NETWORK GENERAL CORPORATION
S-8, 1996-09-17
COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
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                                            Registration No. ____________

                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           NETWORK GENERAL CORPORATION
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                                77-0115204
     ----------------------------         ------------------------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction         (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
   of incorporation or organization)

                               4200 BOHANNON DRIVE
                           MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025
              ----------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip code)

                           NETWORK GENERAL CORPORATION
                             1989 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                    1989 OUTSIDE DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION PLAN
                        1989 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                    ------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                               JAMES T. RICHARDSON
                   SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE OPERATIONS
                           AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                           NETWORK GENERAL CORPORATION
                               4200 BOHANNON DRIVE
                          MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025
                     ---------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service:  415/473-2000

This registration statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with
Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


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<PAGE>

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                 Proposed    Proposed
Title of                         maximum     maximum
securities         Amount        offering    aggregate      Amount of
to be              to be         price per   offering       registration
registered         registered    share(1)    price(1)       fee
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1989 STOCK OPTION PLAN
Common Stock       2,000,000     $15.8125    $31,625,000     $10,906
Par Value $0.01
1989 OUTSIDE DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION PLAN
Common Stock         100,000     $15.8125    $1,581,250      $546
Par Value $0.01
1989 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
Common Stock         100,000     $13.4406    $1,344,060      $464
Par Value $0.01

TOTAL              2,200,000       n/a       $34,550,310     $11,916

             ------------------------------------------------------
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     Network General Corporation (the "Company") hereby incorporates by 
reference in this registration statement the following documents:

     (a) The Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to 
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended 
(the "Exchange 

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

    (1) Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for purposes of calculating the 
registration fee.  The Network General Corporation 1989 Employee Stock 
Purchase Plan establishes a purchase price equal to 85% of the fair market 
value of the Company's Common Stock and, therefore, the price for purchase 
rights under this plan is based upon 85% of the average of the high and low 
prices of the Common Stock on September 10, 1996, as reported on the National 
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System.  As to the 
remaining shares, the price is based upon the average of the high and low 
prices of the Common Stock on September 10, 1996, as reported on the National 
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System.


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<PAGE>


Act"), containing audited financial statements for the Company's latest 
fiscal year ended March 31, 1996, as filed June 28, 1996.

     (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report 
referred to in (a) above.

     (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the 
Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-36134, effective August 
2, 1989) filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities 
Act"), including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating 
such description.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a 
post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that 
all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all 
securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference 
in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of 
filing of such documents.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     The class of securities offered is registered under Section 12 of the 
Exchange Act.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     LEGAL OPINION.  The validity of the shares of Common Stock to be offered 
hereunder has been passed upon for the Company by Gray Cary Ware & 
Freidenrich, A Professional Corporation.  Mr. Greg M. Gallo, an attorney and 
a member with Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, A Professional Corporation ("Gray 
Cary"), since 1973, has been a director of the Company since April 1989.  As 
of August 1996 certain attorneys of Gray Cary owned 82,000 shares of the 
Common Stock of the Company.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Delaware law authorizes corporations to eliminate the personal liability 
of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for 
breach or alleged breach of the directors' fiduciary "duty of care."  While 
the relevant statute does not change directors' duty of care, it enables 
corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as 
injunction or rescission.  The statute has no effect on directors' duty of 
loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith and involving intentional 
misconduct or knowing violations of law, illegal payment of dividends and 
approval of any transactions from which a director derives an improper 
personal benefit.

     The Company has adopted provisions in its Certificate of Incorporation 
which eliminate the personal liability of its directors to the Company and 
its stockholders for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of their 
duty of care.  The By-laws of the Company provide for indemnification of its 
directors, officers, employees and agents to the full extent permitted by the 
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Company's state of 
incorporation, including those circumstances in which indemnification would 
otherwise be discretionary under Delaware law.  In addition, the Company has 


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<PAGE>


entered into separate indemnification agreements with its directors, officers 
and certain employees which require the Company, among other things, to 
indemnify them against certain liabilities which may arise by reason of their 
status or service (other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct of 
a culpable nature) and to obtain directors' and officers' insurance, if 
available on reasonable terms.  Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of 
the State of Delaware provides for indemnification in terms sufficiently 
broad to indemnify such individuals, under certain circumstances, for 
liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the 
Securities Act.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Inapplicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS

     See Exhibit Index.

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS

     (a) RULE 415 OFFERING

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being 
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) 
of the Securities Act of 1933;

                (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events 
arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most 
recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the 
aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the 
registration statement;

                (iii)  To include any material information with respect to 
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration 
statement or any material change to such information in the registration 
statement;

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if 
the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information 
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is 
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 
or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in 
the registration statement.

         (2)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment 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.


                                      4


<PAGE>


         (3)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective 
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the 
termination of the offering.

     (b) FILING INCORPORATING SUBSEQUENT EXCHANGE ACT DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of 
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of 
the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of 
the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit 
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is 
incorporated by reference in the registration statement 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.

     (h) REQUEST FOR ACCELERATION OF EFFECTIVE DATE OR FILING OF REGISTRATION 
STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and 
controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 
or otherwise, the registrant has been 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.

                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it 
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this 
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, 
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Menlo Park, State of California, on 
September 17, 1996.

                                Network General Corporation



                                By:  /s/ James T. Richardson 
                                     ----------------------------
                                     James T. Richardson, 
                                     Senior Vice President, 
                                     Corporate Operations and 
                                     Chief Financial Officer


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                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The officers and directors of Network General Corporation whose 
signatures appear below, hereby constitute and appoint Leslie G. Denend and 
James T. Richardson, and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys and 
agents, with full power of substitution, each with power to act alone, to 
sign and execute on behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to 
this registration statement on Form S-8, and do ratify and confirm all that 
each of said attorney and agent, or their or his substitutes, shall do or 
cause to be done by virtue hereof.  Pursuant to the requirements of the 
Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following 
in the capacities indicated on September 17, 1996.

Signature                       Title
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

/s/ Leslie G. Denend
- -------------------------       President, Chief Executive Officer 
Leslie G. Denend                and Director (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ James T. Richardson         Senior Vice President, Corporate Operations and
- -------------------------       Chief Financial Officer
James T. Richardson             (Principal Financial/Accounting Officer)


/s/ Charles J. Abbe
- -------------------------       Director
Charles J. Abbe


/s/ Douglas C. Chance
- -------------------------       Director
Douglas C. Chance


/s/ Howard Frank
- -------------------------       Director
Howard Frank


/s/ Gregory M. Gallo
- -------------------------       Director
Gregory M. Gallo


/s/ Laurence R. Hootnick
- -------------------------       Director
Laurence R. Hootnick


/s/ Janet L. Hyland
- -------------------------       Director
Janet L. Hyland


/s/ Harry J. Saal
- -------------------------       Director
Harry J. Saal


                                       6


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


     4.1. [Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company]

     4.2. [Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company are incorporated 
          by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q 
          for the quarter ending June 30, 1994 (No. 0-17431, filed August 6, 
          1994)]

     4.3. [Stockholders Rights Plan of the Company is incorporated by reference 
          to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K (No. 0-17431, filed 
          July 7, 1992)]

     5    Opinion re legality

     23.1 Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)
     
     23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

     24   Power of Attorney (included in signature pages to this registration 
          statement)







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<PAGE>


                                   EXHIBIT 4.1

                                      THIRD

                      RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                           NETWORK GENERAL CORPORATION

                             A Delaware corporation

     Network General Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under 
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, certifies that:

     1.   The name of the corporation is Network General Corporation (the 
"Corporation").  The Corporation was originally incorporated under the same 
name, and the Corporation's original Certificate of Incorporation was filed 
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 31, 1987.

     2.   At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, 
resolutions were duly adopted setting forth the proposed amendment and 
restatement of the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation, declaring such 
amendment and restatement to be advisable, and calling for a vote of the 
Corporation's stockholders to approve such amendment and restatement.  The 
resolution setting forth the proposed amendment and restatement was as 
follows:

     RESOLVED, that the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation be amended 
     and restated so that, as amended and restated, the Certificate 
     shall read in its entirety as follows:
     
          FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Network General Corporation.
     
          SECOND:  The name and address in the State of Delaware of the 
     Corporation's registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation 
     Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County 
     of New Castle and The Corporation Trust Company is the Corporation's 
     registered agent at the address of its registered office.


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<PAGE>


          THIRD:  The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful 
     act or activity for which a Corporation may be organized under the 
     General Corporation Law of Delaware.
     
          FOURTH:  This Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of 
     stock to be designated, respectively, Preferred Stock and Common Stock.  
     The total number of shares of Preferred Stock this Corporation shall 
     have authority to issue is two million (2,000,000), par value one cent 
     ($.01) per share, and the total number of shares of Common Stock this 
     Corporation shall have authority to issue is one hundred million 
     (1000,000,000), par value one cent ($.01) per share.
     
          The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to limitations 
     prescribed by law and the provisions of this Article FOURTH, to provide 
     for the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock in series, and by 
     filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of 
     Delaware, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be 
     included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, 
     preferences and rights of the shares of each such series and the 
     qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon.
     
          Pursuant to the foregoing provision, the Board of Directors has 
     created one series of Preferred Stock with the following rights, powers, 
     preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions:
     
          Section 1.  DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT.  The shares of such series 
     shall be designated as "Series A Preferred Stock" (the "Series A 
     Preferred Stock"), $0.01 par value per share, and the number of shares 
     constituting such series shall be 1,000,000.
     
          Section 2.  DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

          (A)  The dividend rate on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock 
     shall be for each quarterly dividend (hereinafter referred to as a 
     "quarterly dividend period"), which quarterly dividend periods shall 
     commence on April 1, July 1, October 1 and January 1, in each year (each 
     such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment 
     Date") (or in the case of original issuance, from the date of original 
     issuance) and shall end on and include the day next preceding the first 
     date of the next quarterly dividend period, at a rate per quarterly 
     dividend period (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of 
     (a) $225.00 or (b) subject to the provisions for adjustment hereinafter 
     set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash 
     dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in 
     cash, based upon the fair market value at the time the non-cash dividend 
     or other distribution is declared as determined in good faith by the 
     Board of Directors) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions 
     other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision 
     of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or 
     otherwise), declared (but not withdrawn) on the Common Stock, par value 
     $.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") during the 
     immediately preceding quarterly dividend period, or, with respect to the 
     first quarterly dividend period, since the first issuance of any share 
     or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock.  In the event this 
     Corporation shall at any time after July 14, 1992 (the 


                                      2


<PAGE>

     "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock 
     payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common 
     Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller 
     number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of 
     shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to 
     such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted 
     by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the 
     number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such 
     event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common 
     Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
     
          (B)  Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on 
     outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly 
     Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of 
     Series A Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is 
     prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, 
     in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the 
     date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly 
     Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the 
     determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled 
     to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend 
     Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to 
     accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.  
     Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on 
     the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total 
     amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares 
     shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such 
     shares at the time outstanding.  The Board of Directors may fix a record 
     date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred 
     Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared 
     thereon, which record date shall be no more than 45 days prior to the 
     date fixed for the payment thereof.

          Section 3.  VOTING RIGHTS.  The holders of shares of Series A
     Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
     
          (A)  Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 
     each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof 
     to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of 
     the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after 
     the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock 
     payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common 
     Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller 
     number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share 
     to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled 
     immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such 
     number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of 
     Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the 
     denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were 
     outstanding immediately prior to such event.
     
          (B)  Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of 
     Incorporation 

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     or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and 
     the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one 
     class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the 
     Corporation.

          (C)  Except as set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation and 
     in the Bylaws, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special 
     voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the 
     extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set 
     forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
     
          Section 4.  REACQUIRED SHARES.  Any shares of Series A Preferred 
     Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner 
     whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition 
     thereof.  All such shares shall upon their cancellation become 
     authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as 
     part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or 
     resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and 
     restrictions on issuance set forth herein.

          Section 5.  LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.

          (A)  In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, 
     dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of the Series 
     A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive the greater of (a) $9,000 
     per share, plus accrued dividends to the date of distribution, whether 
     or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share, subject to the 
     provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the 
     aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Stock. 
      In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights 
     Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in 
     shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or 
     (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of 
     shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of 
     Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event 
     pursuant to clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by 
     multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the 
     number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such 
     event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common 
     Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          Section 6.   CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC.  In case the Corporation 
     shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other 
     transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or 
     changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, 
     then in any such case the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at 
     the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share 
     (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 
     100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any 
     other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for 
     which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.  In the event 
     the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) 
     declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, 
     (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the 
     outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each 
     such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect 


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<PAGE>


     to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be 
     adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which 
     is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after 
     such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of 
     Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          Section 7.     NO REDEMPTION.  The shares of Series A Preferred 
     Stock shall not be redeemable.

          Section 8.     FRACTIONAL SHARES.  Series A Preferred Stock may be 
     issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in 
     proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting 
     rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and have the 
     benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.  All 
     payments made with respect to fractional shares hereunder shall be 
     rounded to the nearest whole cent.

          Section 9.     CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS. 

          (A)  Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or 
     distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in 
     Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid 
     dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of 
     Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the 
     Corporation shall not:

               (i)  declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions 
     on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any 
     shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon 
     liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

               (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other 
     distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to 
     dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the 
     Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A 
     Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable 
     or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of 
     all such shares are then entitled;

               (iii)     redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for 
     consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to 
     dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the 
     Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time 
     redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in 
     exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior 
     (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) 
     to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

               (iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any 
     shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a 
     parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a 
     purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the 
     Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the 
     Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend 


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<PAGE>


     rates and other relative rights and preferences of the 
     respective series and classes shall determine in good faith will result 
     in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

          (B)  The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the 
     Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any 
     shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under 
     paragraph (A) of this Section 9, purchase or otherwise acquire such 
     shares at such time and in such manner.

          Section 10.    RANKING.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall be 
     junior to all other Series of the Corporation's preferred stock as to 
     the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the 
     terms of any series shall provide otherwise.

          Section 11.    AMENDMENT.  This Certificate of Incorporation of the 
     Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially 
     alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series 
     A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative 
     vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the outstanding shares of 
     Series A Preferred Stock voting together as a single class.

          FIFTH:  A director of this Corporation shall not be personally 
     liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for 
     breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any 
     breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its 
     stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which 
     involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) 
     under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for 
     any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal 
     benefit.

          If the Delaware General Corporation Law is hereafter amended to 
     authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a 
     director, then the liability of a director of the Corporation will be 
     eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General 
     Corporation Law, as so amended.

          Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this 
     Article FIFTH by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely 
     affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing 
     at the time of such repeal or modification.

          SIXTH:  The following provisions are inserted for the management of 
     the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and 
     for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the 
     Corporation and of its directors and stockholders.

               1.   The number of directors shall initially be five and, 
     thereafter, shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of 
     Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total 
     number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies 
     in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution 
     is presented to the Board for adoption).  The directors shall be divided 
     into three classes, as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, 
     with the term of office of the first class to expire at the annual 
     meeting of stockholders held in 1991, the term of office of the second 


                                      6


<PAGE>


     class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders held in 1992 and 
     the term of office of the third class to expire at the annual meeting of 
     stockholders held in 1993.  At each annual meeting of stockholders 
     following such initial classification and election, directors shall be 
     elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire for a term of 
     office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders 
     after their election.  All directors shall hold office until the 
     expiration of the term for which elected, and until their respective 
     successors are elected, except in the case of the death, resignation, or 
     removal of any director.  The directors of the Corporation need not be 
     elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

               2.   Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of 
     Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting 
     from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies 
     in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, 
     removal from office, disqualification or other cause may be filled only 
     by a majority vote of the directors then in office, through less than a 
     quorum, and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at 
     the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the 
     class to which they have been elected expires. No decrease in the number 
     of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term 
     of any incumbent director.

               3.   Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of 
     Preferred Stock then outstanding, any director, or the entire Board of 
     Directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause 
     and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority 
     of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital 
     stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of 
     directors ("Voting Stock") voting together as a single class.

               4.   The Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, 
     amend, or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.  Any adoption, 
     amendment, or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of 
     Directors will require the approval of a majority of the total number of 
     authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in 
     previously authorized directorships at the time any resolution providing 
     for adoption, amendment or repeal is presented to the Board).  The 
     stockholders will also have power to adopt, amend, or repeal the Bylaws 
     of the Corporation.  Any adoption, amendment or repeal of Bylaws of the 
     Corporation by the Stockholders shall require, in addition to any vote 
     of the holders of any class or series of stock of this Corporation 
     required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative 
     vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the Voting 
     Stock, voting together as a single class.

               5.   Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may 
     be called only (a) by the Board of Directors or (b) by the President of 
     the Corporation.

               6.   Any action required or permitted to be taken by the 
     stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual 
     or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be 
     effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.


                                      7


<PAGE>


               7.   The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be 
     managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.  In 
     addition to the powers and authorities expressly conferred upon them by 
     statute or by this Certificate of Incorporation or by the Bylaws of the 
     Corporation, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such 
     powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by 
     the Corporation; subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the 
     statutes of the State of Delaware, to the provisions of this Certificate 
     of Incorporation, and to any Bylaws from time to time made by the 
     stockholders or the directors; provided, however, that no Bylaws so made 
     shall invalidate any prior act of the directors which would have been 
     valid if such Bylaw had not been made.

          SEVENTH:  Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between 
     this Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between 
     this Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of 
     equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware, may, on the 
     application in a summary way of this Corporation or of any creditor or 
     stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers 
     appointed for this Corporation under the provisions of Section 291 of 
     Title 8 of the Delaware Code, or on the application of trustees in 
     dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this 
     Corporation under the provisions of Section 279 of Title 8 of the 
     Delaware Code, order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, 
     and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, 
     as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as such court shall 
     direct.  If a majority in number of representing three-fourths (3/4) in 
     value of the creditors or class of creditors, and three-fourths (3/4) of 
     the outstanding shares of each class and series of the Corporation's 
     capital stock, voting separately as a class, agree to any compromise or 
     arrangement and to any reorganization of this Corporation as a 
     consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or 
     arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the 
     court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the 
     creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class 
     of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, and also on 
     this Corporation.

          EIGHTH:  The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board"), 
     when evaluating any offer of another party (a) to make a tender or 
     exchange offer for any Voting Stock of the Corporation (as defined in 
     Article SIXTH) or (b) to effect any merger, consolidation, or sale of 
     all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall, in 
     connection with the exercise of its judgment in determining what is in 
     the best interests of the Corporation as a whole, be authorized to give 
     due consideration to such factors as the Board determines to be 
     relevant, including, without limitation:

                    (i)  The interests of the Corporation's stockholders;

                    (ii) whether the proposed transaction might violate 
     federal or state laws;

                    (iii)     not only the consideration being offered in the 
     proposed transaction, in relation to the then current market price for 
     the outstanding capital stock of 


                                      8


<PAGE>


     the Corporation, but also to the market price for the capital stock of 
     the Corporation over a period of years, the estimated price that might be 
     achieved in a negotiated sale of the Corporation as a whole or in part 
     or through orderly liquidation, the premiums over market price for the 
     securities of other corporations in similar transactions, current 
     political, economic and other factors bearing on securities prices and 
     the Corporation's financial condition and future prospects; and

                    (iv) the social, legal and economic effects upon 
     employees, suppliers, customers and others having similar relationships 
     with the Corporation, and the communities in which the Corporation 
     conducts its business.

     In connection with any such evaluation, the Board is authorized to 
     conduct such investigations and to engage in such legal proceedings as 
     the Board may determine.

          NINTH:  The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any 
     provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner 
     prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred 
     upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation; PROVIDED, 
     HOWEVER, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate 
     of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a 
     lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of 
     any class or series of the stock of this Corporation required by law or 
     by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the 
     holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (662/3%) of the 
     then-outstanding shares of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single 
     class, shall be required to amend this Article NINTH, Article FIFTH, 
     Article SIXTH or Article EIGHTH.

     1.   Thereafter, at the Corporation's 1995 Annual Meeting of the 
Stockholders duly called and held August 18, 1995, amendments included in the 
above restatement were approved by the holders of outstanding stock having 
not less than eighty percent (80%) of the then-outstanding shares of the 
Corporation's capital stock, voting together as a single class.

     2.   The amendment and restatement of the Certificate of Incorporation 
was duly adopted and approved in accordance with the provisions of Sections 
242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


                                      9


<PAGE>


     3.   The Corporation's capital will not be reduced as a result of the 
amendment and restatement of the Certificate of Incorporation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the corporation has caused this certificate to be 
signed by Leslie G. Denend, its President, and Jill E. Fishbein, its 
Secretary, effective this day of August 29, 1996.

                                   By:  /s/ Leslie G. Denend     
                                        -------------------------
                                        Leslie G. Denend
                                        President


                                   Attest: /s/ Jill E. Fishbein   
                                           -----------------------
                                           Jill E. Fishbein
                                           Secretary


                                      10


<PAGE>


[LETTERHEAD]


ATTORNEYS AT LAW
400 HAMILTON AVENUE 
PALO ALTO, CA 94301-1825
TEL (415) 328-6561
FAX (415) 327-3699

                                                                       EXHIBIT 5
                                                                    OUR FILE NO.
                                                                  1140342-905700
                               September 16, 1996

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     As legal counsel for Network General Corporation, a Delaware corporation 
(the "Company"), we are rendering this opinion in connection with the 
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to 2,200,000 
shares of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company which may be 
issued pursuant to the exercise of options and purchase rights granted under 
the Network General Corporation 1989 Stock Option Plan, 1989 Outside 
Directors Stock Option Plan and 1989 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the 
"Plans").

     We have examined all instruments, documents and records which we deemed 
relevant and necessary for the basis of our opinion hereinafter expressed.  
In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and 
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the 
conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.  We 
are admitted to practice only in the State of California and we express no 
opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of California, the 
corporation laws of the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United 
States.  As to matters of Delaware corporation law, we have based our opinion 
solely upon our examination of such laws and the rules and regulations of the 
authorities administering such laws, all as reported in standard, unofficial 
compilations.  We have not obtained opinions of counsel licensed to practice 
in jurisdictions other than the State of California.

     Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that the 2,200,000 
shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon exercise of options and 
purchase rights granted under the Plans are duly authorized shares of the 
Company's Common Stock, and, when issued against receipt of the consideration 
therefor in accordance with the provisions of the Plans, will be validly 
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  We hereby consent to the filing of 
this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above 
and the use of our name wherever it appears in said Registration Statement.

                                Respectfully submitted,

                                /s/ Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich

                                GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH
                                A Professional Corporation


<PAGE>

                 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


     As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the 
incorporation by reference in this registration statement of our report dated 
April 19, 1996 included in Network General Corporation's Form 10-K for the 
year ended March 31, 1996.


                                                 /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
                                                 ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP


San Jose, California
September 17, 1996



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