease......................................  15
     18.2   Continue Sublease in Effect..................................  16
     18.3   Other Remedies...............................................  16
</TABLE>

                                       ii
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          Page
                                                                          ----
<S>                                                                      <C>
19.  Estoppel Certificates..............................................  16
     19.1   Obligation to Provide.......................................  16
     19.2   Failure to Provide..........................................  16
     19.3   Financial Information.......................................  17
     19.4   Sublandlord Estoppel........................................  17

20.   Real Estate Brokers...............................................  17

21.  Miscellaneous......................................................  17
     21.1   Counterparts................................................  17
     21.2   Construction................................................  17
     21.3   Notices.....................................................  17
     21.4   Governing Law...............................................  17
     21.5   Exhibits....................................................  18
     21.6   Waiver of Trial by Jury.....................................  18
     21.7   Prohibition on Solicitation of Sublandlord's Customers......  18
</TABLE>

CONSENT OF LANDLORD

EXHIBIT A LEASE
EXHIBIT B DRAWING OF SUBLEASED PREMISES
EXHIBIT C TAX ID FORM
EXHIBIT D WORK LETTER AGREEMENT

                                      iii
<PAGE>

                  SUBTENANT HAS NO RIGHTS OF ACCESS OR RIGHTS
                  -------------------------------------------
               OF POSSESSION TO THE SUBLEASED PREMISES PRIOR TO
               ------------------------------------------------
                             THE COMMENCEMENT DATE.
                             ---------------------

                                   SUBLEASE

                                  (AU #90188)


          THIS SUBLEASE, dated as of August 3, 1999 for reference purposes only,
is entered into by and between WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., a national banking
association ("Sublandlord") and Pacific Mercantile Bank, a California banking
corporation ("Subtenant").


                                   RECITALS
                                   --------


      A.  Earl E. Miller and Karen L. Miller, Trustees of the Miller Family
Trust ("Landlord") and First Interstate Bank of California, a California
corporation, predecessor in interest to Sublandlord, as tenant, entered into a
written lease dated October 10, 1995, a copy of which is attached hereto as
Exhibit A ("Lease") covering premises described in Section 1.3 of the Lease.

      B.  Subtenant desires to sublet the entire premises described in the Lease
from Sublandlord on the terms and conditions contained in this Sublease.


      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and conditions
herein contained, Sublandlord and Subtenant agree as follows:


1.   Basic Sublease Provisions; Definitions.
     --------------------------------------

     1.1  Building:           501 N. El Camino Real
          --------            San Clemente, California 92672

     1.2  Subleased Premises: The Subleased Premises is the entire premises
          ------------------
          leased to Sublandlord under the Lease as depicted on Exhibit B hereto.

     1.3  Area of Subleased Premises:  Approximately 4,193 square feet.  In
          --------------------------
          the event of any discrepancy between the square footage set forth in
          the Lease and the square footage set forth herein, this Paragraph 1.3
          shall govern.

     1.4  Subtenant's Percentage Share:  Subtenant will pay 100% of all
          ----------------------------
          operating expenses and taxes and assessments payable by Sublandlord
          under the Lease ("Operating Expenses and Taxes").
<PAGE>

      1.5  Sublease Term: Approximately seventy-eight (78) months commencing
           -------------
           on the date this Sublease is fully executed by both Sublandlord and
           Subtenant and Landlord's consent to the Sublease has been obtained
           ("Commencement Date") and ending, unless earlier terminated pursuant
           to the terms hereof, on January 31, 2006.

      1.6  Rent Commencement Date: September 1, 1999.
           ----------------------

      1.7  Basic Monthly Rent: $5,870.20. Except as otherwise provided in the
           ------------------
           Lease, all rent must be paid without demand, deduction, set-off or
           counter claim, in advance, on the first day of each calendar month
           during the Sublease Term, and in the event of a partial rental month,
           rent will be prorated on the basis of a thirty (30) day month.
           Notwithstanding the foregoing, Basic Monthly Rent will be abated from
           the Commencement Date until the Rent Commencement Date. Monthly
           payments hereunder will commence on September 1, 1999. Such abatement
           will be conditioned upon the performance by Subtenant of all of its
           obligations under this Sublease. If a default by Subtenant under this
           Sublease or under the Lease as incorporated herein occurs at any time
           during the Sublease Term, all amounts abated hereunder, in addition
           to all other amounts then payable to Sublandlord, will be due and
           payable to Sublandlord as a result of such default. The foregoing
           rental abatement will apply to Basic Monthly Rent and Subtenant's
           Percentage Share of Operating Expenses and Taxes.

      1.8  Rental Adjustments:
           ------------------

           Adjustment Date                                    Adjusted Rent
           ---------------                                    -------------

           Thirty-first (31st) month of Sublease Term         $6,310.47

           Sixty-first (61st) month of Sublease Term          $6,783.76

      1.9  Permitted Use: As provided in Section 1.7 of the Lease.
           -------------

      1.10 Late Charges: The parties agree that late payments by Subtenant to
           ------------
           Sublandlord of rent will cause Sublandlord to incur costs not
           contemplated by this Sublease, the amount of which is extremely
           difficult to ascertain. Therefore, the parties agree that if any
           installment of Basic Monthly Rent or Operating Expenses and Taxes is
           not received by Sublandlord within 10 days after due, Subtenant will
           pay to Sublandlord a late charge equal to 5% of the late payment.
           Interest on any amounts payable by Subtenant under this Sublease
           shall accrue at the rate of 12% per annum from the date delinquent
           until paid in full.

      1.11 Acceptance of Subleased Premises  :  Subtenant agrees to accept the
           --------------------------------
           Subleased Premises in an "as is" condition.  Without limiting the
           foregoing, Subtenant's rights in the Subleased Premises are subject
           to all local, state and federal laws, regulations and ordinances
           governing and regulating the use and occupancy of the Subleased
           Premises and subject

                                       2
<PAGE>

           to all matters now or hereafter of record. Subtenant acknowledges
           that except as may be set forth in Section 4 herein, neither
           Sublandlord nor Sublandlord's agent has made any representation or
           warranty as to:

                     (i) the present or future suitability of the Subleased
                Premises for the conduct of Subtenant's business;

                     (ii) the physical condition of the Subleased Premises;

                     (iii)  the expenses of operation of the Subleased Premises;

                     (iv) the safety of the Subleased Premises, whether for the
                use of Subtenant or any other person, including Subtenant's
                employees, agents, invitees or customers;

                     (v) the compliance of the Subleased Premises with any
                applicable laws, regulations or ordinances; or

                     (vi) any other matter or thing affecting or related to the
                Subleased Premises.

           Subtenant acknowledges that no rights, easements or licenses are
           acquired by Subtenant by implication or otherwise except as expressly
           set forth herein.  Subtenant will, prior to delivery of possession of
           the Subleased Premises, inspect the Subleased Premises and become
           thoroughly acquainted with their condition.  Subtenant acknowledges
           that the taking of possession of the Subleased Premises by Subtenant
           will be conclusive evidence that the Subleased Premises were in good
           and satisfactory condition at the time such possession was taken.
           Subtenant specifically agrees that, except as specifically provided
           by laws in force as of the date hereof, Sublandlord has no duty to
           make any disclosures concerning the condition of the Building and the
           Subleased Premises and/or the fitness of the Building and the
           Subleased Premises for Subtenant's intended use and Subtenant
           expressly waives any duty which Sublandlord might have to make any
           such disclosures.  Subtenant further agrees that, in the event
           Subtenant subleases all or any portion of the Subleased Premises,
           Subtenant will indemnify and defend Sublandlord (in accordance with
           Paragraph 7 hereof) for, from and against any matters which arise as
           a result of Subtenant's failure to disclose any relevant information
           about the Building or the Subleased Premises to any subtenant or
           assignee.  Subtenant will comply with all laws and regulations
           relating to the use or occupancy of the Subleased Premises and to the
           common areas, including, without limitation, making structural
           alterations or providing auxiliary aids and services to the Subleased
           Premises as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
           42 U.S.C. (S) 12101 et seq. (the "ADA").  Subtenant further agrees
                               -- ---
           that all telephone and other communication installation and use
           requirements will be compatible with the Building and that Subtenant
           will be solely responsible for all of its telephone and communication
           installation and usage costs.

                                       3
<PAGE>

     1.12  Address for Payment of Rent and Notices:
           ---------------------------------------

           Sublandlord:                        Subtenant:

           Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.              Pacific Mercantile Bank
           Corporate Properties Group          501 N. El Camino Real
           333 S. Grand Avenue                 San Clemente, CA 92672
           Suite 700, MAC #2064-072            Attn: Branch Manager
           Los Angeles, CA 90071               Tel:__________________
           Attn:  Asset Manager
                  (AU #90188)

           with a copy to:                     with a copy to:

           Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.              Pacific Mercantile Bank
           Corporate Properties Group          450 Newport Center Drive
           333 S. Grand Avenue                 Suite 100
           Suite 700, MAC #2064-079            Newport Beach, CA 92660
           Los Angeles, CA 90071               Attn:  Chief Financial Officer
           Attn:  Real Estate Manager          (949) 644-8040
                  (AU #90188)
                                               with a copy to:

                                               Ben A. Frydman, Esq.
                                               Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth
                                               660 Newport Center Drive
                                               Suite 1600
                                               Newport Beach, CA 92660-6441
                                               (949) 640-7035

     1.13  Security Deposit: Subtenant shall deposit with Sublandlord upon
           ----------------
           Subtenant's execution hereof Five Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy and
           20/100 Dollars ($5,870.20) ("Deposit") as security for Subtenant's
           faithful performance of Subtenant's obligations hereunder. If
           Subtenant fails to pay rent or other charges due hereunder, or
           otherwise defaults with respect to any provision of this Sublease,
           Sublandlord may use, apply or retain all or any portion of the
           Deposit for the payment of any rent or other charge in default, or
           for the payment of any other sum which Sublandlord incurs by reason
           of Subtenant's default, or to compensate Sublandlord for any loss or
           damage which Sublandlord may suffer thereby. If Sublandlord uses or
           applies all or any portion of the Deposit, Subtenant must within
           fifteen (15) days after written demand therefor deposit cash with
           Sublandlord in an amount sufficient to restore the Deposit to its
           full amount and Subtenant's failure to do so will be a material
           breach of this Sublease. Sublandlord will not be required to keep the
           Deposit separate from its general accounts. If Subtenant performs all
           of Subtenant's obligations hereunder, the Deposit, or so much thereof
           as has not been used or applied by Sublandlord, will be returned to
           Subtenant (or at Sublandlord's option, to the last assignee, if any,
           of Subtenant's interest hereunder) at the expiration of the Sublease
           Term, and after Subtenant has vacated the Subleased Premises. No
           trust relationship is created herein between Sublandlord and
           Subtenant with

                                       4
<PAGE>

           respect to the Deposit. Any deposit under the Lease which may be
           returned by the Landlord will be the property of Sublandlord.

     1.14 Parking: Subtenant shall have all of the rights and obligations with
          -------
           respect to parking as Sublandlord has under the Lease.

     1.15  Brokers: CB Richard Ellis for Sublandlord; Grubb & Ellis for
           -------
           Subtenant.

     1.16  Tax ID Form: Attached hereto as Exhibit C is a Tax ID form to be
           -----------
           completed and executed by Subtenant concurrently herewith.

     1.17  Option to Extend:  None.
           ----------------

     1.18  Subtenant Improvement Allowance: Twenty Thousand Nine Hundred and
           -------------------------------
           Sixty-Five Dollars ($20,965.00). The Subtenant Improvement Allowance
           shall be used to construct the Subtenant Improvements in accordance
           with the Work Letter Agreement attached hereto and incorporated
           herein as Exhibit D. All Subtenant Improvements shall be and remain
           the property of Sublandlord.

2.    Demise; Conditions.
      ------------------

      2.1  Demise.  Sublandlord hereby subleases to Subtenant and Subtenant
           ------
hereby hires from Sublandlord the Subleased Premises for the Sublease Term,
subject to the terms, covenants and conditions set forth herein.  Subtenant
covenants that, as a material part of the consideration for this Sublease, it
shall keep and perform each and all of such terms, covenants and conditions by
it to be kept and performed, and that this Sublease is made upon the condition
of such performance.  Subtenant acknowledges that Sublandlord's obligation to
perform services, provide utilities, make repairs and carry insurance shall be
satisfied only to the extent that the Landlord under the Lease satisfies those
same obligations.  Subtenant assumes and agrees to perform the tenant's
obligations under the Lease during the Sublease Term to the extent such
obligations are applicable to the Subleased Premises, except to the extent
specifically contradicted herein.  Subtenant shall not commit or suffer any act
or omission that will violate any of the provisions of the Lease.

      2.2  Conditions Precedent.  The parties' obligations hereunder are
           --------------------
expressly conditioned upon the satisfaction of the following conditions
precedent; provided, however, that if Subtenant has taken possession of the
Subleased Premises prior to the satisfaction of such conditions, Subtenant shall
be fully obligated under the terms and conditions of this Sublease, including,
without limitation, the indemnity provisions set forth in Paragraph 7 and the
insurance provisions set forth in Paragraph 16 during the period prior to the
satisfaction of such conditions or if such conditions are not satisfied, to the
date of failure of such conditions and termination of this Sublease:

          (a) Landlord's Written Consent.  Within ten (10) business days after
              --------------------------
execution of this Sublease, Landlord's execution of a written consent to this
Sublease, and satisfaction of any conditions Landlord may impose upon Subtenant
as a condition to this Sublease.

                                       5
<PAGE>

          (b) Sublandlord's Approval.  Within ten (10) days after execution of
              ----------------------
this Sublease, approval of the terms and conditions of this Sublease by the
appropriate officers in Sublandlord's corporate office, unless waived in writing
by Sublandlord; provided that if such approval is not obtained within such time
period, the Sublease shall be deemed approved.

          (c) Subtenant's Approval.  Within ten (10) days after execution of
              --------------------
this Sublease, authorization of this Sublease by Subtenant's Board of Directors.

          (d) Financial Information.  Within five (5) days after execution of
              ---------------------
this Sublease, if not already delivered, delivery of Subtenant's following
financial information as applicable:  (i) copy of most recent annual report;
(ii) audited or certified financial statements for the last two (2) years or
federal and state tax returns for the last two (2) years; (iii) financial
statements for the current year; (iv) a list of Subtenant's banking references;
and (v) any other information reasonably requested by Sublandlord; and within
ten (10) days after receipt of the foregoing, Sublandlord's written approval
thereof.

          (e) Authority.  If requested by Sublandlord, within ten (10) days
              ---------
after execution of this Sublease, delivery to Sublandlord of certified copies of
Subtenant's Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Good Standing and a
resolution of Subtenant's Board of Directors, certified by the corporate
secretary of Subtenant, authorizing or ratifying the execution of this Sublease
by Subtenant.

          (f) Governmental Approval.  By September 1, 1999, approval by the
              ---------------------
Federal Reserve Bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the
California Department of Financial Institutions for the establishment and
operation of a bank at the Subleased Premises.

      2.3  Failure of Conditions.  The conditions precedent specified in
           ---------------------
Paragraphs 2.2(b), (d) and (e) run to the benefit of Sublandlord.  The
conditions precedent specified in Paragraphs 2.2(c) and (f) run to the benefit
of Subtenant.  The condition precedent specified in Paragraph 2.2(a) runs to the
benefit of both parties, unless waived by Sublandlord.  If any condition
precedent is not satisfied by the date specified in and in accordance with
Paragraph 2.2, and the time period for the satisfaction of the condition is not
extended or waived in writing by the party or parties to whom the benefit of the
condition runs, then the party or parties to whom the benefit of the condition
runs, shall have the right to terminate this Sublease by written notice to the
other party within fifteen (15) days following the end of such time period and,
upon such termination, neither Sublandlord nor Subtenant shall have any further
obligations hereunder (except for Subtenant's indemnity obligations hereunder),
and Sublandlord shall return the Deposit to Subtenant, less any amount owing
from Subtenant to Sublandlord.

      2.4  Compliance with Laws.  At its own expense, Subtenant will procure,
           --------------------
maintain in effect and comply with all conditions of any and all permits,
licenses and other governmental and regulatory approvals required for
Subtenant's use of the Subleased Premises.

                                       6
<PAGE>

3.    Lease.
      -----

      3.1  Incorporation By Reference; Assumption.  All of the Sections of the
           --------------------------------------
Lease are incorporated into this Sublease as if fully set forth in this Sublease
except for the following:  4.4, 14, 18.3, 20, 25.2.2, 31, 36 (except as to the
matters for which arbitration is mandatory under the Lease).  Subject to
Paragraph 3.3 and where applicable, references in the Lease to Landlord will
mean Sublandlord and to Tenant will mean Subtenant; provided, however, if any
provisions of this Sublease conflict in any manner with any provisions of the
Lease which are incorporated herein, the terms of this Sublease will govern.

      3.2  Assumption of Lease Obligations.  Subtenant will assume and perform
           -------------------------------
to Sublandlord the tenant's obligations under the Lease during the Sublease Term
to the extent such obligations are applicable to the Subleased Premises.
Subtenant will pay to Sublandlord Subtenant's Percentage Share of Operating
Expenses and Taxes and any other sums payable by Sublandlord under the Lease not
later than ten (10) days prior to the date any such amounts are due and payable
by Sublandlord.  Subtenant will not commit or suffer any act or omission that
will violate any of the provisions of the Lease.

      3.3  No Assumption by Sublandlord.  Sublandlord does not assume the
           ----------------------------
obligations of the Landlord under the Lease.  Subtenant acknowledges that
Sublandlord's obligation to perform services, provide utilities, make repairs
and carry insurance shall be satisfied only to the extent that the Landlord
under the Lease satisfies those same obligations.  With respect to the
performance by Landlord of its obligations under the Lease, Sublandlord's sole
obligation with respect thereto will be to request the same, on request in
writing by Subtenant, and to use reasonable efforts to obtain the same from
Landlord; provided, however, Sublandlord will have no obligation to institute
legal action against Landlord.

      3.4  Performance Directly to Landlord.  At any time and on reasonable
           --------------------------------
prior notice to Subtenant, Sublandlord can elect to require Subtenant to perform
its obligations under this Sublease directly to Landlord, in which event
Subtenant will send to Sublandlord from time to time copies of all notices and
other communications it sends to and receives from Landlord.

      3.5  Landlord Default; Consents.  Notwithstanding any provision of this
           --------------------------
Sublease to the contrary, (a) Sublandlord will not be liable or responsible in
any way for any loss, damage, cost, expense, obligation or liability suffered by
Subtenant by reason or as the result of any breach, default or failure to
perform by the Landlord under the Lease, and (b) whenever the consent or
approval of Sublandlord and Landlord is required for a particular act, event or
transaction (i) any such consent or approval by Sublandlord will be subject to
the consent or approval of Landlord, and (ii) should Landlord refuse to grant
such consent or approval, under all circumstances, Sublandlord will be released
from any obligation to grant its consent or approval.

      3.6  Termination of Lease.  If the Lease terminates under the specific
           --------------------
provisions under the Lease, this Sublease will terminate, unless the Landlord
elects to accept this Sublease as a direct lease between Landlord and Subtenant,
and the parties will be relieved from all liabilities and obligations under this
Sublease excepting obligations which have accrued as of the date of termination;
except that if this Sublease terminates as a result of a default of one of the
parties under this Sublease or by

                                       7
<PAGE>

Sublandlord under the Lease, the defaulting party will be liable to the non-
defaulting party for all damage suffered by the non-defaulting party as a result
of the termination.

4.    Covenant Of Quiet Enjoyment.  Sublandlord represents that the Lease is
      ---------------------------
in full force and effect and that there are no defaults on Sublandlord's part
under it as of the Commencement Date.  Sublandlord further represents that to
Sublandlord's Actual Knowledge, as of the date of this Sublease:  (i) the
Subleased Premises are not under threat of condemnation, (ii) there is no
pending litigation to which Sublandlord is a party or of which Sublandlord has
received notice related to the Subleased Premises and (iii) Sublandlord has not
received notice from any governmental agency of an existing violation of
Environmental Laws (hereinafter defined) at the Subleased Premises.  Subject to
this Sublease terminating in the event the Lease is terminated, if Subtenant
performs all the provisions in this Sublease to be performed by Subtenant,
Subtenant will have and enjoy throughout the Sublease Term the quiet and
undisturbed possession of the Subleased Premises.  Sublandlord covenants to pay
all Base Monthly Rent and all other amounts as and when due under the Lease and
to faithfully perform its obligations under the Lease so as to avoid a default
under the Lease, and to send to Subtenant copies of all notices of default
received by Sublandlord from Landlord promptly upon receipt thereof.  Subtenant
shall have the right, but not the obligation, to cure a default on the part of
Sublandlord as Tenant under the Lease.  Sublandlord will have the right to enter
the Subleased Premises at any time, in the case of an emergency, and otherwise
at reasonable times, for the purpose of inspecting the condition of the
Subleased Premises and for verifying compliance by Subtenant with this Sublease
and the Lease and permitting Sublandlord to perform its obligations under this
Sublease and the Lease.  For purposes of this Section 4, "Sublandlord's Actual
Knowledge" shall mean the actual knowledge of Debra A. Broido, Vice President of
Corporate Properties, without investigation or inquiry.

5.    Hazardous Substances.
      --------------------

      5.1  Definitions.  For the purposes of this Sublease, the following
           -----------
terms have the following meanings:

           (a) "Environmental Laws" means any and all laws, statutes, ordinances
      or regulations pertaining to health, industrial hygiene or the environment
      including, without limitation, CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental
      Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980) and RCRA (Resources
      Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976).

           (b) "Hazardous Substances" means asbestos and any other substance,
      material or waste which is or becomes designated, classified or regulated
      as being "toxic" or "hazardous" or a "pollutant" or which is or becomes
      similarly designated, classified or regulated under any federal, state or
      local law, regulation or ordinance.

      5.2  Compliance with Environmental Laws.  Subtenant will, in all
           ----------------------------------
respects, handle, treat, deal with and manage any and all Hazardous Substances
in, on, under or about the Subleased Premises in total conformity with all
applicable Environmental Laws and prudent industry practices regarding
management of such Hazardous Substances.  Upon expiration or earlier termination
of the Sublease Term, Subtenant will cause all

                                       8
<PAGE>

Hazardous Substances placed in, on, under or about the Subleased Premises by
Subtenant or at Subtenant's direction to be removed and transported for use,
storage or disposal in accordance and compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws.

      5.3  Response to Environmental Claims.  Subtenant will not take any
           --------------------------------
remedial action in response to the presence of any Hazardous Substances in, on,
under or about the Subleased Premises, nor enter into any settlement agreement,
consent decree or other compromise in respect to any claims relating to any
Hazardous Substances in any way connected with the Subleased Premises without
first notifying Landlord and Sublandlord of Subtenant's intention to do so and
affording Landlord and Sublandlord ample opportunity to appear, intervene or
otherwise appropriately assert and protect Landlord's and Sublandlord's
interests with respect thereto.

6.    Artwork.  To assure compliance with California laws regarding rights of
      -------
artists, Subtenant will not (i) alter or modify any piece of artwork which is
currently installed within the Subleased Premises without Sublandlord's express
written consent, which Sublandlord may withhold in its sole discretion or (ii)
install any artwork of any nature in the Subleased Premises which cannot be
removed without damage or destruction to the artwork.

7.    Indemnity.  Subtenant will indemnify, defend (by counsel reasonably
      ---------
acceptable to Sublandlord), protect and hold Sublandlord harmless from and
against any and all liabilities, claims, demands, losses, damages, costs and
expenses (including attorneys' fees and litigation and court costs) arising out
of or relating to (i) the death of or injury to any person or damage to any
property on or about the Subleased Premises or (ii) Subtenant's breach or
default under this Sublease (including, without limitation, Subtenant's breach
or default under Paragraph 5 above) or, to the extent incorporated herein, the
Lease, except for any of the foregoing to the extent caused by the gross
negligence or willful misconduct of Sublandlord or any of its agents,
contractors or employees.

8.    Attorneys' Fees.  If there is any legal action or proceeding between
      ----------------
Sublandlord and Subtenant to enforce any provision of this Sublease or to
protect or establish any right or remedy of either Sublandlord or Subtenant
hereunder, the non-prevailing party to such action or proceeding will pay to the
prevailing party all reasonable costs and expenses, including reasonable
attorneys' fees incurred by such prevailing party in such action or proceeding
and in any appearance in connection therewith, and if the prevailing party
recovers a judgment in any such action, proceeding or appeal, such costs,
expenses and attorneys' fees will be determined by the court or arbitration
panel handling the proceeding and will be included in and as a part of the
judgment.

9.    No Encumbrance.  Subtenant will not voluntarily, involuntarily or by
      --------------
operation of law mortgage or otherwise encumber all or any part of Subtenant's
interest in the Sublease or the Subleased Premises.

                                       9
<PAGE>

10.   Assignment and Subletting.
      -------------------------

      10.1  Restriction on Assignment and Subletting.    Subtenant will not
            ----------------------------------------
voluntarily, involuntarily or by operation of law assign this Sublease or any
interest therein and will not sublet the Subleased Premises or any part thereof,
or any right or privilege appurtenant thereto, without first obtaining the
written consent of Sublandlord, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
The transfer of more than a fifty percent (50%) partnership interest in
Subtenant, if Subtenant is a partnership, or more than fifty percent (50%) of
the stock of Subtenant, if Subtenant is a corporation, or more than a fifty
percent (50%) membership interest in Subtenant, if Subtenant is a limited
liability company, will be deemed to be an assignment for purposes of this
Paragraph 10.1.

      10.2  Determining Factors.    In determining whether or not to consent to
            -------------------
a proposed assignment or subletting, Sublandlord may consider the following
factors, among others, all of which are deemed reasonable:

           (a) whether the proposed sublessee or assignee has a net worth
      sufficient to discharge its obligations under this Sublease;

           (b) whether the proposed use of the Subleased Premises by the
      proposed sublessee or assignee is consistent with the Permitted Use set
      forth in Paragraph 1.9 of this Sublease;

           (c) whether the experience and business reputation of the proposed
      sublessee or assignee is adequate to operate its business;

           (d) whether Sublandlord's consent will result in a breach of the
      Lease or any other lease or agreement to which Sublandlord is a party
      affecting the Building or Subleased Premises; and

           (e) whether the Landlord has consented in writing to the proposed
      assignment or subletting (in accordance with the standards set forth in
      the Lease).

Further, it shall not be deemed unreasonable for Sublandlord to withhold its
consent to the assignment or subletting to a financial institution providing
retail banking services.

      10.3  Consents.  Any attempted assignment or subletting, without
            --------
Sublandlord's consent will be null and void and of no effect.  No permitted
assignment or subletting of Subtenant's interest in this Sublease, will relieve
Subtenant of its obligations to pay the rent or other sum or charge due
hereunder and to perform all the other obligations to be performed by Subtenant
hereunder.  The acceptance of rent by Sublandlord from any other person will not
be deemed to be a waiver by Sublandlord of any provision of this Sublease or to
be a consent to any subletting or assignment.  Consent to one sublease or
assignment will not be deemed to constitute consent to any subsequent attempted
subletting or assignment.

                                       10
<PAGE>

      10.4  Profit Sharing.
            --------------

           (a) Within thirty (30) days following the date received by Subtenant
      from any assignee or sublessee, Subtenant will pay to Sublandlord as
      additional rent a percentage of any appreciated rent as follows: (i) if
      the rent payable by Subtenant to Sublandlord hereunder is less than the
      rent paid by Sublandlord to Landlord under the Lease, one hundred percent
      (100%) of the amount by which the rent payable by the assignee or
      sublessee to Subtenant exceeds the rent payable by Subtenant to
      Sublandlord under this Sublease until the rent paid by Subtenant to
      Sublandlord equals the amount paid by Sublandlord to Landlord under the
      Lease; and (ii) thereafter or if the rent payable by Subtenant hereunder
      is the same or greater than the rent paid by Sublandlord to Landlord under
      the Lease, fifty percent (50%) of the amount by which the rent payable by
      the assignee or sublessee to Subtenant throughout the Sublease Term
      exceeds the rent paid by Subtenant to Sublandlord under this Sublease.  If
      the premises subleased is less than the entire Subleased Premises, the
      rent payable by Subtenant hereunder shall be prorated based upon the
      square footage of the premises subleased to the square footage of the
      entire Subleased Premises.  If Subtenant receives a lump sum payment in
      connection with an assignment, the amount of the payment will be allocated
      between Subtenant and Sublandlord, in the same manner taking into account
      the total rents payable during the remaining terms of the Lease and
      Sublease.

           (b) Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in subparagraph (a)
      above, Subtenant will not be obligated to pay Sublandlord any portion of
      appreciated rents until Subtenant has recovered any costs it has
      reasonably incurred in connection with the subletting of the Subleased
      Premises to any third party broker or for improvements to the Subleased
      Premises.  Any costs to be deducted from appreciated rents will be
      submitted to Sublandlord and will be subject to Sublandlord's reasonable
      approval.

           (c) The profit-sharing provision set forth in subparagraph (a) above
      is a freely negotiated agreement between Subtenant and Sublandlord
      respecting the allocation of appreciated rents.  This covenant will
      survive the expiration of the Sublease Term.


11.   Alterations; Signs.
      ------------------

      11.1  Alterations and Improvements By Subtenant.    Subtenant will not
            -----------------------------------------
make any alterations, additions or improvements to the Subleased Premises
("Alterations") without obtaining the prior written consent of Sublandlord
thereto (and, if required, by Landlord in accordance with the Lease), which
Sublandlord may grant or reasonably withhold, and to which Sublandlord may
impose any commercially reasonable conditions, in Sublandlord's reasonable
discretion.  The term "Alterations" includes any alterations, additions or
improvements made by Subtenant to comply with the ADA as required by Paragraph
1.11 above.  All Alterations must be constructed (i) in a good and workmanlike
manner using materials of a quality comparable to those on the Subleased
Premises, (ii) in conformance with all relevant codes, regulations and
ordinances and (iii) only after necessary permits, licenses and approvals have
been obtained by Subtenant from appropriate governmental agencies.  All
Alterations will be made at Subtenant's sole cost (including all costs relating
to the removal of asbestos, if any, in connection

                                       11
<PAGE>

with the Alterations) and diligently prosecuted to completion. Any contractor or
other person making any Alterations must first be approved in writing by
Sublandlord, and Sublandlord may require that all work be performed under
Sublandlord's supervision.

      11.2  Signs.    Subtenant shall not place on any portion of the Subleased
            -----
Premises any sign, placard, lettering in or on windows, banners, displays or
other advertising or communicative material which is visible from the exterior
of the Subleased Premises without the prior written approval of Sublandlord,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and, if required,
from Landlord in accordance with the Lease.  All such approved signs shall
strictly conform to all legal requirements and the Lease and shall be installed
at Subtenant's sole expense.  Subtenant shall maintain such signs in good
condition and repair.  If Subtenant fails to remove such signs upon the
expiration or earlier termination of this Sublease, or if and when required
pursuant to the terms of the Lease, this Sublease or the rules and regulations
regarding signage established by the City of San Clemente, and repair any damage
caused by such removal, Sublandlord may do so at Subtenant's expense, which
expense, together with interest thereon at the rate for late payments set forth
in Paragraph 1.10 shall be paid by Subtenant to Sublandlord upon demand.

      11.3  Disposition on Termination.  Upon the expiration of the Sublease
            --------------------------
Term or earlier termination of this Sublease, Sublandlord may elect to have
Subtenant either (i) surrender with the Subleased Premises any or all of the
Alterations as Sublandlord may determine (except personal property as provided
in Paragraph 12 below), which Alterations will become the property of
Sublandlord, or (ii) promptly remove any or all of the Alterations designated by
Sublandlord to be removed, in which case Subtenant must, at Subtenant's sole
cost, repair and restore the Subleased Premises to their condition as of the
Commencement Date, reasonable wear and tear excepted.


12.   Removal of Personal Property.  All articles of personal property, and
      ----------------------------
all business and trade fixtures, machinery and equipment, cabinet work,
furniture and movable partitions (including, but not limited to, cameras,
telephone systems, and special equipment), if any, owned or installed by
Subtenant at its expense in the Subleased Premises will be and remain the
property of Subtenant and may be removed by Subtenant at any time, provided that
Subtenant, at its expense, must repair any damage to the Subleased Premises
caused by such removal or by the original installation.  Sublandlord may elect
to require Subtenant to remove all or any part of Subtenant's personal property
at the expiration of the Sublease Term or sooner termination of this Sublease,
in which event the removal will be done at Subtenant's expense and Subtenant,
prior to the end of the Sublease Term or upon sooner termination of this
Sublease, will repair any damage to the Subleased Premises caused by its
removal.


13.   Holding Over.  If Subtenant holds over after the expiration of the
      ------------
Sublease Term or earlier termination of this Sublease, with or without the
express or implied consent of Sublandlord, then at the option of Sublandlord,
Subtenant will become and be only a month-to-month tenant at a rent equal to one
hundred and fifty percent (150%) of the rent payable by Subtenant immediately
prior to such expiration or termination, and otherwise upon the terms, covenants
and conditions herein specified.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary
contained herein, (i) Sublandlord expressly reserves the right to require
Subtenant to surrender possession of the Subleased Premises upon the expiration
of Sublease Term or upon the earlier termination of this Sublease and the right
to assert

                                       12
<PAGE>

any remedy at law or in equity to evict Subtenant and/or collect damages in
connection with any holding over, and (ii) Subtenant will indemnify, defend and
hold Sublandlord harmless from and against any and all liabilities, claims,
demands, actions, losses, damages, obligations, costs and expenses, including,
without limitation, attorneys' fees (including the allocated costs of
Sublandlord's in-house attorneys) incurred or suffered by Sublandlord by reason
of Subtenant's failure to surrender the Subleased Premises on the expiration of
the Sublease Term or earlier termination of this Sublease.


14.   Liens.  Subtenant will keep the Subleased Premises and the Building free
      -----
from any liens arising out of any work performed, materials furnished, or
obligations incurred by Subtenant.  If a lien is filed, Subtenant will discharge
the lien or post a bond within ten (10) days after the date of filing.
Sublandlord has the right to post and keep posted on the Subleased Premises any
notices that may be provided by law or which Sublandlord may deem to be proper
for the protection of Sublandlord, the Subleased Premises and the Building from
such liens.


15.   Maintenance and Repairs.  At all times during the Sublease Term,
      -----------------------
Subtenant, at its sole cost, will maintain the Subleased Premises and every part
thereof and all equipment, fixtures and improvements therein in good condition
and repair. At the end of the Sublease Term, Subtenant will surrender the
Subleased Premises in as good condition as when received, reasonable wear and
tear excepted. Subtenant will be responsible for all repairs required to be
performed by the Tenant under the Lease.


16.   Insurance.
      ---------

      16.1  Coverage.  At all times during the Sublease Term, Subtenant will,
            --------
at its sole cost, procure and maintain the following types and amounts of
insurance coverage (but in no event less than the types and amounts of amounts
of coverage required from time to time under the Lease):

           (a) Comprehensive general liability insurance against any and all
      damages and liability, including attorneys' fees on account or arising out
      of injuries to or the death of any person or damage to property, however
      occasioned, in, on or about the Subleased Premises with at least a single
      combined liability and property damage limit of $2,000,000.

           (b) Insurance on all plate or tempered glass in or enclosing the
      Subleased Premises, for the full replacement cost of such glass.

           (c) Insurance adequate in amount to cover damage to the Subleased
      Premises including, without limitation, Subtenant's leasehold
      improvements, trade fixtures, furnishings, equipment, goods and inventory.

           (d) Rent insurance in an amount equal to all rent and other sums or
      charges payable under this Sublease for a period of at least twelve (12)
      months commencing with the date of loss.

           (e) Employer's liability insurance and worker's compensation
      insurance as required by applicable law.

                                       13
<PAGE>

           (f) Any other insurance required under the Lease to the extent not
      covered in subsections (a)-(e) above.

      16.2  Policies.  All insurance required to be carried by Subtenant must
            --------
be in a form reasonably satisfactory to Sublandlord and carried with companies
reasonably acceptable to Sublandlord.  Subtenant must provide Sublandlord with a
certificate of insurance (or, at Sublandlord's request, a copy of the policy)
showing Sublandlord (and Landlord, if requested) as additional insureds on all
policies of insurance excluding the insurance required under Paragraph 16.1(e).
The certificate must provide for a thirty (30) day written notice to Sublandlord
in the event of cancellation or material change of coverage.

      16.3  Subrogation.  Sublandlord and Subtenant will each obtain from
            -----------
their respective insurers under all policies of insurance maintained by either
of them at any time during the Sublease Term pursuant to this Sublease insuring
or covering loss of or damage to the parties, their property or the Subleased
Premises (to the extent such loss or damage is covered by insurance) a waiver of
all rights of subrogation which the insurer of one party might otherwise have,
if at all, against the other party.

      16.4  Primary Coverage.    All insurance to be maintained by Subtenant
            ----------------
shall be primary, without right of contribution from any insurance maintained by
Sublandlord.


17.   Events of Default.    If one or more of the following events ("Event of
      -----------------
Default") occurs, such occurrence constitutes a breach of this Sublease by
Subtenant:

           (a) Subtenant abandons or vacates the Subleased Premises; or

           (b) Subtenant fails to pay any installment of Basic Monthly Rent or
      Operating Expenses and Taxes, if applicable, as and when the same become
      due and payable, and such failure continues for more than five (5) days
      after Sublandlord gives written notice thereof to Subtenant; or

           (c) Subtenant fails to pay any other sum or charge payable by
      Subtenant hereunder as and when the same becomes due and payable, and such
      failure continues for more than fifteen (15) days after Sublandlord gives
      written notice thereof to Subtenant; or

           (d) Subtenant fails to perform or observe any other agreement,
      covenant, condition or provision of this Sublease to be performed or
      observed by Subtenant as and when performance or observance is due, and
      such failure continues for more than thirty (30) days after Sublandlord
      gives written notice thereof to Subtenant, or if the default cannot be
      cured within said thirty (30) day period and Subtenant fails within said
      period to commence with due diligence and dispatch the curing of such
      default or, having so commenced, thereafter fails to prosecute or complete
      with due diligence and dispatch the curing of such default; or

           (e) Subtenant (i) files or consents by answer or otherwise to the
      filing against it of a petition for relief or reorganization or
      arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy or liquidation or to take
      advantage of any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any jurisdiction; (ii)
      makes an assignment for the benefit of its

                                       14
<PAGE>

      creditors; (iii) consents to the appointment of a custodian, receiver,
      trustee or other officer with similar powers of itself or of any
      substantial part of its property; or (iv) takes action for the purpose of
      any of the foregoing; or

           (f) A court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction,
      without consent by Subtenant, enters an order appointing a custodian,
      receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it
      or with respect to any substantial portion of its property, or
      constituting an order for relief or approving a petition for relief or
      reorganization or any other petition in bankruptcy or insolvency law of
      any jurisdiction, or ordering the dissolution, winding up or liquidation
      of Subtenant, or if any such petition is filed against Subtenant and such
      petition is not dismissed within sixty (60) days; or

           (g) This Sublease or any estate of Subtenant hereunder is levied upon
      under any attachment or execution and such attachment or execution is not
      vacated within sixty (60) days.

18.   Remedies of Sublandlord on Default.
      ----------------------------------

      18.1  Termination of Sublease.  In the event of any breach of this
            -----------------------
Sublease by Subtenant, Sublandlord may, at its option, terminate the Sublease
and recover from Subtenant:

           (a) the worth at the time of award of the unpaid rent which had been
      earned at the time of termination; plus

           (b) the worth at the time of award of the amount by which the unpaid
      rent which would have been earned after termination until the time of the
      award exceeds the amount of such rental loss that Subtenant proves could
      have been reasonably avoided; plus

           (c) the worth at the time of award of the amount by which the unpaid
      rent for the balance of the Sublease Term after the time of award exceeds
      the amount of such rental loss that Subtenant proves could be reasonably
      avoided; plus

           (d) any other amount necessary to compensate Sublandlord for all
      detriment proximately caused by Subtenant's failure to perform its
      obligations under this Sublease or which in the ordinary course of things
      would be likely to result therefrom (specifically including, without
      limitation, the unamortized portion of any brokerage commissions paid by
      Sublandlord for this Sublease, brokerage commissions and advertising
      expenses incurred for a new sublease, expenses of remodeling the Subleased
      Premises or any portion thereof for a new subtenant, whether for the same
      or a different use, and any special concessions made to obtain a new
      subtenant); and

           (e) at Sublandlord's election, such other amounts in addition to or
      in lieu of the foregoing as may be permitted from time to time under the
      laws and judicial decisions of the State in which the Subleased Premises
      are located.

                                       15
<PAGE>

The term "rent" as used in this Paragraph 18.1 will be deemed to be and to mean
all sums of every nature required to be paid by Subtenant pursuant to the terms
of this Sublease, whether to Sublandlord or to others.  As used in subparagraphs
(a) and (b) above, the "worth at the time of the award" will be computed by
allowing interest at the rate of 12% per annum.  As used in subparagraph (c)
above, the "worth at the time of the award" will be computed by discounting such
amount at the discount rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at the
time of the award plus one percent (1%).  If Sublandlord terminates this
Sublease or Subtenant's right to possession, Sublandlord will use reasonable
efforts to mitigate Sublandlord's damages, and Subtenant will be entitled to
submit proof of Sublandlord's failure to mitigate as a defense to Sublandlord's
claims hereunder, if mitigation of damages by Sublandlord is required by
applicable law.

      18.2  Continue Sublease in Effect.  Sublandlord will have the remedy
            ---------------------------
described in California Civil Code Section 1951.4 (a lessor may continue lease
in effect after lessee's breach and abandonment and recover rent as it becomes
due, if lessee has the right to sublet or assign, subject only to reasonable
limitations).  Accordingly, if Sublandlord does not elect to terminate this
Sublease on account of any default by Subtenant, Sublandlord may, from time to
time, without terminating this Sublease, enforce all of its rights and remedies
under this Sublease, including the right to recover all rent as it becomes due.
If the default continues, Sublandlord may, at any time thereafter, elect to
terminate the Sublease.  Sublandlord will not be deemed to have terminated this
Sublease or the liability of Subtenant to pay rent or any other amounts due
hereunder by any reentry or by any action in unlawful detainer, unless
Sublandlord has specifically notified Subtenant in writing that Sublandlord has
elected to terminate this Sublease.

      18.3  Other Remedies.  Sublandlord will at all times have the rights and
            --------------
remedies (which will be cumulative with each other and cumulative and in
addition to those rights and remedies available under Paragraphs 18.1 and 18.2
above, or under any law or other provision of this Sublease), without prior
demand or notice except as required by applicable law, to seek any declaratory,
injunctive or other equitable relief, and specifically enforce this Sublease, or
restrain or enjoin a violation or breach of any provision hereof.


19.   Estoppel Certificates.
      ---------------------

      19.1  Obligation to Provide.  Subtenant will at any time upon not less
            ---------------------
than ten (10) days' prior written notice from Sublandlord execute, acknowledge
and deliver to Sublandlord a statement in writing (i) certifying that this
Sublease is unmodified and in full force and effect (or, if modified, stating
the nature of such modification and certifying that this Sublease, as so
modified, is in full force and effect), the amount of any security deposit, and
the date to which the rent and other charges are paid in advance, if any, and
(ii) acknowledging that there are not, to Subtenant's knowledge, any uncured
defaults on the part of Sublandlord hereunder or of Landlord under the Lease, or
specifying such defaults if any are claimed.  Any such statement may be
conclusively relied upon by any prospective purchaser or encumbrancer of the
Subleased Premises.

      19.2  Failure to Provide.  At Sublandlord's option, Subtenant's failure
            ------------------
to deliver a statement within the time required by Paragraph 19.1 above, will be
conclusive upon Subtenant (i) that this Sublease is in full force and effect,
without modification except as may be represented by Sublandlord, (ii) that
there are no uncured defaults in Sublandlord's performance hereunder or in
Landlord's performance under the Lease, and

                                       16
<PAGE>

(iii) that not more than one month's rent has been paid in advance, or such
failure may be considered by Sublandlord as a material default by Subtenant
under this Sublease.

      19.3  Financial Information.  If the Landlord desires to finance,
            ---------------------
refinance, or sell the Subleased Premises, or any part thereof, Subtenant hereby
agrees to deliver to any lender or purchaser designated by Landlord such
financial statements of Subtenant as may be reasonably required by such lender
or purchaser including, without limitation, the past three years' financial
statements of Subtenant.

      19.4  Sublandlord Estoppel.  If required by a regulatory or governmental
            --------------------
agency, Sublandlord will upon not less than fifteen (15) days' prior written
notice from Subtenant execute, acknowledge and deliver to Subtenant a statement
in writing (i) certifying that this Sublease is unmodified and in full force and
effect (or, if modified, stating the nature of such modification and certifying
that this Sublease, as so modified, is in full force and effect), the amount of
any security deposit, and the date to which the rent and other charges are paid
in advance, if any, and (ii) acknowledging that there are not, to Sublandlord's
knowledge, any uncured defaults on the part of Subtenant hereunder or of
Landlord under the Lease, or specifying such defaults if any are claimed.


20.   Real Estate Brokers.  Each party warrants to the other that there are no
      -------------------
brokerage commissions or fees payable in connection with this Sublease except to
the Brokers identified in Paragraph 1.15.  Each party further agrees to
indemnify and hold the other party harmless, from any cost, liability and
expense (including attorneys' fees and litigation and court costs) which the
other party may incur as the result of any breach of this Paragraph 20.


21.   Miscellaneous.
      -------------

      21.1  Counterparts.  This Sublease may be executed in one (1) or more
            ------------
counterparts, and all of the counterparts shall constitute but one and the same
agreement, notwithstanding that all parties hereto are not signatory to the same
or original counterpart.

      21.2  Construction.  The parties acknowledge that each party and its
            ------------
counsel have reviewed and revised this Sublease and that the normal rule of
construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the
drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Sublease or
any amendment or exhibits hereto.

      21.3  Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted
            -------
hereunder must be in writing, and be personally delivered (including by means of
professional messenger service) or sent by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid, return receipt requested to the addresses set forth in Paragraph 1.12.
All notices will be deemed received on the date sent.

      21.4  Governing Law.  This Sublease shall be governed by and construed
            -------------
in accordance with the laws of the State of California.

                                       17
<PAGE>

      21.5  Exhibits.  All exhibits and any schedules or riders attached to
            --------
this Sublease are incorporated herein by this reference and made a part hereof,
and any reference in the body of the Sublease or in the exhibits, schedules or
riders to the Sublease shall mean this Sublease, together with all exhibits,
schedules and riders.

      21.6  Waiver of Trial by Jury.  Subtenant and Sublandlord hereby waive
            -----------------------
any and all rights they may have under applicable law to trial by jury with
respect to any dispute arising directly or indirectly in connection with this
Sublease, the Lease, or the Subleased Premises.

      21.7 Prohibition on Solicitation of Sublandlord's Customers.
           ------------------------------------------------------
Subtenant hereby acknowledges that Sublandlord or First Interstate Bank operated
a branch banking facility at the Subleased Premises ("Sublandlord's Branch
Bank") prior to Sublandlord's decision to consolidate its bank business at the
Subleased Premises into another location within the geographical proximity of
the Subleased Premises and to market the Subleased Premises for sublease. As
material consideration for Sublandlord entering into this Sublease, Subtenant
covenants and agrees that neither Subtenant nor any potential sub-subtenant (or
other user) of Subtenant shall engage in any of the following activities: (a) at
any time prior to the Commencement Date, any activities that are specifically
directed at prior customers of Sublandlord's Branch Bank for the purpose of
soliciting the banking business of such prior customers including without
limitation (i) install, distribute, broadcast or otherwise display or
disseminate any signs, brochures, advertising leaflets, promotional displays,
broadcasts, banners, flashing or blinking lights, press releases, news
conferences, or other marketing material, devices, tactics or information at the
Subleased Premises or relating to or referring to the Subleased Premises or any
proprietary property or within the same market area; or (ii) use or advertise
the Subleased Premises address; and (b) at any time whether prior to or on or
after the Commencement Date use the trade or service name, logo or marks of WFB,
Wells Fargo, Wells Fargo Bank, Wells Fargo & Company, the Wells Fargo
stagecoach, the stagecoach, First Interstate Bank, First Interstate, FIB or any
combination of the foregoing at any time without Sublandlord's consent, which
may be withheld in its sole discretion. The breach of the covenant set forth in
this Paragraph 21.7 by Subtenant or any potential sub-subtenant (or other user)
of Subtenant shall be a non-curable Event of Default under this Sublease and, in
addition to any other remedies available to Sublandlord at law or in equity,
Sublandlord shall have the right to terminate this Sublease in accordance with
Paragraph 18.1 above. Sublandlord shall be entitled to recover reasonable
attorneys' fees and litigation and court costs related to its enforcement of the
terms of this Paragraph 21.7.

                              (Signature page follows)

                                       18
<PAGE>

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Sublandlord and Subtenant have executed this Sublease
as of the date(s) set forth below.


                            SUBLANDLORD

                            Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a national banking
                            association


                            By:   /s/ Debra A. Broido
                               ---------------------------------

                            Name: Debra A. Broido
                                 -------------------------------

                            Title:   Vice President
                                  ------------------------------

                            Date:     8/9/99
                                 -------------------------------


                            By:   /s/ Judy Fishman
                               ---------------------------------

                            Name:    Judy Fishman
                                 -------------------------------

                            Title:     Vice President
                                  ------------------------------

                            Date:      8/9/99
                                 -------------------------------


                            SUBTENANT

                            Pacific Mercantile Bank, a California banking
                            corporation


                            By:   /s/ John McCauley
                               ---------------------------------

                            Name:     John McCauley
                                 -------------------------------

                            Title:   Executive Vice President
                                  ------------------------------

                            Date:      8/5/99
                                 -------------------------------


                            By:   /s/ Raymond E. Dellerba
                               ---------------------------------

                            Name:    Raymond E. Dellerba
                                 -------------------------------

                            Title:     President & CEO
                                  ------------------------------

                            Date:      8-5-99
                                 -------------------------------

                                       19
<PAGE>

                              CONSENT OF LANDLORD
                              -------------------



          Earl E. Miller and Karen L. Miller, Trustees of the Miller Family
Trust ("Landlord"), hereby consents to the subletting of the Subleased Premises
pursuant to the foregoing Sublease and represents and warrants to Sublandlord
and Subtenant that no other consents to the foregoing Sublease are required,
including, without limitation, the consent of any lender on the Subleased
Premises.  Landlord agrees that in the event of a default by Sublandlord as
Tenant under the Lease, Landlord will provide concurrent notice of such default
to Subtenant.

Date:  8/25/99              LANDLORD
     --------------


                            By:   /s/ Earl E. Miller, Trustee
                               ------------------------------------------------
                               Earl E. Miller, Trustee of the Miller Family
                               Trust


                            By:   /s/ Karen L. Miller, Trustee
                               -------------------------------------------------
                               Karen L. Miller, Trustee of the Miller Family
                               Trust

                                       20

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.7

                                   SUBLEASE
                                   --------

          This Sublease, dated this 16th day of September, 1998, is entered into
by and between WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA, successor in interest to GREAT
WESTERN SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, ("Sublandlord"), and PACIFIC MERCANTILE
BANK("Subtenant") as a Sublease under a lease dated April 25, 1991, entered into
by and between The Irvine Company, as landlord (the "Landlord"), and Great
Western Savings and Loan Association, as Tenant, as amended by that certain
First Amendment to Lease dated February 20, 1996 (as amended, the "Master
Lease"). A copy of the Master Lease is attached hereto as Exhibit "A". All terms
not defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Master Lease.


          1.  Premises.  Sublandlord hereby leases to Subtenant, and Subtenant
              --------
hereby leases from Sublandlord, the Premises leased by Sublandlord from Landlord
under the Master Lease, as shown on Exhibit "A" attached thereto.


          2.  Term.  The term of this Sublease shall commence on the date upon
              ----
which Tenant receives regulatory approval to open for business at the Premises
(the "Commencement Date"), provided, however, if the term has not commenced on
or before September 15, 1998, either party hereto may terminate this Sublease by
written notice to the other.  Tenant may take possession of the Premises as of
the date hereof for the purpose of installing tenant improvements
("Improvements").  Unless sooner terminated under any provision of the Master
Lease or this Sublease, the term shall continue until June 30, 2001 (the
"Term"). Sublandlord

                                       1
<PAGE>

shall assist Subtenant in negotiating with Landlord to lease the premises
following expiration of this Sublease.

          3.  Rent.  From the Commencement Date though and including the last
              ----
day of the 4th month following the Commencement Date, no Rent shall be due but
Tenant shall perform all covenants contained herein; from the first day of the
5th month following the Commencement Date through and including the last day of
the 10th month following the Commencement Date, Base Rent shall be $15,286.25
per month; from the first day of the 11th month following the Commencement Date
until the end of the Term, Base Rent shall be 17,033.25 per month.  Such amount
shall be payable in advance on or before the first day of each calendar month
during the Term hereof.  In addition to the Base Rent, Subtenant shall pay as
additional rent Tenant's Allocable Share of Building Operating Expenses as
provided by Subsection 4.2 of the Master Lease ("Additional Rent" and together
with the Base Rent, the "Rent").  The Rent payable for any portion of a calendar
month shall be a pro rata portion of the Rent payable for a full calendar month.
Such Rent shall be paid without deduction or offset, in lawful money of the
United States of America to Sublandlord at Sublandlord's address set forth in
Section 6 hereof, or at such other place as Sublandlord may designate in
writing.

          4.  Security Deposit. On execution of this Sublease, Subtenant shall
              ----------------
deposit with Sublandlord the sum of $15,286.25 as a security deposit (the
"Security Deposit") for the performance by Subtenant of the provisions of this
Sublease. If Subtenant is

                                       2
<PAGE>

in default, Sublandlord may use the Security Deposit, or any portion of it, to
cure the default or to compensate the Sublandlord for all damage sustained by
Sublandlord resulting from Subtenant's default.  Subtenant shall immediately on
demand pay to Sublandlord a sum equal to the portion of the Security Deposit
expended or applied by Sublandlord as provided in this Section 4 so as to
maintain the Security Deposit in the sum initially deposited with the
Sublandlord.  If Subtenant is not in default at the expiration or termination of
this Sublease, Sublandlord shall return the Security Deposit to Subtenant.
Sublandlord's obligations with respect to the Security Deposit are those of a
debtor and not a trustee.  Sublandlord may maintain the Security Deposit
separate and apart from Sublandlord's general and other funds or may commingle
the Security Deposit with Sublandlord's general and other funds.  Sublandlord
shall not be required to pay Subtenant any interest on the Security Deposit.

          5.  Condition of Premises. Subtenant understands that it will accept
              ---------------------
the Premises in its current condition and that Subtenant will have full
responsibility for making any Improvements to the premises.  Any such
Improvements to be installed by Subtenant, including, without limitation, any
automatic teller machines, shall be subject to the approval of Landlord and
Sublandlord and shall be constructed in accordance with the terms of the Master
Lease and applicable laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, of any government
body or board of fire underwriters having jurisdiction over the Premises.

                                       3
<PAGE>

At the expiration of the Term of this Sublease, Subtenant may (and, at
Landlord's option shall) remove from the Premises all Improvements and
Subtenant's personal property and shall repair any damage and perform any
restoration work caused by such removal.

          6.  Incorporation by reference.  The following sections of the Master
              --------------------------
Lease are incorporated herein by reference as terms and conditions of this
Sublease as though each reference therein to "Tenant" were a reference to
Subtenant, each reference therein to "Landlord" were a reference to Sublandlord,
and each reference therein to "Lease" were a reference to this Sublease:

          (a)  Article II.

          (b)  Section 4.2.

          (c)  Article V.

          (d)  Article VI (except that the term "Landlord" in Article VI shall
               mean the Landlord under the Master Lease, and not the
               Sublandlord).

          (e)  Article VII (except that the term "Landlord" as used in Article
               VII shall mean the Landlord under the Master Lease and not the
               Sublandlord).

          (f)  Articles VIII, IX and X.

          (g)  Articles XI and XII (except that the term "Landlord" in Articles
               XI and XII shall mean the Landlord under the Master Lease, and
               not the Sublandlord).

          (h)  Articles XIII, XIV, XV and XVII.

                                       4
<PAGE>

          (i)  Article XIX (except that the term "Landlord" as used in XIX shall
               mean the Landlord under the Master Lease, and not the
               Sublandlord).
          (j)  Articles XX, XXI and XXII.

          7.  Signage.  Subject to the Landlord's prior written consent,
              -------
Subtenant shall have the right to eyebrow building signage in addition to the
same right to signage as the Sublandlord as provided by Section 5.2 of the
Master Lease.

          8.  Approval.  Prior to taking any such action with respect to the
              --------
Premises that would require the Sublandlord to obtain the Landlord's approval
under the Master Lease, Subtenant must first obtain approval from both the
Sublandlord and the Landlord.

          9.  Rights of Landlord.  In consideration of Landlord's consent to
              ------------------
this Sublease, Sublandlord and Subtenant hereby agree as follows:

              (a)  Sublandlord hereby irrevocably assigns to Landlord all of
     Sublandlord's interest in all Rent and income arising from this Sublease,
     and Landlord may collect such rent and income and apply same toward
     Sublandlord's obligations under the Master Lease; provided, however, until
     a default occurs in the performance of Sublandlord's obligations under the
     Master Lease, Sublandlord shall have the right to receive and collect the
     Rent under this Sublease.  Landlord shall not, by reason of this assignment
     or the collection of sublease rentals, be deemed liable to

                                       5
<PAGE>

     Subtenant for the performance of any of Sublandlord's obligations under
     this Sublease. Sublandlord hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs
     Subtenant, upon receipt of a written notice from Landlord stating that an
     uncured default exists in the performance of Sublandlord's obligations
     under the Master Lease, to pay to Landlord all sums then and thereafter due
     under this Sublease. Sublandlord agrees that Subtenant may rely on that
     notice without any duty of further inquiry and notwithstanding any notice
     or claim by Sublandlord to the contrary. Sublandlord shall have no right or
     claim against Subtenant or Landlord for any rentals so paid to Landlord.

              (b)  In the event of the termination of the Master Lease, Landlord
     may, at its sole option, take over Sublandlord's entire interest in this
     Sublease and, upon notice from Landlord, Subtenant shall attorn to
     Landlord.  In no event, however, shall Landlord be liable for any previous
     act or omission by Sublandlord under this Sublease or for the return of any
     advance rental payments or deposits under this Sublease that have not been
     actually delivered to Landlord, nor shall Landlord be bound by any sublease
     modification executed without Landlord's consent or for any advance rental
     payment by Subtenant in excess of one month's rent.

          10. Notices.  Whenever Sublandlord or Subtenant shall desire to give
              -------
or serve upon the other any notice, demand, request or other communication with
respect to this Sublease or

                                       6
<PAGE>

the Premises, such notice, demand, request or other communication shall be in
writing and shall be given to the other party by United States registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested,


if to Sublandlord:

                    Washington Mutual Bank, FA
                    Corporate Property Servicer
                    9301 Corbin Ave.
                    M/S N030101
                    Northridge, CA  91324
                    Attention: H. Arthur West

if to Subtenant:

                    Pacific Mercantile Bank
                    _________________________________
                    _________________________________

or at such other address or addresses as Sublandlord, or Subtenant may from time
to time designate by notice, demand, request or other communication hereunder.

                                       7
<PAGE>

     Attached hereto and made a part hereof is Addendum I.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Sublease as of the
day and date first written above.

                                         SUBLANDLORD:

                                         WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA


                                         By /s/ KENDALL BATEMAN
                                            __________________________________
                                            Name: Kendall Bateman
                                            Title: First Vice President



                                         SUBTENANT:

                                         PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANK (PROPOSED)


                                         By /s/ RAYMOND E. DELLERBA
                                            __________________________________
                                            Name: Raymond E. Dellerba
                                            Title: President & CEO (PROPOSED)

                                       8
<PAGE>

                      ADDENDUM I TO SUBLEASE DATED 9-16-98

Notwithstanding any other provisions contained in this Sublease, in the event
(a) Sublessee or its successors or assignees shall become insolvent or bankrupt,
or if it or their interests under this Sublease shall be levied upon or sold
under execution or other legal process, or (b) the depository institution then
operating on the Premises is closed, or is taken over by any depository
institution supervisory authority ("Authority"), Sub-Lessor may, in either such
event terminate this Sublease only with the concurrence of any Receiver of
Liquidator appointed by such Authority; provided, that in the event this
Sublease is terminated by the Receiver of Liquidator, the maximum claim of Sub-
lessor for rent, damages, or indemnity for injury resulting from the
termination, rejection, or abandonment of the unexpired Sublease shall be law,
and in no event be an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid rent to the date of
termination.

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.8

             Standard Internet Banking System Licensing Agreement

                                 prepared for
                  Pacific Mercantile Bank, Newport Beach,  CA

1.   The Agreement.
- ------------------

     Q-UP Systems (QUP), a d.b.a. of Sage Systems Incorporated, grants to
     Pacific Mercantile Bank doing business at, 450 Newport Center Drive, Suite
     100, Newport Beach, CA 92660-7610 (Client), a license to use QUP's Internet
     Banking System software and any additional module listed in Exhibit A. The
     license is non-exclusive and non-transferable and is limited to the
     conditions of this Agreement.

2.   The System.
- ---------------

     The Internet Banking System software, any additional module listed in
     Exhibit A, all of the peripheral attachments such as pertinent
     documentation and any future upgrades, will be hereafter referred to as
     "The System".

3.   The System Title and License.
- ---------------------------------

     Client's title rights to The System consist only of the license to use The
     System as detailed by the terms of this Agreement. Otherwise, title to The
     System remains the sole possession of QUP. Client will have access to a
     complete copy of QUP's source code and any related updates and
     documentation for The System in the event that QUP should cease its
     business operations. The code will be stored in escrow.

     Under the terms of this license Agreement, Client shall have no right to
     sub-license, sell, reproduce, manipulate the code or combine The System in
     any manner. Use of The System is restricted to processing the data needs of
     Client named in this Agreement only, which thus prohibits time-sharing or
     servicing The System on behalf of a third party.

4.   Purchase Price.
- -------------------

     A deposit as listed in Exhibit A is due upon execution of this Agreement.
     The remaining balance is due and payable upon receipt of an invoice from
     QUP subsequent to the Installation. Costs for The System are listed in
     Exhibit A.

5.   Pre-Installation Requirements.
- ----------------------------------

     Client must provide and have ready prior to the day of installation the
     following:

          a)   Internet Connectivity.
               ---------------------

     Client is responsible for acquiring Internet connectivity through an
     Internet Service Provider. Email, browsers, chat programs and other
     Internet services not directly related to The System are also the
     responsibility of the Client.

          b)   Fully Tested Communication Line.
               -------------------------------

     Client must install a line of communication (minimum required - ISDN line)
     from the demarcation point outside to the ultimate link inside Client's
     building. Client must certify in writing to QUP prior to installation that
     the line is connected and operating. Client bears all responsibility and
     all associated costs for the connection. QUP can advise Client on how to
     accomplish the communication line, if necessary. In the event that a failed
     communication line delays installation, Client will be responsible for the
     extra costs associated with the delay.

     In order to fully test the communication line, a router must be installed.
     Client is responsible for installing the router. QUP can provide this
     service for the compensation of time, materials and travel expenses.

          c)   Hardware.
               --------

     As Client has chosen to house The System on-site, Client is responsible for
     procurement of the minimum hardware requirements as listed in Exhibit A. At
     Client's request, QUP may provide turnkey assistance in the procurement of
     all of the necessary hardware with all bills being sent to Client.

          d)   Core Software Data Interface.
               ----------------------------

     QUP will provide the correct interface between Client's host computer
     system and The System. Client is responsible for providing the "Pull" files
     in the required formats to extract the necessary data from the host
     computer system to be utilized by The System. Provided that Client provides
     all required files in the correct format, QUP will assume responsibility
     for proper functioning of the interface and will cooperate fully with
     client to ensure continued proper functioning of this interface. Client,
     however, is responsible for any and all costs associated with providing the
     required "Pull" files for this interface, including any billing(s) by the
     Client's host vendor or other computer professionals employed by Client to
     facilitate such process.

6.   Server Procedures.
- ----------------------

     Client will ship its server to QUP's Corporate Headquarters for preparation
     of installation. QUP will install and configure The System onto the WinNT
     4.0 server, the router, secure access firewall software, and Verisign
     Security Digital ID. QUP will pre-test the server before delivery to ensure
     it is functioning properly. QUP will then deliver the secured, configured
     server to Client on the installation date agreed to by both parties.

7.   On-Site Responsibilities.
- -----------------------------

     Client must acknowledge and agree to accept the indirect responsibilities
     of operating and maintaining The System "in-house". For every subparagraph
     below, QUP can provide assistance at Client's request. However, QUP
     reserves the right to charge Client at standard service rates for any
     assistance that does not specifically relate to The System.

          a)   NT Server.
               ---------
<PAGE>

Q-UP Systems In-Bank License Agreement                                    Page 2


     Client assumes full responsibility for the server on which The System and
     the NT software platform rests. Troubleshooting issues that arise from the
     NT server should be addressed to the manufacturer of that server. QUP will
     provide at time of installation the appropriate contact number for
     assistance with the NT Server.

          b)   NT Software.
               -----------
     Client assumes full responsibility for its NT server software. Support
     issues arising over the NT software should be addressed to Microsoft Corp.

          c)   Router.
               ------

     Client assumes full responsibility for the router. Troubleshooting issues
     arising over the router should be addressed to the manufacturer of that
     router. QUP will provide at time of installation the appropriate contact
     number for assistance with the router.

          d)   Tape Back Up.
               ------------

     The System comes equipped with pre-installed, pre-configured tape back up
     software. Client is also provided with instructions that detail how the
     software works and needs to be maintained on a daily basis. Client must
     procure the tape drive, as noted in the hardware requirements in Exhibit A.
     QUP can assist Client on how to operate the tape back up, but it is
     Client's full responsibility to ensure daily completion of the tape back up
     procedure.

8.   Installation.
- -----------------

     QUP will deliver and install The System. Client and QUP will mutually agree
     upon time and date for delivery at some point after the Agreement is
     executed and the deposit has been tendered, unless QUP executives and
     Client have made other arrangements. Installation includes testing The
     System to ensure that it is functioning properly and training of designated
     representatives.

          a)   Costs.
               -----
     All reasonable costs associated with installation, including travel, meals,
     lodging, etc are to be reimbursed by Client.

9.   Training.
- -------------

     Client must appoint one or more technical representatives to be present on
     the day of installation. Training includes educating Client's technical
     representatives about the day to day operations and general maintenance of
     The System. QUP will provide the Client's designated personnel with an
     Internal User's Guide that explains the utilities of The System. If Client
     wishes, QUP will also hold a general training session for customer
     representatives, tellers, etc to teach them how to use The System from the
     customer's perspective in order to help facilitate answers to possible
     questions from customers.

10.  Installation Packet.
- ------------------------

     Client will receive a packet that includes operational guidelines, a back
     up installation diskette and procedural forms.

11.  Support Services.
- ---------------------

     Client can reach QUP at its headquarters Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.
     to 5:00 p.m., CST to get assistance for The System. When upgrades are made
     to The System, QUP will contact Client to arrange for transfer of the
     enhanced files.

12.  Termination.
- ----------------

     This Agreement may be terminated if either party fails in the performance
     of any of its duties or obligations under this Agreement. In such an event,
     the harmed party may terminate this Agreement by sending written notice to
     the breaching party. A party receiving written notice of a harm has ninety
     (90) days from receipt of written notice in which to remedy the Breach to
     the reasonable satisfaction of the harmed party. If no cure has been
     reached within ninety (90) days this Agreement automatically terminates. In
     the event of termination, Client will uninstall The System and return all
     marketing, operating, procedural and all other material information, and
     other property relating to The System, to QUP within thirty (30) days of
     termination.

13.  Limited Warranty; Warranty Disclaimer; Limitation of Liability.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------

          (a)  Limited Warranty. QUP warrants that is has full corporate power
               ----------------
     and authority to enter into this Agreement, and further warrants that all
     computer software included as part of The System is Year 2000 Compliant,
     which means that all such software will operate prior to, during, and after
     the calendar year 2000, A.D., and that the software will operate during
     each such time period without substantial error relating to date data,
     specifically including error relating to, or the product of, date data
     which represents or references different centuries or more than one
     century.

          (b)  Warranty Disclaimer. THE LIMITED WARRANTY SET FORTH IN
               -------------------
      SUBSECTION 13 (a) ABOVE IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
      IMPLIED, AND QUP EXPRESSLY CLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT
      LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
      PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT THERETO.

          (c)  Sole Remedies. In the event that the magnetic media on which The
               -------------
     System is recorded is defective as to material or workmanship under normal
     at any time during the sixty (60) day period immediately following the date
     of installation of The System, QUP shall repair or replace any such
     defective magnetic media, at its sole option, upon receipt of notice of
     such defect from Client, provided that such notice is received within a
     reasonable time after such defect is or should have been known by Client.
     Client's sole and exclusive remedy for such defective magnetic media shall
     be its repair or replacement by QUP.
<PAGE>

Q-UP Systems In-Bank License Agreement                                    Page 3

          In the event that The System fails to substantially conform to either
     the operational guidelines discussed in Section 10 of this Agreement or to
     the Year 2000 limited warranty set out in Section 13 (a) at any time during
     the initial term of this Agreement QUP will, at its sole option upon
     receipt of written notice from Client received by QUP within a reasonable
     time after such failure is or should have been known by Client of such
     failure of The System to so substantially conform, either repair or replace
     The System so that it thereafter substantially conforms to such operational
     guidelines. In the event that QUP is unable to either so repair or replace
     The System within a reasonable period of time after QUP's receipt of
     written notice from the Client, QUP shall refund all amounts previously
     paid by Client pursuant to this Agreement, this Agreement shall thereupon
     terminate, and Client shall uninstall The System and return The System and
     all marketing, operating, procedural and other material information
     relating to The System to QUP within thirty (30) days of receiving said
     refund from QUP. QUP's repair or replacement of The System or, in the
     alternative, QUP's refund to Client of all funds paid pursuant to this
     Section 13, constitutes Client's sole and exclusive remedy for any
     applicable failure of The System to substantially conform to the
     operational guidelines for The System.

          (d)  Limitation of Damages. QUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO CLIENT OR ANY
               ---------------------
     THIRD PARTY FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR INDIRECT
     DAMAGES, HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF THIS
     AGREEMENT, WHETHER OR NOT QUP HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
     DAMAGES, AND NOTWITHSTANDING ANY FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY
     LIMITED REMEDY. QUP'S LIABILITY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY AND ALL ACTS
     OR OMISSIONS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNTS ACTUALLY PAID TO QUP UNDER THIS
     AGREEMENT. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SHALL NOT APPLY
     TO QUP'S OBLIGATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 29 OF THIS AGREEMENT.

14.  Server Responsibility.
- --------------------------

     QUP is responsible for the presence and continued operation of The System
     on Client's server.

          a)   FTP Requirements.  In the event that Client's server runs FTP, it
               ----------------
     is a security requirement that the FTP service be turned off. On occasion,
     a QUP representative will need to transfer files to Client, at which time
     the QUP representative will arrange a specific and fixed time for the FTP
     service to be turned on. The FTP session between QUP and Client will be
     password-controlled. At the end of any FTP session, the QUP representative
     will instruct Client to stop the FTP service.

15.  Network Security.
- ---------------------

     QUP agrees to secure the stand-alone Web server that is responsible for the
     storage of data received from the bank's core system. This stand-alone
     server is equipped with industry standard security measures to protect it
     from intrusion and corruption. If Client links the stand-alone server to
     any other of its networks or PC's, Client is fully responsible for the
     connection, configuration and security components involved with the
     additional connection(s).

     QUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO CLIENT OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY BREACH OF
     SECURITY OR VIOLATION OF PRIVACY ISSUES THAT MAY OCCUR WITH RELATION TO THE
     SYSTEM. CLIENT SHALL DEFEND OR SETTLE, AT ITS OWN EXPENSE, ANY CLAIMS OR
     CAUSE OF ACTION OR PROCEEDING DUE TO A BREACH OF SECURITY OR VIOLATION OF
     PRIVACY.

16.  Confidentiality.
- --------------------

     QUP and Client agree that this Agreement, and the relationship it
     represents, requires the exchange of confidential information over the
     course of normal business. QUP and Client further agree that this
     confidential information is to be communicated and handled in the strictest
     of confidence. QUP and Client agree not to disclose any information about
     the other to third parties that is not already readily available to the
     public. In short, QUP and Client agree to treat each other's confidential
     business data with the same sensitivity and propriety as they would their
     own.

17.  Electronic Bill Payment.
- ----------------------------

     Client agrees that for the life of this licensing agreement Client will not
     utilize any other software than The System for the settlement and
     disbursement of electronic bill payments as they originate from The System.
     Exclusive use of The System for originating, settling and disbursement of
     electronic bill payments originating from The System is a condition of this
     Agreement. All fees associated with Bill Payment are enumerated in Exhibit
     A. To activate Bill Payment, Client must execute the Bill Payer Activation
     Form- Attachment B, of this Agreement.

          a.)  Monthly Report and Fees.
               -----------------------

     QUP will record the number of users per month and bill Client as per the
     Bill Pay fees listed in Exhibit A. Client will be invoiced and remittance
     is due by the 10th of the following month.

18.  Annual License and Maintenance.
- -----------------------------------

     An annual license fee is to be paid to QUP at the amount listed in Exhibit
     A. Client will receive thirty (30) days advance notice of any fee increase
     prior to its effective date. Fees may increase annually, but are guaranteed
     not to exceed 5% of the previous year's total.
<PAGE>

Q-UP Systems In-Bank License Agreement                                    Page 4

19.  Federal Compliance.
- -----------------------

     QUP agrees to maintain compliance with any new federal regulations that may
     require programming changes to the System. These required changes are to be
     covered under Client's annual license and maintenance agreement. Client
     agrees to accept financial responsibility for any costs (both hardware and
     software) associated with conforming to Federal banking regulations, with
     the exception of the programming changes mention above.

20.  Copyrights and Trademarks.
- ------------------------------

     QUP has the sole right to copyright or trademark all components of The
     System, The System name and all logos associated with The System.

21.  Changes to The System.
- --------------------------

     Requests by Client to modify The System will be taken and reviewed on a
     quarterly basis. QUP reserves the right to determine the schedule of
     changes for a given quarter.

22.  Jurisdiction.
- -----------------

     The enforceability of this Agreement is subject to the laws of the State of
     Texas. Jurisdiction and venue for any action arising out of the
     relationship between QUP and Client shall exclusively be in state or
     federal court located in Travis County, Texas.

23.  Agreement.
- --------------

     Once executed, this Agreement constitutes the complete understanding
     between Client and QUP as to the nature of their business relationship and
     thereon supercedes any previous agreements whether oral or written between
     the parties. This Agreement is executed when QUP receives the signed
     Agreement. This Agreement may be modified or supplemented only by a further
     execution of the change in writing by an authorized representative of both
     parties. This Agreement is binding on all heirs, successors and assignees
     of Client and QUP.

24.  Term and Renewal.
- ---------------------

     This Agreement extends to one year beyond the date named below (with
     signature). The Agreement renews automatically for additional one year
     periods unless either party notifies the other in writing of the desire to
     discontinue the Agreement sixty (60) days prior to the renewal date.

25.  Notices.
- ------------

     Please send notices to QUP Headquarters:
     Q-UP Systems
     8303 Mopac
     B 450
     Austin, Texas 78759

26.  Hold Period.
- ----------------

     QUP strongly recommends that after installation Client wait 30 days before
     introducing The System to its customer base in order to fully test and
     fine-tune the interface between The System and Client's core software
     system.

27.  Client Responsibilities for Check Imaging.
- ----------------------------------------------

     Client is fully responsible for providing the data interface program that
     transfers data between The System and Client's Host System, as well as all
     associated costs related to the interface.

     It is Client's responsibility, in conjunction with Client's check imaging
     vendor, to supply QUP with the required check image file format for images
     and indices, if available. QUP will write a check imaging interface to meet
     these file format specifications. In addition, Client, in conjunction with
     Client's check imaging vendor, is responsible for providing the application
     that retrieves and delivers the image files to the Web server, either
     through direct connection to the Web server or shared space on Client's
     Local Area Network (LAN).

28.  Web Site Fee Schedule.
- --------------------------

     See Exhibit B for specifics on product and services to be provided by QUP.

29.  Indemnification.
- --------------------

     QUP hereby agrees to indemnify Client and hold Client harmless, subject to
     the limitation of liability stated in Section 13(d) of this Agreement, from
     and against any claims of infringement of any copyright or trade secret
     protected under the laws of the United States, including reasonable legal
     fees and expenses. QUP's obligation to so indemnify and hold harmless
     Client is expressly conditioned on Client notifying QUP in writing promptly
     after Client becomes aware of any such claim, and Client will allow QUP to
     control the proceedings. Client will cooperate fully with QUP during such
     proceedings. In the event any permanent injunction is entered prohibiting
     Client from utilizing all or any part of The System, QUP may but shall not
     be obligated to replace, in whole or in part, the subject of the injunction
     with substantially compatible and functionally equivalent software and/or
     items, or modify such software or other items to avoid infringement.
<PAGE>

                                                                          Page 5

30. Signatures
- --------------

     By signing this page, authorized parties of both Client and Q-UP agree to
     the terms and conditions set forth in the entire agreement.


Sage Systems, dba QUP Systems                    Pacific Mercantile Bank

By:        Mr. L. D. Martin                 By:       Mr. John P. Cronin
   ---------------------------------              -----------------------------
        (print or type name)                         Mr. Daniel L. Erickson
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                   (print or type name)

Title:        President                     Title:         EVP
      ------------------------------              --------------------------
                                                           EVP
                                                  --------------------------

Date:           1-28-99                     Date:           1-28-99
     -------------------------------             ---------------------------

                                                    /s/ John P. Cronin
                                                 ---------------------------

          /s/ L.D. Martin                           /s/ Daniel L. Erikson
     -------------------------------             ---------------------------
            Q-UP Signature                            Client Signature

<PAGE>

[Confidential treatment is being sought for certain portions of this Exhibit, as
indicated by a "[*]" symbol and footnoted as "omitted pursuant to Rule 406."
Such omitted portions have been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.]

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.9

               ODFI-ORIGINATOR AGREEMENT FOR AUTOMATED CLEARING

                                 HOUSE ENTRIES

This Agreement, dated as of February 16, 1999 is between eFunds Corporation the
("Company") and Pacific Mercantile Bank, a state banking association ("Bank").

                                 A.   RECITALS

Company acts as agent for third party payees ("Payees") in connection with the
collection of remittances due to Payees by consumers.

Company wishes to collect such remittances through Automated Clearing House
("ACH") debit Entries against the accounts of such consumers. Company also
wishes, through ACH credit Entries, to transfer such funds after their receipt
and crediting to Payee accounts at Bank to the accounts of Payees maintained at
third-party financial institutions.

Bank is willing to act as an Originating Depository Financial Institution
("ODFI") with respect to such Entries.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms shall have the meanings
provided in the rules (the "Rules") of the National Automated Clearing House
Association ("NACHA"). The term "Entries" shall have the meaning provided in the
Rules shall mean debit and credit Entries unless otherwise specified and shall
also mean the data received from Company hereunder from which Bank prepares
Entries.

                                 B.  AGREEMENT

          1.   Transmittal of Entries by Company.

(a)  Company may, as agent for Payees, from time to time and in accordance with
this Agreement and the Rules prepare and transmit to Bank debit Entries for the
collection of remittances due to such Payees. The total dollar amount of debit
Entries transmitted by Company to Bank on any one day shall not exceed
[*]. The aggregate total

[*] Omitted pursuant to Rule 406.

                                     Page 1
<PAGE>

of debit Entries transmitted by Company to Bank during any 15-day period shall
not exceed [*].

(b)  Company may, as agent for Payees, from time to time and in accordance with
this Agreement and the Rules prepare and transmit to Bank credit Entries for the
transfer; of Payee funds from a Custodial Account (as defined below) of a Payee
to an account of the Payee maintained at a third-party financial institution.
The total dollar amount of credit Entries transmitted by Company to Bank on any
one day shall not exceed [*]. The aggregate total of credit Entries
transmitted by Company to Bank during any 15-day period shall not exceed [*].

          2.   Security Procedure.

Company and Bank shall comply with the security procedure requirements described
in Schedule A when transmitting or receiving Entries.

          3.   Processing Entries.

Company shall be responsible for processing Entries so as to conform to the file
specifications set forth in the Rules. Company shall transmit Entries to the
location and in compliance with such formatting and other requirements as may be
established by Bank from time to time.

          4.   Transmittal of Entries.

(a)  Bank agrees to act as the ODFI with respect to Entries received or
initiated on its behalf to the ACH.

(b)  Bank shall transmit or cause to have transmitted by Company such Entries to
the ACH by the deadline of the ACH set forth in Schedule B on the date such
Entries are received from Company provided:

     (i)    the Entries received by ACH before [*] (the Cut-Off Hour") on a
     business day,

[*] Omitted pursuant to Rule 406.

                                     Page 2
<PAGE>

     (ii)   the Effective Entry Date is one business day after such business
     day, and

     (iii)  the ACH is open for business on such business day. For purpose of
     this Agreement, a "business day" is a day on which Bank is open to the
     public for carrying on substantially all of its business other than a
     Saturday or Sunday. Entries shall be deemed received by Bank when received
     by Bank at the location specified by Bank in compliance with any related
     security procedure provided for herein.

(c)  If any of the requirements of clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 4 (b) is
not met, Bank or Company shall use reasonable efforts to transmit such Entries
to the ACH by the next deposit deadline of the ACH following the date such
Entries are received, but shall not be liable for any delay in or failure to do
so.

          5.   On-Us Entries.

In the case of an Entry received for debiting to an account maintained with Bank
(an "On-Us Entry"), Bank shall debit the Receiver's account in the amount of
such Entry on the Effective Entry Date contained in such Entry, provided the
requirements set forth in clause (i) and (ii) of Section 4 (b) are met. If
either of those requirements is not met, Bank shall use reasonable efforts to
debit the Receiver's account in the amount of such Entry on the next business
day following such Effective Entry Date, but shall not be liable for any delay
in or failure to do so.

          6.   Rejection of Entries.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary:

(a)  Bank shall have the right to reject any specific Entry, at sole discretion
of Bank and either for cause or without cause. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, Bank shall be under no obligation to receive or transmit, or
to act as an ODFI with respect to, any specific Entry submitted by Company to
Bank if, in Bank's reasonable determination, to do so may or could result in any
liability or loss to Bank.

                                    Page 3
<PAGE>

(b)  Company acknowledges that Bank may reject any Entry that:

     (i)    does not comply with the requirements of section (1) or (2),

     (ii)   which contains an Effective Entry Date more than one business day
     after the business day such Entry is received by bank, or

     (iii)  which constitutes a transaction that does not comply fully with all
     provisions of this Agreement, the Rules or federal or state law.

Bank shall also have the right to reject an "On-Us Entry" for any reason that
such entry might be returned under the Rules. Bank shall have the right to
reject any Entry if Company has failed to comply with its Company Account
balance obligations under Section 10. Bank shall have the right to reject any
credit Entry from a Custodial Account (as defined below) if, at the time of
receipt of such Entry from Company, there are not finally and immediately
available funds in the Custodial Account in amount equal to or exceeding the
amount of the credit Entry.

          7.   Cancellation or Amendment by Company.

Company shall have no unilateral right to cancel or amend any Entry after its
receipt by Bank. However, Bank shall us reasonable efforts to act on a request
by Company for cancellation of an Entry if the request is received by Bank prior
to transmitting the Entry to the ACH or, in the case of an On-Us Entry, prior to
debiting a Receiver's account, provided such request complies with the security
procedure set forth in Schedule A for cancellation of data, but shall have no
liability if such cancellation is not effected.

          8.   Notice of Returned Entries.

Bank shall notify Company by telephone or electronic transmission of the receipt
of an Entry returned from the ACH on the day of such receipt. Except for an
Entry retransmitted by Company in accordance with the requirements of this
Agreement, Bank shall have no obligation to re-transmit a returned Entry to the
ACH if Bank complied with the terms of this Agreement with respect to the
original Entry. In the event that Company is the

                                     Page 4
<PAGE>

originator for the Bank, then return information will be transmitted to the Bank
no later than the same day of receipt of the return.

          9.   The Custodial Accounts.

Company shall establish at Bank a custodial account (a "Custodial Account").
Company shall establish each such Custodial Account as an account at Bank and in
a manner and form acceptable to Bank. Company shall supply or cause to be
supplied to Bank all relevant documents, signature cards and account opening
materials as may be required by Bank in connection with the establishment of
each Custodial Account.

Bank agrees on the Settlement Date with respect to each debit Entry to credit
funds received in settlement of the Entry to the Custodial Account to which such
Entry relates, and Bank shall have the right to debit funds in a Custodial
Account on the date any credit Entry with respect to that Custodial Account is
transmitted by Bank to the ACH; provided, however, that Bank shall be entitled
to rely on information received from Company for purposes of determining the
proper Custodial Account to or from which such funds are to be credited (in the
event of a debit Entry) or debited (in the event of a credit Entry); and
provided, further, that if no Custodial Account has been established for the
receipt of funds with respect to an Entry Bank shall be authorized to return
such funds to the Receiver whose account was debited by the Entry.

Company, on behalf of itself and for each Payee, agrees that funds will remain
on deposit in each Custodial Account for [*] after proceeds of a debit
Entry have been credited to the Custodial Account.

          10.  Account Reconciliation

Entries (including On-Us Entries) transmitted by or for Bank will be reflected
on a periodic statement provided by Bank to Company on each Custodial Account.
Company agrees that Bank may, at the request of any Payee, provide copies of
such statements directly to the Payee.

[*] Omitted pursuant to Rule 406.

                                     Page 5
<PAGE>

Company agrees, on its behalf and on behalf of all Payees:

     (i)   that company will notify Bank promptly of any discrepancy between
     Company's or Payee's records and the information shown on any Custodial
     Account statement;

     (ii)   if Company fails to notify Bank of any such discrepancy within 30
     days of receipt of a statement containing such information, Bank shall not
     be liable for any other losses to Company or the relevant Payee resulting
     from Company's failure to give such notice or any loss of interest with
     respect to an Entry shown on such statement; and

     (iii)  if Company fails to notify Bank of any such discrepancy within one
     year of receipt of such statement, Company and the relevant Payee shall be
     precluded from asserting such discrepancy against Bank.

Company Representations and Agreements; Indemnity.

Company warrants and represents to Bank, both at the time of this Agreement and
at the time each Entry is transmitted by Company to Bank, that:

     (i)  Company is a corporation duly organized and in good standing under the
     laws of the state of California, that performance by Company under this
     Agreement will not result in any breach of any provision of Company's
     Articles of Incorporation or by-laws or any other agreement to which
     Company is a party, and that Company has and will maintain all licenses,
     permits and approvals required of Company as a condition of Company
     lawfully engaging in the activities in which it engages;

     (ii)   each person shown as the Receiver on an Entry has authorized the
     initiation of such Entry and the debiting of its account in the amount and
     on the Effective Entry Date shown on such Entry;

                                     Page 6
<PAGE>

     (iii)  the Receiver's authorization and Company's actions with respect to
     such Receiver and the Receiver's account comply in all respects with
     federal and state consumer protection statutes, including without
     limitation the federal Electronic Fund Transfer Act and its implementing
     Regulation E of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the
     "Federal Reserve Board"), and Company provided or caused to be provided a
     copy of the authorization to the Receiver;

     (iv)   such authorization is operative at the time of transmittal of the
     Entry by Bank to the ACH or, as to On-Us Entries, debiting of the
     Receiver's account by Bank as provided herein; and

     (v)    with respect to any Entry received by Bank from Company, Company has
     complied with all provision of the Rules applicable to the Entry.

Company further represents and warrants to Bank, both at the time of this
Agreement and at the time each Entry is transmitted by Company to Bank, that:

     (i)    Company has entered into an agreement with each Payee ("Payee
     Agreements") that authorizes Company, as agent for such Payee, to collect
     remittances on behalf of the Payee, with receipt of monies due a Payee
     deemed to occur when funds are received in settlement of an Entry initiated
     on behalf of the Payee, whether such or not such funds are initially
     credited to the appropriate Custodial Account;

     (ii)   such Payee Agreement authorizes Company, as agent for the Payee, to
     initiate through ACH credit Entry transfers of funds from the Payee's
     Custodial Account to an account of such Payee at a third-party financial
     institution, and further authorizes Bank to debit the Custodial Account in
     the amount of the ACH credit Entry;

     (iii)  the terms and conditions of each Payee Agreement are consistent with
     the terms and conditions of this Agreement and authorize Company, as agent
     for

                                     Page 7
<PAGE>

     Payee, to engage in each action contemplated by Company under this
     Agreement and that, in so doing, Company's actions will be deemed those of
     such Payee;

     (iv)   the terms and conditions of each Payee Agreement authorize Company
     to direct Bank to transfer funds between Custodial Accounts to correct any
     error under which funds are initially credited to an incorrect Custodial
     Account: and

     (v)    Company, as agent of each, Payee, specifically authorized pursuant
     to the Payee Agreement to bind each Payee to the provisions of Section 11
     (b), 13 (b), 14 and 15

Company further agrees that, with respect to all Entries:

     (i)    Originator shall retain the original, or a microfilm copy or other
     legible copy, of all debit and credit Entry authorizations for a period of
     two years (or, if a longer period is required by the Rules, such longer
     period) after the termination or revocation of such authorization;

     (ii)   Company shall provide Bank with the original or a legible copy of a
     Receiver's authorization within 72 hours of Bank's request for the same;

     (iii)  Company shall perform its obligations under this Agreement in
     accordance with all-applicable laws and regulations.

     (iv)   Company shall be bound by and comply with the Rules as in effect
     from time-to-time.

Company shall indemnify Bank upon demand against any loss, liability or expense
(including attorneys' fees and expenses) resulting from or arising out of any
breach of any of the foregoing representations, warranties or agreements.

          11.  Liability; Limitations on Liability; Indemnity.

Bank shall be responsible only for performing the services expressly provided
for in this Agreement, and shall be liable only for its negligence in performing
those services. Bank

                                     Page 8
<PAGE>

shall not be responsible for acts or omissions by Company (whether as principal
or as agent of a Payee), including without limitation the amount, accuracy,
timeless of transmittal or due authorization of any Entry received from Company,
or by those of any other person, including without limitation the ACH, any ACH
Operator, any Federal Reserve Bank or transmission or communications facility,
any Receiver or RDFI (including without limitation the return of any Entry by
such Receiver or RDFI), and no such person shall be deemed Bank's agent. Company
agrees to indemnify Bank against any loss, Liability or expense (including
attorneys' fees and expenses) resulting from or arising out of any claim of any
person that Bank is responsible for any act or omission of Company or any other
person described in this Section 13 (a).

In no event shall Bank be liable for any consequential, special, punitive or
indirect loss or damage which Company or any Payee may incur or suffer in
connection with the Agreement, including without limitation loss or damage from
subsequent wrongful dishonor resulting from Bank's acts or omissions pursuant to
this Agreement. Company represents and warrants that Company as agent for each
Payee has the authority to bind each Payee to the limitations on liability
contained in this Section 13 (b).

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing provisions, Bank shall be
excused from failing to act or delay in acting if Bank receives inconsistent
instructions from Company and/or a Payee, any of its authorized representatives
or its agent, or if such failure or delay is caused by legal constraint,
interruption or transmission or communication facilities, equipment failure,
war, emergency conditions or other circumstances beyond Bank's control. In
addition, Bank shall be excused from failing to transmit or delay in
transmitting an Entry if such transmittal would result in Bank's having exceeded
any limitation upon its intra-day net funds position established pursuant to
present or future Federal Reserve Board guidelines or in Bank's otherwise
violating any provision of any preset or future risk control program of the
Federal Reserve Board or any rule or regulation of any other U.S., or state
governmental or regulatory authority.

Subject to the foregoing limitations, Bank's liability for loss of interest
resulting from its error or delay shall be calculated by using a rate equal to
the average Federal Funds rate

                                     Page 9
<PAGE>

at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, less reserve requirements, for the
period involved. At Bank's option, payment of such interest may be made by
crediting the Account resulting from or arising out of any claim of any person
that Bank is responsible for any act or omission of Company or any other person
described in Section 13 (a).

          12.  Compliance with Security Procedure.

If an Entry (or a request or cancellation or amendment of an Entry) received by
Bank purports to have been transmitted or authorized by Company, it will be
deemed Company's Entry (as principal and as agent for the Payee) and effective
as Company's Entry or request (as principal and as agent for the Payee) even
though the Entry (or request) was not authorized by Company or the Payee or the
amount or Receiver of the Entry was other than the amount or Receiver intended
by Company or the Payee, provided Bank acted in compliance with the security
procedure referred to in Schedule A with respect to such Entry. If signature
comparison is to be used as a part of that security procedure, Bank shall be
deemed to have complied with that part of such procedure if it compares the
signature accompanying a file of Entries (or request for cancellation or
amendment of an Entry) received with the signature of an authorized
representative of Company and, on the basis of such comparison, believes the
signature accompanying such file to be that of such authorized representative.

If an Entry (or request for cancellation or amendment of an Entry) received by
Bank was transmitted or authorized by Company, the Entry shall be deemed
Company's Entry (as principal and as agent for Payee) and effective as Company's
Entry (as principal and as agent for Payee), whether or not Bank complied with
security procedure referred to in Schedule A with respect to that Entry and
whether or not that Entry was erroneous in any respect or that error would have
been detected if Bank had complied with such procedure.

          13.  Inconsistency of Name and Account Number.

Company acknowledges and agrees for itself and for each Payee that, if an Entry
describes the Receiver inconsistently by name and account number, payment of the
Entry

                                    Page 10
<PAGE>

transmitted by Bank to the RDFI might be made by the RDFI (or by Bank) on the
basis of the account number, even if it identifies a person different from the
named Receiver, and that Company's and each Payee's obligations to Bank with
respect to such Entry is not excused in such circumstances.

          14.  Notification of Change.

Bank shall notify Company of all notification of change received by Bank
relating to Entries transmitted by Company by mail, phone or electronically no
later than one business day after receipt thereof.

          15.  Payment of Services.

Company shall pay Bank the charges for the services provided for herein set
forth in Schedule C attached hereto. Such charges do not include, and Company
shall be responsible for payment of, any sales, use, excise, value added,
utility or other similar taxes relating to the services provided for herein, and
any fees or charges provided for in the agreement between Bank and Company with
respect to the Company Account and each Custodial Account (the "Account
Agreement").

          16.  Amendments.

From time-to-time, Bank may amend any of the terms and conditions contained in
this Agreement, including without limitation, any cut-off time, any business
day, and any part of Schedule A through C, each of which is attached hereto and
made a part hereof. Such amendments shall become effective upon receipt of
notice by Company or such later date as may be stated in Bank's notice to
Company.

          17.  Notices, Instructions, Etc.

(a)  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, Bank shall not be required
to act upon any notice or instruction received from Company or any other person,
or to provide any notice or advice to Company or any other person with respect
to any matter.

                                    Page 11
<PAGE>

(b)  Bank shall be entitled to rely on any written notice or other written
communication believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed
by an authorized representative of Company, and any such communication shall be
deemed to have been signed by such person. The names and signatures of
authorized representatives are set forth in Schedule C attached hereto and made
a part hereof. Company may add or delete any authorized representative by
written notice to Bank signed by at least two authorized representatives other
than that being added or deleted. Such notice shall be effective on the second
business day following the day of Bank's receipt thereof.

(c)  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any written notice or other
written communication required or permitted to be given under this Agreement
shall be delivered, or sent by United States registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid, or by express carrier, and, addressed as follows:

Pacific Mercantile Bank                    eFunds Corporation
450 Newport Center Drive Suite 100         1391 Warner Avenue
Newport Beach, California 92660            Tustin, California 92780

<TABLE>
<S>                                                       <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:      Daniel L. Erickson       John P. Cronin        Name:      Larry L. Luckey
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature: /s/ Daniel L. Erickson   /s/ John P. Cronin    Signature: /s/ Larry L. Luckey
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:     EVP/CFO                  EVP/CTO               Title:     C.O.O.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:      2/16/99                                        Date:      Feb. 16, 1999
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

unless another address is substituted by notice delivered or sent as provided
herein. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any such notice shall be
deemed given when received.

                                    Page 12
<PAGE>

          18.  Data Retention.

Company shall retain data on file adequate to permit remaking of Entries for 7
years following the date of their transmittal by Bank or Automated Clearing
House operator as provided herein, and shall provided such data to Bank upon its
request.

          19.  Term and Termination.

The term of this Agreement shall begin on the effective date of the Agreement,
which shall be the day a copy of the Agreement signed by Company is delivered to
and executed by Bank, and shall end at 12:01 a.m., local time of Bank, on the
first calendar day of the January next succeeding the effective date. Unless
otherwise terminated by either party as set forth below, this Agreement shall
renew for successive terms of one year each.

Bank or Company may terminate this Agreement at any time. Such termination shall
be effective one month to the day following the day of Bank's or Company's
receipt of written notice of such termination (unless Bank or Company otherwise
specifically agrees to earlier termination) or such later date as is specified
in that notice.

BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BUSINESS THAT E-FUNDS CORPORATION IS ENGAGED
IN, THE BANK RECOGNIZES THAT ONGOING WORK CAN NOT BE TERMINATED CAPRICIOUSLY.
THEREFORE, SUBJECT TO A VIOLATION OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION WHICH CAUSES BANK TO
CEASE AND DECIST FROM AN ACTIVITY, BANK WILL CONTINUE TO PROCESS E-FUNDS
CUSTOMER'S TRANSACTIONS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME NECESSARY FOR THOSE CUSTOMER'S AND
eFUNDS TO SEEK OTHER ACCOMIDATIONS. DURING THIS PERIOD, ALL INCOME DERIVED BY
SUCH PROCESSING WILL BE USED TO PAY ANY DEBTS OWED THE BANK BY E-FUNDS
CORPORATION OR ITS CUSTOMERS BEFORE SUCH FUNDS ARE RELEASED TO E-FUNDS
CORPORATION.

Any termination of this Agreement shall not affect any of Company's or Bank's
obligations arising prior to such termination.

                                    Page 13
<PAGE>

          20.  Entire Agreement.

This Agreement (including the schedules attached), together with the Account
Agreement, is the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between Bank
and Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior
agreement(s) between Bank and Company with respect to such subject matter. In
the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement and the
Account Agreement, the terms of services provided herein in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement would result in a violation of any present or future
statute, regulation or government policy to which Bank is subject, and which
governs or affects the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, then this
Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to comply with such
statute, regulation or policy, and Bank shall incur no liability to Company as a
result of such violation or amendment.

          21.  Assignment.

Except as specifically authorized under this Agreement, Company must notify Bank
of any assignment of this Agreement or any of the rights or duties hereunder to
any person or entity. Bank has the unilateral option of declining assignment and
terminating this agreement.

          22.  Binding Agreement; Benefit.

This Agreement shall be binding upon an inure to the benefit of the parties
hereto and their respective legal representatives, successors and assigns. This
Agreement is not for the benefit of any other person, and no other person shall
have any right against Bank or Company hereunder.

          23.  Headings.

Headings are used for reference purposes only and shall not be deemed a part of
this Agreement.

                                    Page 14
<PAGE>

          24.  Governing Law.

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of
the State of California and applicable federal law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
by their duly authorized officers.

Pacific Mercantile Bank                    eFunds Corporation
450 Newport Center Drive Suite 100         1391 Warner Avenue
Newport Beach, California 92660            Tustin, California 92780

<TABLE>
<S>                                                       <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:      Daniel L. Erickson       John P. Cronin        Name:      Larry L. Luckey
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature: /s/ Daniel L. Erickson   /s/ John P. Cronin    Signature: /s/ Larry L. Luckey
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:     EVP/CFO                  EVP/CTO               Title:     C.O.O.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:      2/16/99                                        Date:      Feb. 16, 1999
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

                                    Page 15

<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 11.1

                            Pacific Mercantile Bank
        Statement Regarding Computation of Pro Forma Net Loss Per Share
                    For the Year Ended to December 31, 1999

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        Actual:

<S>     <C>                                                                       <C>
        Net loss                                                                      $   (2,750,200)
                                                                                      ==============

        Weighted average shares                                                            1,233,057
                                                                                      ==============

        Net loss per share                                                            $        (2.23)
                                                                                      ==============

        Pro forma:

        Net loss                                                                      $   (2,750,200)
                                                                                      ==============

        Weighted average shares                                                            1,233,057

        Shares issued in the reorganization                                                3,000,000
                                                                                      --------------

        Pro forma shares issued and outstanding                                       $    4,233,057
                                                                                      ==============

        Pro forma net loss per share                                                  $        (0.65)
                                                                                      ==============
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2

                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the use of our report
(and all references to our Firm) included in or made part of this registration
statement.

                                          /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP

                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

Orange County, California
March 27, 2000

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 9
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
REGISTRANT'S BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1999 AND THE STATEMENT OF INCOME
FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH BALANCE SHEET AND STATEMENT OF INCOME AND THE NOTES
THERETO.
</LEGEND>

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<CASH>                                           2,531
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                           1,386
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                35,967
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                 2,700
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                      2,669
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                               0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                 0
<LOANS>                                         45,093
<ALLOWANCE>                                        750
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  91,165
<DEPOSITS>                                      74,500
<SHORT-TERM>                                         0
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                                647
<LONG-TERM>                                          0
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                        19,019
<OTHER-SE>                                     (3,001)
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                  91,165
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                    760
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                1,275
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                    65
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                 2,100
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                                 879
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   1
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                            1,220
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                      750
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                   0
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                  3,351
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                (2,750)
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     (2,750)
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                   (2,750)
<EPS-BASIC>                                     (1.12)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                   (1.12)
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                    7.75
<LOANS-NON>                                          0
<LOANS-PAST>                                         0
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                     0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                      0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                     0
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                        0
<RECOVERIES>                                         0
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                  750
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                               750
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                  0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                            520


</TABLE>


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