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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
In June 2021, S1 Holdco entered into a multi-year agreement with a service provider whereby the Company is contractually obligated to spend $8,000 between July 2022 and June 2023. As of March 31, 2023 (Successor), the Company remains contractually obligated to spend $2,165 towards this commitment.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had various non-cancelable operating lease commitments for office space which have been recorded as Operating lease liabilities.

Litigation

The Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company believes the ultimate liability, if any, with respect to these actions will not materially affect the consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows reflected in the condensed consolidated financial statements. There can be no assurance, however, that the ultimate resolution of such actions will not materially or adversely affect the Company’s condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. The Company accrues for losses when the loss is deemed probable and the liability can reasonably be estimated.

In July 2021, System1 OpCo (f/k/a System1, LLC) received initial correspondence from counsel for a United Kingdom-based marketing research company and its United States subsidiary (collectively, the “Demanding Group”) alleging trademark infringement (i) based on its use of the “SYSTEM1” trade name and mark in the United States, and (ii) subsequently based on its use of the “SYSTEM1” trade name and mark in the United Kingdom. The
correspondence demanded that System1 OpCo cease and desist from using the “SYSTEM1” name and mark, and even though the Company received similar correspondence from the Demanding Group regarding its alleged infringing use of the SYSTEM1 trade name and mark in the United Kingdom, no lawsuit was ever filed in the United Kingdom. In September 2021, the Demanding Group filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Infringement Suit”), alleging (i) trademark infringement, (ii) false designation of origin, (iii) unfair competition and (iv) certain violations of New York business laws, seeking, among other things, an injunction, disgorgement of profits, actual damages and attorneys’ fees and costs. The Company believes that the Demanding Group’s infringement and other allegations and claims set forth in the Infringement Suit would have been subject to a laches defense, among other defenses. The parties entered into a Co-Existence and Settlement Agreement in June 2023 in which the parties have agreed to co-exist with their current usage of the “System1” mark in their respective business operations with certain requirements and other conditions, and includes the payment of a fixed amount to the Demanding Party over the course of seventeen (17) months (the “Settlement Agreement”). The amounts accrued as of March 31, 2023 for the potential loss are consistent with the terms of the Settlement Agreement, and have been immaterial to-date.

In March 2023, the Company received a demand letter from counsel for Alta Partners, LLC (“Alta”), which purports to be a holder of certain Public Warrants of the Company (“Demand Letter”). The Demand Letter alleges, among other claims, that the Company breached the terms of the Warrant Agreement, and that Alta is entitled to approximately $5,700 in damages, plus prejudgment interest, as a result. On April 20, 2023, counsel for the Company responded to the Demand Letter, denying that any breach occurred or that Alta is entitled to any damages. In June 2023, counsel for Alta sent the Company a draft complaint (the “Complaint”) alleging substantially the same claims as those set forth in Alta’s Demand Letter. The Complaint has not been filed as of June 30, 2023. The Company continues to deny liability with respect to the claims set forth in the Demand Letter and the Complaint, and will defend itself vigorously against any such claims. The Company has not accrued a loss for this matter as a loss, or range of losses, is not reasonably estimable as of March 31, 2023.