WYN » Topics » Limitation on Liability of Directors and Indemnification of Directors and Officers

This excerpt taken from the WYN 8-K filed Jul 19, 2006.

Limitation on Liability of Directors and Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which such person is made a party by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation (other than an action by or in the right

 

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of the corporation—a “derivative action”), if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification only extends to expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation’s by-laws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that no director shall be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation on liability is not permitted under the DGCL, as now in effect or as amended. Currently, Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL requires that liability be imposed for the following:

 

    any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to our company or our stockholders;

 

    any act or omission not in good faith or which involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

    unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the DGCL; and

 

    any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and by-laws provide that, to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL, as now in effect or as amended, we will indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that such person, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was our director or officer, or by reason of the fact that our director or officer is or was serving, at our request, as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by us. We will indemnify such persons against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action if such person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in our best interests and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reason to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification only extends to expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such actions, and court approval is required before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to us. Any amendment of this provision will not reduce our indemnification obligations relating to actions taken before an amendment.

We intend to obtain policies that insure our directors and officers and those of our subsidiaries against certain liabilities they may incur in their capacities as directors and officers. Under these policies, the insurer, on our behalf, may also pay amounts for which we have granted indemnification to the directors or officers.

 

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