Exhibit 3.1
BY-LAWS
of
WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Amended and Restated as of July 31, 2023
ARTICLE I
Section 1.Registered Office. The registered office and registered agent of Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware shall be as designated from time to time by the appropriate filing by the Corporation in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Corporation may also have offices in such other places in the United States or elsewhere as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may, from time to time, appoint or as the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
Stockholders
a date more than 10 days prior to the Anniversary Date, not later than the close of business on (i) the 20th day (or if that day is not a business day of the Corporation, on the next succeeding business day) following the first date on which the date of such meeting was publicly disclosed or (ii) if such date of public disclosure occurs more than 75 days prior to such scheduled date of such meeting, then the later of (1) the 20th day (or if that day is not a business day for the Corporation, on the next succeeding business day) following the first date of public disclosure or (2) the 75th day prior to such scheduled date of such meeting (or if that day is not a business day for the Corporation, on the next succeeding business day). Any proposed business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. Any public disclosure of the scheduled date of the meeting made by the Corporation by means of a press release, a report or other document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or a letter or report sent to stockholders of record of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be sufficient public disclosure of the date of such meeting for purposes of these By-laws.
To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (a) a brief description of the proposal desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (b) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock transfer books, and age of the stockholder proposing such business and of any Stockholder Associated Person and the name and address of other stockholders known by such stockholder to be supporting such proposal on the date of such stockholder’s notice, (c) the class and number of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock which are held of record, beneficially owned or represented by proxy by the stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person and by any other stockholders known by such stockholder to be supporting such proposal on the date of such stockholder’s notice, (d) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any securities of the Corporation, and a description of any other agreements, arrangements or understandings (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares), the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, or to manage the risk or benefit from share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any securities of the Corporation, (e) any proxy, contract, agreements, arrangements or understandings (whether written or oral, and including promises) or relationships pursuant to which the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation, (f) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation beneficially owned by the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (g) any performance-related fees (other than asset-based fees) to which the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, and (h) any material interest of the stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person in such proposal. In addition, to be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be supplemented not later than 10 days following the record date for notice of the meeting to disclose the information contained in clauses (a) through (h) above as of the record date for notice of the meeting. A “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of the
Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder and on whose behalf the proposal or nomination, as the case may be, is being made, or (iii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such person referred to in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii). A “Derivative Instrument” shall mean any profits interest, option, warrant, convertible security, share appreciation right or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of capital share of the Corporation or otherwise, or any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of the shares of the Corporation.
For purposes of this Section 2, except as provided under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the annual meeting and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the annual meeting.
If the Board of Directors, or a designated committee thereof, determines that any stockholder proposal was not timely made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2, or that the information provided in a stockholder’s notice does not satisfy the informational requirements of this Section 2 in any respect, then such proposal shall not be presented for action at the annual meeting in question. The Board of Directors, or a designated committee thereof may also, as a condition to any such nomination or business being deemed properly brought before a meeting of stockholders, require any stockholder to deliver to the Secretary, within five (5) Business Days (as defined below) of any such request, such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Corporation. If neither the Board of Directors nor such committee makes a determination as to the validity of any stockholder proposal, the presiding officer of the annual meeting shall determine and declare at the annual meeting whether the stockholder proposal was made in accordance with the terms of this Section 2. If the presiding officer determines that a stockholder proposal was made in accordance with the terms of this Section 2, he shall so declare at the annual meeting and ballots shall be provided for use at the meeting with respect to any such proposal. If the presiding officer determines that a stockholder proposal was not made in accordance with the terms of this Section 2, he shall so declare at the annual meeting and any such proposal shall not be acted upon at the annual meeting.
The provisions of this By-law shall not prevent the consideration and approval or disapproval at the annual meeting of reports of officers, directors and committees of the Board of Directors, but in connection with such reports, no new business shall be acted upon at such annual meeting unless stated, filed and received as herein provided.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this By-law, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this By-law. Nothing in this By-law shall be deemed to
affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
Definitions. For purposes of these By-laws:
(1). “Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close;
(2). “close of business” on a particular day shall mean 5:00 p.m. local time at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and if an applicable deadline falls on the Close of Business on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable deadline shall be deemed to be the Close of Business on the immediately preceding Business Day; and
(3). “delivered” shall mean, both (i) hand delivery, overnight courier service, or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, in each case to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and (ii) electronic mail to the Secretary.
For purposes of these By-laws, the words “include,” “includes,” or “including shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” Where a reference in these By-laws is made to any statute or regulation, such reference shall be to (i) the statute or regulation as amended from time to time (except as context may otherwise require) or (ii) any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.
Notice of all special meetings of stockholders shall be given in the same manner as provided for annual meetings of the stockholders, except that the notice of all special meetings
shall state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting has been called and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed present in person and vote at such meeting.
Notice of an annual or special meeting of stockholders need not be given to a stockholder if a written waiver of notice, signed by the stockholder entitled to notice, or a waiver of notice by electronic transmission, is given before or after such meeting by such stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized attorney, if communication with such stockholder is unlawful, or if such stockholder attends such meeting, unless such attendance was for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting was not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or waiver of notice by electronic transmission.
transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. The stockholders present at a duly constituted meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.
(a) A stockholder, or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent, may execute a document authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy.
(b) A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of an electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such transmissions are valid, the inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information upon which they relied.
(c) The authorization of a person to act as a proxy may be documented, signed and delivered in accordance with Section 116 of the DGCL, provided that such authorization shall set forth, or be delivered with information enabling the Corporation to determine, the identity of the stockholder granting such authorization.
reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation.
ARTICLE III
Directors
Nominations, other than those made by, or at the direction of, the Board of Directors or a designated committee thereof, shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation as set forth in this Article III, Section 3. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to, or mailed and received, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (a) not less than seventy-five (75) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the Anniversary Date or (b) in the event that the annual meeting of stockholders is called for a date more than seven days prior to the Anniversary Date, not later than the close of business on (i) the 20th day (or if that day is not a business day for the Corporation, on the next succeeding business day) following the first date on which the date of such meeting was publicly disclosed or (ii) if such date of public disclosure occurs more than 75 days prior to such scheduled date of such meeting, then the later of (1) the 20th day (or if that day is not a business day for the Corporation, on the next succeeding business day) following the first date of public disclosure of the date of such meeting or (2) the 75th day prior to such scheduled date of such meeting (or if that day is not a business day for the Corporation, on the next succeeding business day). Any public disclosure of the scheduled date of the meeting made by the Corporation by means of a press release, a report or other document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or a letter or report sent to stockholders of record of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be sufficient public disclosure of the date of such meeting for purposes of these By-laws.
Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director (i) the name, age, business address and residential address of such person, (ii) a complete biography and statement of such person’s principal occupation or employment (at present and during the past five (5) years), (iii) the class and number of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock which are beneficially owned by such person on the date of such stockholder notice, (iv) a description of any of the following events that has occurred within the last five years and that is material to the evaluation of the ability or integrity of such proposed nominee: (1) a petition under federal bankruptcy laws or any state insolvency laws was filed by or against such person, (2) a conviction of such person in a criminal proceeding or the naming of such person as a subject of a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses), (3) a finding by any court of competent jurisdiction that such person has violated any federal or state securities law or federal commodities law, which judgment or finding has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, or (4) the entry of any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction or of any federal or state governmental or quasi-governmental agency, authority or commission enjoining such person or otherwise limiting him from engaging in any type of business practice or in any activity in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or commodity, (v) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement and any and all other information required by this Article III, Section 3; and (vi) the consent of each nominee to serve as a Director if so elected; and (b) as to the stockholder giving the notice (i) the
name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock transfer books, of such stockholder and of any Stockholder Associated Person and the name and address of other stockholders known by such stockholder to be supporting such nominee or nominees, (ii) the class and number of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock which are beneficially owned by such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person on the date of such stockholder’s notice and by any other stockholders known by such stockholder to be supporting such nominee or nominees on the date of such stockholder’s notice, (iii) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any securities of the Corporation, and a description of any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares), the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, or to manage the risk or benefit from share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any securities of the Corporation, (iv) any proxy, contract, agreement, arrangement, understanding (whether written or oral, and including promises) or relationship pursuant to which the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation, (v) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation beneficially owned by the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (vi) any performance-related fees (other than asset-based fees) to which the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, (vii) a representation that the stockholder or his qualified representative intends to appear in person at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice, and (viii) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings (whether written or oral, and including promises) between such stockholder (or any Stockholder Associated Person) and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by such stockholders; provided, however, that nothing in this Article III, Section 3 shall require the stockholder giving such notice to provide to the Corporation copies of such stockholder’s preliminary or definitive proxy, proxy statement, or other soliciting material filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, to be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be supplemented not later than 10 days following the record date for notice of the meeting to disclose the information contained in clauses (i) through (viii) above as of the record date for notice of the meeting. At the request of the Board of Directors, any person nominated by, or at the direction of, the Board of Directors for election as a Director at an annual meeting shall furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation that information required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice of nomination which pertains to such nominee.
The Corporation may also, as a condition to any such nomination, require any stockholder or proposed nominee to deliver to the Secretary, within five (5) Business Days of any such proposed nomination, such other information as may be reasonably requested by the Corporation, including (a) such other information as may be reasonably required by the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, to determine (i) the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director and (ii) whether such proposed nominee qualifies as an “independent director” or “audit committee financial expert,” or otherwise meets heightened standards of independence, under applicable law, securities exchange rules or regulations or any publicly disclosed corporate governance guideline or committee charter of the Corporation and (b) such other information
that the Board of Directors determines, in its sole discretion, could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.
For purposes of this Article III, Section 3, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting.
No person shall be elected by the stockholders as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article III, Section 3. Election of directors at the annual meeting need not be by written ballot, unless otherwise provided by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation. If written ballots are to be used, ballots bearing the names of all the persons who have been nominated for election as directors at the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article III, Section 3 shall be provided for use at the annual meeting.
If the Board of Directors, or a designated committee thereof, determines that any stockholder nomination was not timely made in accordance with the terms of this Article III, Section 3 or that the information provided in a stockholder’s notice does not satisfy the informational requirements of this Article III, Section 3 in any material respect, then such nomination shall not be considered at the annual meeting in question. If neither the Board of Directors nor such committee makes a determination as to the validity of any nominations by a stockholder as set forth above, the presiding officer of the annual meeting shall determine and declare at the annual meeting whether a nomination was made in accordance with the terms of this Article III, Section 3. If the presiding officer determines that a nomination was made in accordance with the terms of this Article III, Section 3, he shall so declare at the annual meeting and ballots shall be provided for use at the meeting with respect to such nomination. If the presiding officer determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the terms of this Article III, Section 3, he shall so declare at the annual meeting and such nomination shall be disregarded.
When any Board of Directors meeting, either regular or special, is adjourned for 30 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. It shall not be necessary to give any notice of the hour, date or place of any meeting adjourned for less than 30 days or of the business to be transacted thereat, other than an announcement at the meeting at which such adjournment is taken of the hour, date and place to which the meeting is adjourned.
A written waiver of notice or a waiver by electronic transmission by a director, whether executed or given before or after a meeting, and filed with the records of the meeting shall be deemed to be equivalent to notice of the meeting. The attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because such meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Except as otherwise required by law, by the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation or by these By-laws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Any Assistant Treasurer shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
Any Assistant Secretary shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
ARTICLE V
Capital Stock
It shall be the duty of each stockholder to notify the Corporation of his, her or its post office address and any changes thereto.
(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this subsection (a) at the adjourned meeting.
(b)In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which date shall not be more than 10 days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by the DGCL, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by the DGCL, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
(c)In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
ARTICLE VI
Notice by Electronic Transmission
| (a) | the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent; and |
| (b) | such inability becomes known to the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice. |
However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.
Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:
by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
ARTICLE VII
Indemnification of Directors, Officers and Others
| (i) | 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, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such suit, action or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he 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 his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that the person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. |
| (ii) | Any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the Corporation unless, and only to the extent that, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper. |
| (iii) | To the extent that a director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in paragraphs |
| (i) and (ii), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. |
| (i) | 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, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or as an employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he 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 his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that the person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. |
| (ii) | Any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as an employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the Corporation unless, and only to the extent that, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnify for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper. |
ARTICLE VIII
Transactions with Related Parties
| (a) | The material facts as to his relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors, or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or |
| (b) | The material facts as to his relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or |
| (c) | The contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof, or the stockholders. |
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous Provisions
ARTICLE X
FORUM
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or, to the fullest extent permitted by law, employee or agent of the
Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, or a claim of aiding and abetting any such breach of fiduciary duty, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-laws, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. If the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction over such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another court of the State of Delaware or, if no court of the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, then the federal district court for the District of Delaware. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any person who, or entity that, holds, purchases or otherwise acquires an interest in the capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have consented to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another court of the State of Delaware, or if no court of the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) in any proceeding brought to enjoin any action by that person or entity that is inconsistent with the exclusive jurisdiction provided for in this By-law. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, if any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of this By-law is filed in a court other than as specified above in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, another court in the State of Delaware or the federal district court in the District of Delaware, as appropriate, in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce this By-Law and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the action as agent for such stockholder.
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (or any successor provision).
If any provision or provisions of this Article X shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision(s) with respect to any other person and in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article X (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article X containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as to such person or circumstance) and the application of such provision to other persons and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.