EX-10.2 3 clf-201933110xqex102.htm EXHIBIT 10.2
EXHIBIT 10.2
DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement, dated as of ___________ ___, ____ (this “Agreement”), is made by and between Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), and _______________________ (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS:
A. Section 1701.59 of the ORC provides that the business and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its directors.
B. By virtue of the managerial prerogatives vested in the directors and officers of an Ohio corporation, directors and officers act as fiduciaries of the corporation and its shareholders.
C. Thus, it is critically important to the Company and its shareholders that the Company be able to attract and retain the most capable persons reasonably available to serve as directors and officers of the Company.
D. In recognition of the need for corporations to be able to induce capable and responsible persons to accept and continue in positions in corporate management, Ohio law authorizes (and in some instances requires) corporations to indemnify their directors and officers, and further authorizes corporations to purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of their directors and officers.
E. Indemnification by a corporation serves the dual policies of (1) allowing corporate officials to resist unjustified lawsuits, secure in the knowledge that, if vindicated, the corporation will bear the expense of litigation and (2) encouraging capable women and men to serve as corporate directors and officers, secure in the knowledge that the corporation will absorb the costs of defending their honesty and integrity.
F. Ohio law also authorizes a corporation to pay in advance of the final disposition of an action, suit or proceeding the expenses incurred by a director or officer in the defense thereof, and any such right to the advancement of expenses may be made separate and distinct from any right to indemnification and need not be subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct or otherwise affected by the merits of any claims against the director or officer.
G. Lawsuits challenging the judgment and actions of directors and officers of corporations are frequent, and the high costs of defending those lawsuits, and the related threat to directors’ and officers’ personal assets made individuals less willing to undertake the responsibilities imposed on corporate directors and officers.
H. Federal legislation and rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the national securities exchanges have imposed additional disclosure and corporate governance obligations on directors and officers of public companies and have exposed such directors and officers to new and substantially broadened civil liabilities.
I. These legislative and regulatory initiatives have also exposed directors and officers of public companies to a significantly greater risk of criminal proceedings, with attendant defense costs and potential criminal fines and penalties.
J. Under Ohio law, a director’s and officer’s right to be reimbursed for the costs of defense of criminal actions does not depend upon the merits of the claims asserted against the director or officer and indemnification of the director or officer against criminal fines is permitted if the director or officer satisfies the applicable standard of conduct.
K. Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company and his or her willingness to serve in such capacity is predicated, in substantial part, upon the Company’s willingness to indemnify him or her in accordance with the principles reflected above, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the state of Ohio, and upon the other undertakings set forth in this Agreement.
L. Therefore, in recognition of the need to provide Indemnitee with substantial and contractual protection against personal liability, in order to procure Indemnitee’s continued service as a director or officer of the Company
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and to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective manner, and in order to provide such protection pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the Company’s articles of incorporation or regulations (collectively, the “Constituent Documents”), any change in the composition of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) or any change-in-control or business combination transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancement of Expenses (as defined in Section 1(e)) to Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies.
M. In light of the considerations referred to in the preceding recitals, it is the Company’s intention and desire that the provisions of this Agreement be construed liberally, subject to their express terms, to maximize the protections to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder.
AGREEMENT:
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1.Certain Definitions. In addition to terms defined elsewhere herein, the following terms have the following meanings when used in this Agreement with initial capital letters:
(a)“Claim” means (i) any threatened, asserted, pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law; and (ii) any threatened, pending or completed inquiry or investigation, whether made, instituted or conducted by or at the behest of the Company or any other person, including any federal, state or other court or governmental entity or agency and any committee or other representative of any corporate constituency, that Indemnitee determines might lead to the institution of any such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding.
(b)“Controlled Affiliate” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise, whether or not for profit, that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company. For purposes of this definition, “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of an entity or enterprise, whether through the ownership of voting securities, through other voting rights, by contract or otherwise; provided that direct or indirect beneficial ownership of capital stock or other interests in an entity or enterprise entitling the holder to cast 20% or more of the total number of votes generally entitled to be cast in the election of directors (or persons performing comparable functions) of such entity or enterprise shall be deemed to constitute control for purposes of this definition.
(c)“Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(d)“ERISA Losses” means any taxes, penalties or other liabilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(e)“Expenses” means attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses and all other costs and expenses paid or payable in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to investigate, defend, be a witness in or participate in (including on appeal), any Claim, other than the fees, expenses and costs in respect of which the Company is expressly stated in Section 15 to have no obligation.
(f)“Incumbent Directors” means the individuals who, as of the date hereof, are members of the Board and any individual becoming a member of the Board subsequent to the date hereof whose election, nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, or appointment, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the then Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to such nomination); provided, however, that an individual shall not be an Incumbent Director if such individual’s election or appointment to the Board occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board.
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(g)“Indemnifiable Claim” means any Claim based upon, arising out of or resulting from (i) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise, whether or not for profit (including any employee benefit plan or related trust), as to which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent, (ii) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in respect of any business, transaction, communication, filing, disclosure or other activity of the Company or any other entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of this sentence, or (iii) Indemnitee’s status as a current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a current or former director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of the Company or any other entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of this sentence or any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in connection with any obligation or restriction imposed upon Indemnitee by reason of such status; provided, however, that except for compulsory counterclaims, Indemnifiable Claim shall not include any Claim initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or any director or officer of the Company unless (1) the Incumbent Directors consented to the initiation of such Claim prior to its initiation, (2) the Incumbent Directors authorize the Company to join in such Claim, or (3) such Claim is initiated solely to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. In addition to any service at the actual request of the Company, for purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to be serving or to have served at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of another entity or enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of such entity or enterprise and (i) such entity or enterprise is or at the time of such service was a Controlled Affiliate, (ii) such entity or enterprise is or at the time of such service was an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or a Controlled Affiliate, or (iii) the Company or a Controlled Affiliate directly or indirectly caused or authorized Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated, employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity.
(h)“Indemnifiable Losses” means any and all Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable Claim.
(i)“Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company (or any Subsidiary) or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other named (or, as to a threatened matter, reasonably likely to be named) party to the Indemnifiable Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(j)“Losses” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other), ERISA Losses and amounts paid in settlement, including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of any of the foregoing.
(k)“ORC” means the Ohio Revised Code.
(l)“Subsidiary” means an entity in which the Company directly or indirectly beneficially owns more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock.
(m)“Voting Stock” means securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or similar governing bodies).
2.Indemnification Obligation. Subject to Section 8, the Company shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted or required by the laws of the State of Ohio in effect on the date hereof or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted or required indemnification, against any and all Indemnifiable Claims and Indemnifiable Losses; provided, however, that no repeal or amendment of any law of the State of Ohio shall in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any occurrence or matter arising prior to any such repeal or amendment.
3.Advancement of Expenses. Indemnitee shall have the right to advancement by the Company prior to the final disposition of any Indemnifiable Claim of any and all reasonable Expenses relating to, arising out of or
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resulting from any Indemnifiable Claim paid or incurred by Indemnitee or which Indemnitee determines are reasonably likely to be paid or incurred by Indemnitee. Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct and is not conditioned upon any prior determination that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to the Indemnifiable Claim or the absence of any prior determination to the contrary. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within five business days after any request by Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request (but without duplication), (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses; provided that Indemnitee shall repay, without interest any amounts actually advanced to Indemnitee that, at the final disposition of the Indemnifiable Claim to which the advance related, were in excess of amounts paid or payable by Indemnitee in respect of Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from such Indemnifiable Claim. In connection with any such payment, advancement or reimbursement, Indemnitee shall execute and deliver to the Company an undertaking in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (subject to Indemnitee filling in the blanks therein and selecting from among the bracketed alternatives therein), which need not be secured and shall be accepted by the Company without reference to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses. For purposes of obtaining payments of Expenses in advance of final disposition of any Indemnifiable Claim, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company an undertaking averring that Indemnitee has reasonably incurred or will reasonably incur actual Expenses in defending an Indemnifiable Claim. The undertaking need not be secured and the Company must accept the undertaking without reference to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses. Unless at the time of Indemnitee’s act or omission at issue, the Constituent Documents prohibit such advances by specific reference to ORC Section l701.13(E)(5)(a) or unless the only liability asserted against Indemnitee in the subject action, suit or proceeding is pursuant to ORC Section 1701.95, Indemnitee shall be eligible to execute Part A of the undertaking by which Indemnitee undertakes to: (i) repay such amount if it is proved by clear and convincing evidence in a court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee’s action or failure to act involved an act or omission undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to the Company or undertaken with reckless disregard for the best interests of the Company; and (ii) reasonably cooperate with the Company concerning the action, suit, proceeding or claim. In all cases, Indemnitee shall be eligible to execute Part B of the undertaking by which Indemnitee undertakes to repay such amount if it ultimately is determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under this Agreement or otherwise. In the event that Indemnitee is eligible to and does execute both Part A and Part B of the undertaking, the Expenses which are paid by the Company pursuant thereto shall be required to be repaid by Indemnitee only if Indemnitee is required to do so under the terms of both Part A and Part B of the undertaking. In no event shall Indemnitee’s right to the payment, advancement or reimbursement of Expenses pursuant to this Section 3 be conditioned upon any undertaking that is less favorable to Indemnitee than, or that is in addition to, the undertaking set forth in Exhibit A.
4.Indemnification for Additional Expenses. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within five business days of such request, any and all reasonable Expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee or which Indemnitee determines are reasonably likely to be paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim made, instituted or conducted by Indemnitee, in each case to the fullest extent permitted or required by the laws of the State of Ohio in effect on the date hereof or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted or required indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of such Expenses, for (a) indemnification or payment, advancement or reimbursement of Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or under any other agreement or provision of the Constituent Documents now or hereafter in effect relating to Indemnifiable Claims, and/or (b) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company; provided, however, that Indemnitee shall return, without interest, any such advance of Expenses (or portion thereof) which remains unspent at the final disposition of the Claim to which the advance related.
5.Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law in effect on the date hereof or as such law may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of permitted or required indemnification, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the payment of any and all Indemnifiable Claims or Indemnifiable Losses, in such proportion as is fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its other directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s); provided that such contribution shall not be required where it is determined, pursuant to a final disposition of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss in accordance with Section 8 or pursuant to the last sentence of Section 9(a), that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification by the Company with respect to such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee from any claim of contribution that
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may be brought by directors, officers, employees or other agents or representatives of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
6.Partial Indemnity. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any Indemnifiable Loss, but not for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
7.Procedure for Notification. To obtain indemnification under this Agreement in respect of an Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss. If, at the time of the receipt of such request, the Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect under which coverage for such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss is potentially available, the Company shall give prompt written notice of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss to the applicable insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall provide to Indemnitee a copy of such notice delivered to the applicable insurers, and copies of all subsequent correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss, in each case substantially concurrently with the delivery or receipt thereof by the Company. If requested by Indemnitee, the Company shall use its best efforts when reasonable, at the Company’s expense, to enforce on behalf of and for the benefit of Indemnitee all rights (including rights to receive payment) that may exist under the applicable policies of insurance in relation to such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss. The failure by Indemnitee to timely notify the Company of any Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss shall not relieve the Company from any liability hereunder unless, and only to the extent that, the Company did not otherwise learn of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss and such failure results in forfeiture by the Company of substantial defenses, rights or insurance coverage.
8.Determination of Right to Indemnification.
(a)To the extent that Indemnitee shall have been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Indemnifiable Claim or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including through a dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against Indemnifiable Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from such Indemnifiable Claim in accordance with Section 2 and no Standard of Conduct Determination (as defined in Section 8(b)) shall be required with respect to such Indemnifiable Claim.
(b)To the extent that the provisions of Section 8(a) are inapplicable to an Indemnifiable Claim that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Ohio law that is a legally required condition precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Indemnifiable Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from such Indemnifiable Claim (a “Standard of Conduct Determination”) shall be made as follows: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by a majority vote of a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of all Disinterested Directors, or (iii) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or if Indemnitee so requests, by Independent Counsel, selected by the Indemnitee and approved by the Board (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; provided, however, that if at the time of any Standard of Conduct Determination Indemnitee is neither a director nor an officer of the Company, such Standard of Conduct Determination may be made by or in the manner specified by the Board, any duly authorized committee of the Board or any duly authorized officer of the Company (unless Indemnitee requests that such Standard of Conduct Determination be made by Independent Counsel, in which case such Standard of Conduct Determination shall be made by Independent Counsel). Indemnitee will cooperate with the person or persons making such Standard of Conduct Determination, including providing to such person or persons, upon reasonable advance request, any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within five business days of such request, any and all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person or persons making such Standard of Conduct Determination.
(c)The Company shall use its reasonable efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination required under Section 8(b) to be made as promptly as practicable. If (i) the person or persons empowered or selected under Section 8 to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall not have made a determination within 30 days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of written notice from Indemnitee advising the Company of the final disposition of the applicable Indemnifiable Claim (the date of such receipt being the “Notification Date”) and (B) the
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selection of an Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, and (ii) Indemnitee shall have fulfilled his or her obligations set forth in the second sentence of Section 8(b), then Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days, if the person or persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time for obtaining or evaluating any documentation or information relating thereto.
(d)If (i) Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification hereunder against any Indemnifiable Losses pursuant to Section 8(a), (ii) no determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Ohio law is a legally required condition precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against any Indemnifiable Losses, or (iii) Indemnitee has been determined or deemed pursuant to Section 8(b) or (c) to have satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Ohio law which is a legally required condition precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against any Indemnifiable Losses, then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee, within five business days after the later of (x) the Notification Date in respect of the Indemnifiable Claim or portion thereof to which such Indemnifiable Losses are related, out of which such Indemnifiable Losses arose or from which such Indemnifiable Losses resulted and (y) the earliest date on which the applicable criterion specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above shall have been satisfied, an amount equal to the amount of such Indemnifiable Losses.
9.Presumption of Entitlement.
(a)In making a determination of whether Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Indemnifiable Claim or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, the Company acknowledges that a resolution, disposition or outcome short of dismissal or final judgment, including outcomes that permit Indemnitee to avoid expense, delay, embarrassment, injury to reputation, distraction, disruption or uncertainty, may constitute such success. In the event that any Indemnifiable Claim or any portion thereof or issue or matter therein is resolved or disposed of in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including any resolution or disposition thereof by means of settlement with or without payment of money or other consideration), it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of such Indemnifiable Claim or portion thereof or issue or matter therein. The Company may overcome such presumption only by its adducing clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.
(b)In making any Standard of Conduct Determination, the person or persons making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct, and the Company may overcome such presumption only by its adducing clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. The knowledge and/or action, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Company will not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of any Standard of Conduct Determination. Any Standard of Conduct Determination that Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct shall be final and binding in all respects, including with respect to any litigation or other action or proceeding initiated by Indemnitee to enforce his or her rights hereunder. Any Standard of Conduct Determination that is adverse to Indemnitee may be challenged by Indemnitee in the state or federal courts in the State of Ohio. No determination by the Company (including by its directors or any Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not satisfied any applicable standard of conduct shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct.
(c)Without limiting the generality or effect of Section 9(b), (i) to the extent that any Indemnifiable Claim relates to any entity or enterprise (other than the Company) referred to in clause (i) of the first sentence of the definition of “Indemnifiable Claim,” Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the interests of such entity or enterprise (or the owners or beneficiaries thereof, including in the case of any employee benefit plan the participants and beneficiaries thereof) and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful, and (ii) in all cases, any belief of Indemnitee that is based on the records or books of account of the Company, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Company in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Company, the Board, any committee of the Board or any director, or on information or records given or reports made to the Company, the Board, any committee of the Board or any director by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by or on behalf of the Company, the Board, any committee of the Board or any director shall be deemed to be reasonable.
10.No Adverse Presumption. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
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equivalent, will not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any applicable standard of conduct or that indemnification hereunder is otherwise not permitted.
11.Non‑Exclusivity. The rights of Indemnitee hereunder will be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have against the Company under the Constituent Documents, or the substantive laws of the Company’s jurisdiction of incorporation, any other contract or otherwise (collectively, “Other Indemnity Provisions”); provided, however, that (a) to the extent that Indemnitee otherwise would have any greater right to indemnification under any Other Indemnity Provision, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder and (b) to the extent that any change is made to any Other Indemnity Provision which permits any greater right to indemnification than that provided under this Agreement as of the date hereof, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder. The Company will not adopt any amendment to any of the Constituent Documents the effect of which would be to deny, diminish or encumber Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement or any Other Indemnity Provision.
12.Liability Insurance and Funding. For the duration of Indemnitee’s service as a director and/or officer of the Company, and thereafter for so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any pending or possible Indemnifiable Claim, the Company shall use reasonable efforts (taking into account the scope and amount of coverage available relative to the cost thereof and other relevant factors, including changes in the Company’s business and/or industry) to cause to be maintained in effect policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing coverage for current and former directors and/or officers of the Company. Upon request, the Company shall provide Indemnitee with a copy of all directors’ and officers’ liability insurance applications, binders, policies, declarations and endorsements. The Company shall not discontinue or significantly reduce the scope or amount of coverage from one policy period to the next without the prior approval thereof by a majority vote of the Incumbent Directors, even if less than a quorum. In all policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance obtained by the Company, Indemnitee shall be included as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits, subject to the same limitations, as are accorded to the Company’s directors and officers most favorably insured by such policy. The Company may, but shall not be required to, create a trust fund, grant a security interest or use other means, including a letter of credit, to ensure the payment of such amounts as may be necessary to satisfy its obligations to indemnify and advance expenses pursuant to this Agreement.
13.Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the related rights of recovery of Indemnitee against other persons or entities (other than Indemnitee’s successors), including any entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of the definition of “Indemnifiable Claim” in Section 1(g). Indemnitee shall execute all papers reasonably required to evidence such rights (all of Indemnitee’s reasonable Expenses, including attorneys’ fees and charges, related thereto to be reimbursed by or, at the option of Indemnitee, advanced by the Company).
14.No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment to Indemnitee in respect of any Indemnifiable Losses to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received and is entitled to retain payment (net of any Expenses incurred in connection therewith and any repayment by Indemnitee made with respect thereto) under any insurance policy, the Constituent Documents and Other Indemnity Provisions or otherwise (including from any entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of the definition of “Indemnifiable Claim” in Section 1(g)) in respect of such Indemnifiable Losses otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.
15.Defense of Claims. Except for any Indemnifiable Claim asserted by or in the right of the Company (as to which Indemnitee shall be entitled to exclusively control the defense), the Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Indemnifiable Claim or to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. The Company’s participation in the defense of any Indemnifiable Claim of which the Company has not assumed the defense will not in any manner affect the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, including Indemnitee’s right to control the defense of such Indemnifiable Claims. With respect to the period (if any) commencing at the time at which the Company notifies Indemnitee that the Company has assumed the defense of any Indemnifiable Claim and continuing for so long as the Company shall be using its reasonable best efforts to provide an effective defense of such Indemnifiable Claim, the Company shall have the right to control the defense of such Indemnifiable Claim and shall have no obligation under this Agreement in respect of any attorneys’ or experts’ fees or expenses or any other costs or expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with defending such Indemnifiable Claim (other than such costs and expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any cooperation in the Company’s defense of such Indemnifiable Claim or other action undertaken by Indemnitee at the request of the Company or with the consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed)); provided that if Indemnitee believes, after consultation with counsel selected by Indemnitee, that (a) the use of counsel chosen by the Company to represent Indemnitee would present such counsel with an actual or potential conflict, (b) the named
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parties in any such Indemnifiable Claim (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and Indemnitee and Indemnitee shall conclude that there may be one or more legal defenses available to him or her that are different from or in addition to those available to the Company, or (c) any such representation by such counsel chosen by the Company would be precluded under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, then Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain and use the services of separate counsel (but not more than one law firm plus, if applicable, local counsel in respect of any particular Indemnifiable Claim) at the Company’s expense. Nothing in this Agreement shall limit Indemnitee’s right to retain or use his or her own counsel at his or her own expense in connection with any Indemnifiable Claim; provided that in all events Indemnitee shall not unreasonably interfere with the conduct of the defense by the Company of any Indemnifiable Claim that the Company shall have assumed and of which the Company shall be using its reasonable best efforts to provide an effective defense. The Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any threatened or pending Indemnifiable Claim effected without the Company’s prior written consent. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, effect any settlement of any threatened or pending Indemnifiable Claim to which Indemnitee is, or could have been, a party unless such settlement solely involves the payment of money and includes a complete and unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such Indemnifiable Claim. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold, condition or delay its consent to any proposed settlement; provided that Indemnitee may withhold consent to any settlement that does not provide a complete and unconditional release of Indemnitee.
16.Successors and Binding Agreement.
(a)The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee and his or her counsel, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor to the Company, including any person acquiring directly or indirectly all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise (and such successor will thereafter be deemed the “Company” for purposes of this Agreement), but shall not otherwise be assignable or delegatable by the Company.
(b)This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Indemnitee’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs, distributees, trustees, legatees and other successors.
(c)This Agreement is personal in nature and neither of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the other, assign or delegate this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder except as expressly provided in Sections 16(a) and 16(b). Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, Indemnitee’s right to receive payments hereunder shall not be assignable, whether by pledge, creation of a security interest or otherwise, other than by a transfer by Indemnitee’s will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, in the event of any attempted assignment or transfer contrary to this Section 16(c), the Company shall have no liability to pay any amount so attempted to be assigned or transferred.
17.Notices. For all purposes of this Agreement, all communications, including notices, consents, requests or approvals, required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when hand delivered or dispatched by electronic facsimile or email transmission (with receipt thereof orally confirmed), or five business days after having been mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or one business day after having been sent for next‑day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company (to the attention of the Secretary of the Company) and to Indemnitee at the applicable address shown on the signature page hereto, or to such other address as any party hereto may have furnished to the other in writing and in accordance herewith, except that notices of changes of address will be effective only upon receipt.
18.Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of Ohio, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws of such State. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in State of Ohio for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the state and federal courts located in State of Ohio.
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2019 04 Form of D&O Indemnification Agreement

19.Validity. If any provision of this Agreement or the application of any provision hereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected, and the provision so held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal shall be reformed to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to make it enforceable, valid or legal. In the event that any court or other adjudicative body shall decline to reform any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal as contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence, the parties thereto shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate to replace the provision so held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal with one or more alternative provisions that effectuate the purpose and intent of the original provisions of this Agreement as fully as possible without being invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal. This Agreement shall replace and supersede the indemnification agreement in effect between Indemnitee and the Company immediately prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Indemnitee and the Company.
20.Miscellaneous. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing signed by Indemnitee and the Company. No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto or compliance with any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time. No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, expressed or implied with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either party hereto that are not set forth expressly in this Agreement.
21.Legal Fees and Expenses; Interest.
(a)It is the intent of the Company that Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees and or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to Indemnitee hereunder. Accordingly, without limiting the generality or effect of any other provision hereof, if it should appear to Indemnitee that the Company has failed to comply with any of its obligations under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3) or in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, the Company irrevocably authorizes Indemnitee from time to time to retain counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, at the expense of the Company as hereafter provided, to advise and represent Indemnitee in connection with any such interpretation, enforcement or defense, including the initiation or defense of any litigation or other legal action, whether by or against the Company or any director, officer, shareholder or other person affiliated with the Company, in any jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any existing or prior attorney-client relationship between the Company and such counsel, the Company irrevocably consents to Indemnitee’s entering into an attorney-client relationship with such counsel, and in that connection the Company and Indemnitee agree that a confidential relationship shall exist between Indemnitee and such counsel. The Company will pay and be solely financially responsible for any and all reasonable attorneys’ and related fees and expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any of the foregoing to the fullest extent permitted or required by the laws of the State of Ohio in effect on the date hereof or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted or required payment of such fees and expenses.
(b)Any amount due to Indemnitee under this Agreement that is not paid by the Company by the date on which it is due will accrue interest at the maximum legal rate under Ohio law from the date on which such amount is due to the date on which such amount is paid to Indemnitee.
22.Certain Interpretive Matters. Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, (a) “it” or “its” or words of any gender include each other gender, (b) words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively, (c) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement, (d) the terms “Article”, “Section” or “Exhibit” refer to the specified Section or Exhibit of or to this Agreement, (e) the terms “include,” “includes” and “including” will be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation” (whether or not so expressed), and (f) the word “or” is disjunctive but not exclusive. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, such number will refer to calendar days unless business days are specified and whenever action must be taken (including the giving of notice or the delivery of documents) under this Agreement during a certain period of time or by a particular date that ends or occurs on a non-business day, then such period or date will be extended until the immediately following business day. As used herein, “business day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or a United States federal holiday.
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2019 04 Form of D&O Indemnification Agreement

23.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
[Signatures Appear on Following Page]
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2019 04 Form of D&O Indemnification Agreement

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Indemnitee has executed and the Company has caused its duly authorized representative to execute this Agreement as of the date first above written.

CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. 200 Public Square, Suite 3300 Cleveland, Ohio 44114
By: |
| Name:
| Title
[INDEMNITEE] [Address]
[Indemnitee]

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2019 04 Form of D&O Indemnification Agreement

EXHIBIT A
UNDERTAKING

| STATE OF OHIO | ) |  |
|  | ) | SS |
| COUNTY OF | ) |  |

I, ___________________________ , being first duly sworn, do depose and say as follows:
1. This Undertaking is submitted pursuant to the Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement, dated ___________, ____, between Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”) and the undersigned.
2. I am requesting payment of Expenses that I have reasonably incurred or will reasonably incur in defending an Indemnifiable Claim referred to in the aforesaid Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement.
3. The Expenses for which payment is requested are, in general, all expenses related to _____________.
4. Part A
I hereby undertake to (a) repay the amounts paid pursuant hereto if and to the extent it is proved by clear and convincing evidence in a court of competent jurisdiction that my action or failure to act which is the subject of the matter described herein involved an act or omission undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to the Company or undertaken with reckless disregard for the best interests of the Company and (b) reasonably cooperate with the Company concerning the action, suit, proceeding or claim.

|  |  | [Indemnitee Name]

5. Part B
I hereby undertake to repay the amounts paid pursuant hereto if and to the extent it ultimately is determined that I am not entitled to be indemnified by the Company for all or part of such amounts under the aforesaid Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement or otherwise.

Indemnitee shall not be eligible to execute Part A of this Undertaking if, at the time of Indemnitee’s act or omission at issue, the Articles or the Regulations of the Company prohibit such advances by specific reference to the ORC Section 1701.13(E)(5)(a), or if the only liability asserted against Indemnitee is in an action, suit, or proceeding on the Company’s behalf pursuant to ORC Section 1701.95. In the event that Indemnitee is eligible to and does execute both Part A and Part B hereof, the costs, charges, and expenses which are paid by the Company pursuant hereto shall be required to be repaid by Indemnitee only if Indemnitee is required to do so under the terms of both Part A and Part B.

|  |  | [Indemnitee Name]

Subscribed and sworn to before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, this _____ day of ________, ____.
[Seal]
My commission expires the __________ day of ____________, _________.
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2019 04 Form of D&O Indemnification Agreement