HALLIBURTON
COMPANY
BY-LAWS
AS
AMENDED
Offices
1. The
registered office of the Corporation required by the Delaware General
Corporation Law to be maintained in the State of Delaware shall be in the City
of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware, or at such other office
(which need not be a place of business or principal office of the Corporation)
as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors in the manner
provided by law, and the name of the agent in charge thereof shall be The
Corporation Trust Company. The Corporation shall also have offices in
the City of Houston, State of Texas, and at such other places as the Board of
Directors may, from time to time, appoint.
Seal
2. The
corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon around the margin the words
"Halliburton Company" and "Delaware" and across the center thereof the words
"Corporate Seal". The Secretary shall have custody of the corporate
seal and the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix
the same to any instrument requiring it and, when so affixed, it may be attested
by the Secretary's signature or by the signature of such Assistant
Secretary.
Stockholders'
Meetings
3. All
meetings of the stockholders for the election of Directors shall be held in the
City of Houston, State of Texas, at such place as may be fixed from time to time
by the Board of Directors or at such other place either within or without the
State of Delaware as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of
Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting. Meetings of
stockholders for any other purpose may be held at such time and place within or
without the State of Delaware, as shall be stated in the notice of the
meeting.
4. Annual
meetings of the stockholders shall be held on the third Wednesday in the month
of May each year if not a legal holiday, and if a legal holiday, then on the
next succeeding business day, at 9:00 a.m., or at such other date and time as
shall be designated, from time to time, by the Board of Directors and stated in
the notice of meeting, at which time the stockholders shall elect a Board of
Directors, in the manner provided for in the Certificate of Incorporation, and
transact such other business as may be brought before the
meeting. At any meeting of stockholders where Directors are
elected, each Director shall be elected by the vote of the majority of the votes
cast, provided that if the number of nominees exceeds the number of Directors to
be elected and any stockholder proposed nominee has not been withdrawn before
the tenth (10th) day
preceding the earlier to occur of: (i) the day on which the Corporation mails
proxy materials or (ii) the day on which the Corporation mails notice of
internet availability of proxy materials to stockholders for the meeting, the
Directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the shares represented
in person or by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of
Directors. For purposes of this Section 4, a majority of the votes
cast means that the number of shares voted "for" a Director must exceed the
number of votes cast "against" that Director; abstentions will be
ignored. The Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines provide
that each incumbent Director nominee prior to being nominated for election or
re-election will have signed and delivered to the Board an irrevocable letter of
resignation that is deemed tendered as of the date of the certification of the
election results for any Director who fails to achieve a majority of the votes
cast at an election of Directors where Directors are elected by a majority of
the votes cast. The letter of resignation will be limited to and
conditioned on that Director failing to achieve a majority of the votes cast at
an election of Directors where Directors are elected by a majority of the votes
cast and such resignation shall only be effective upon acceptance by the Board
of Directors. If an incumbent Director fails to achieve a majority of
the votes cast at an election of Directors where Directors are elected by a
majority of the votes cast, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
will make a recommendation to the Board on whether to accept or reject the
resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board will
act on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee's recommendation
considering all factors that the Board believes to be relevant and will publicly
disclose its decision and the rationale behind it within ninety (90) days from
the date of the certification of the election results. The
resignation, if accepted by the Board, will be effective at the time of the
Board of Directors’ determination to accept the
resignation. Directors shall hold office until the next annual
meeting and until their successors shall be duly elected and
qualified.
5. At
an annual or special meeting of the stockholders, only business properly brought
before the meeting shall be conducted. To be properly brought before
a meeting of the stockholders, business must be: (i) specified in the
notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of
the Board; (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the
direction of the Board; or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting
by a stockholder. In addition to any other requirements, for business
to be properly brought before a meeting of the stockholders by a stockholder,
the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the
Secretary. To be timely, a stockholder's notice must be delivered to
or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the
Corporation: (a) with respect to business to be conducted at an
annual meeting of stockholders, not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one
hundred twenty (120) days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately
preceding annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however,
in the event the annual meeting of stockholders is more than 30 days before or
more than 30 days after such anniversary date, not less than ninety (90) days
nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the date of such annual
meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting
is less than 100 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, not later than
the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the public announcement;
and (b) with respect to business to be conducted at a special meeting of
stockholders, not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day
following the first public announcement of the date of such special
meeting.
In order to assist the Corporation and
the Board in making a recommendation with respect to the proposed business, a
stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth as to each matter the
stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting of stockholders: (a) a brief
description of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting and the
reasons for conducting such business at the meeting; (b) the name and address,
as they appear on the Corporation's books, of the stockholder proposing such
business; (c) the class and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which
are beneficially owned by the stockholder, including derivatives, hedged
positions and other economic or voting interests; (d) a representation that the
stockholder or a qualified representative of the stockholder intends to appear
in person at the meeting to bring the proposed business before the meeting; (e)
any material interest of the stockholder in such business; and (f) any agreement
the stockholder may have with others regarding the proposed
business.
Notwithstanding anything in the By-laws
to the contrary, no business (other than the nomination of a person
for election as a Director, which is governed by Section 6, and matters properly
brought under Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) shall be conducted at an annual
or special meeting of stockholders except in accordance with the procedures set
forth in this Section 5; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 5 shall
be deemed to preclude discussion by any stockholder of any business properly
brought before a meeting in accordance with these procedures.
The Chairman of the meeting shall, if
the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not
properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 5, and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall
not be transacted.
A stockholder shall also comply with
all applicable requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, with respect to
the matters set forth in this Section 5.
6. Only
persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be
eligible for election as Directors. Nominations of persons for
election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made at an annual
or special meeting of stockholders: (i) by or at the direction of the
Board of Directors by any nominating committee or person appointed by the Board;
or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the election
of Directors at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set
forth in this Section 6. Such nominations, other than those made by
or at the direction of the Board, shall be made pursuant to timely notice in
writing to the Secretary. To be timely, a stockholder's notice shall
be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the
Corporation: (a) with respect to an election to be held at an annual
meeting of stockholders, not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one
hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately
preceding annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however,
in the event the annual meeting of stockholders is more than 30 days before or
more than 30 days after such anniversary date, not less than ninety (90) days
nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the date of such annual
meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting
is less than 100 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, not later than
the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the public announcement;
and (b) with respect to an election to be held at a special meeting of
stockholders, not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day
following the first public announcement of the date of such special
meeting.
In order to assist the Corporation and
the Board in making a recommendation with respect to the proposed nominee, such
stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth: (x) 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 residence address of the person; (ii) the
principal occupation or employment of the person; (iii) the class and number of
shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the
person, including derivatives, hedged positions and other economic or voting
interests; (iv) a statement whether the nominee intends to tender the advance
resignation described in Section 4 of these By-laws; (v) any undisclosed voting
commitments or other arrangements with respect to the proposed nominee’s actions
as a Director; (vi) other arrangements or matters that would prevent the
proposed nominee from being considered an independent Director under the
Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and applicable stock exchange
listing standards; and (vii) all other information relating to the person that
is required to be disclosed in solicitations for proxies for election of
Directors, or is otherwise required, pursuant to Regulation 14A under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(y) as to
the stockholder giving the notice: (i) the name and address, as they
appear on the Corporation's books, of such stockholder; and (ii) the class and
number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially
owned by the stockholder, including derivatives, hedged positions and other
economic or voting interests; and (z) information as to any material
relationships, including financial transactions and compensation, between the
stockholder and the proposed nominee. The Corporation may require any
proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required
by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to
serve as Director of the Corporation. Other than Directors chosen
pursuant to the provisions of Section 12, no person shall be eligible for
election as a Director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with
the procedures set forth herein.
The Chairman of the meeting shall, if
the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was
not made in accordance with the foregoing procedure, and the defective
nomination shall be disregarded. Further, if the stockholder
proposing the nominee does not appear at the meeting to present the nomination,
the nomination will be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of
such nomination have been received by the Corporation.
The requirements of this Section 6
shall apply to any nomination of a person for election as a Director by a
stockholder. A stockholder shall also comply with all applicable
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, with respect to the matters set forth in this
Section 6.
7. The
holders of a majority of the voting stock issued and outstanding, present in
person, or represented by proxy shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the
stockholders for the transaction of business.
8. At
each meeting, every stockholder shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy
and shall have one (1) vote for each share of voting stock registered in his
name on the stock books except as provided in Section 12 hereof.
9. Written
notice of a meeting of stockholders shall be mailed not less than ten (10) nor
more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder
entitled to vote at such meeting directed to his address as it appears on the
records of the Corporation.
10. A
complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at each meeting of the
stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each
stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder
shall be prepared and shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for
any purpose germane to the meeting during ordinary business hours, for a period
of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting at the principal place of
business of the Corporation. The list shall also be produced and kept
at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be
inspected by any stockholder who is present.
11. Special
meetings of the stockholders may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President (if a Director), the Board of Directors,
or by stockholders owning a majority of the voting stock issued and
outstanding.
12. Cumulative
voting shall not be allowed. Each stockholder shall be entitled, at
all elections of Directors of the Corporation, to as many votes as shall equal
the number of shares of stock held and owned by him and entitled to vote at such
meeting under Article EIGHTH of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended,
for as many Directors as there are to be elected, unless such right to vote in
such manner is limited or denied by other provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation.
Vacancies caused by the death or
resignation of any Director and newly created directorships resulting from any
increase in the authorized number of Directors may be filled by a vote of at
least a majority of the Directors then in office, though less than a quorum, and
the Directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the
stockholders.
Board of Directors and
Committees
13. The
property and business of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of
Directors. The number of Directors which shall constitute the whole
Board shall not be less than eight (8) nor more than twenty
(20). Within these limits, the number of Directors shall be
determined by resolution of the Board of Directors or by the stockholders at the
annual meeting.
14. The
Directors shall hold their meetings in Houston, Texas, and at such other places
as they may designate, and may keep the books of the Corporation outside of
Delaware, in the City of Houston, Texas, or at such other places as they may,
from time to time, determine.
15. In
addition to the powers and authorities conferred by these By-laws, the Board may
exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and
things as are permitted by the Certificate of Incorporation and not by statute
required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
16. Each
member of the Board shall be paid such fee as the Board of Directors may, from
time to time, by resolution determine.
17. The
Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the Board,
designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of
the Directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more
Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or
disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or
disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at
any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or
members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board
of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or
disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent permitted by law and to
the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and
may exercise all the powers and authority of the Directors in the management of
the business and affairs of the Corporation
.
Meetings of the Board and
Standing and Special Committees
18. Immediately
after each annual stockholders' meeting, the newly elected Board shall meet and
for the ensuing year elect such officers as may be determined by the Board and
shall attend to such other business as may come before the Board.
19. Regular
meetings of the Board and standing or special committees of the Board may be
held without notice at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board
or the committees, as applicable.
20. At
all meetings of the Board and standing or special committees, a majority of
Directors or committee members, as applicable, shall constitute a
quorum.
21. Special
meetings of the Board or standing or special committees may be called by the
Chairman of the Board, a Director, the Chief Executive Officer, the President
(if a Director) or the Secretary upon one (1) day's notice to each Director or
committee member, as applicable, either personally or in the manner permitted by
Section 28.
Officers
22. The
Board of Directors shall elect a President and a Secretary, and shall choose a
Chairman of the Board from among its members. The Board of Directors may
also elect one or more Vice Presidents (any one or more of whom may be
designated Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President), one or more
Assistant Secretaries, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers, and
such other officers as the Board deems appropriate. Each such officer
shall hold office after his election until his successor is elected and
qualified or until his earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may
resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. The Board of
Directors may remove any officer with or without cause at any time, but such
removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights of such officer, if
any, with the Corporation. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death,
resignation, removal or otherwise may be filled by the Board of Directors at any
regular or special meeting.
23. The
officers of the Corporation shall have such powers and duties in the management
of the Corporation as may be prescribed in a resolution by the Board of
Directors and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their
respective offices, subject to the control of the Board of Directors. The
Board of Directors may require any officer, agent or employee to give security
for the faithful performance of his duties.
Capital
Stock
24. (a) Shares. The
shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates or shall be
uncertificated. Each registered holder of shares, upon request to the
Corporation, shall be provided with a certificate of stock, representing the
number of shares owned by such holder. Absent a specific request for
such a certificate by the registered owner or transferee thereof, all shares
shall be uncertificated upon the original issuance thereof by the Corporation or
upon the surrender of the certificate representing such shares to the
Corporation.
The Board of Directors shall have power
and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient
concerning the issue, transfer and registration of uncertificated shares or
certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation.
(b) Certificates for Shares of
Stock. The certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation
shall be in such form, not inconsistent with the Certificate of Incorporation,
as shall be approved by the Board of Directors. All certificates
shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, or any Vice
President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Corporation and countersigned by an independent
transfer agent and registered by an independent registrar. Any or all
of the signatures may be facsimiles if permitted by the regulations of the New
York Stock Exchange then in effect.
In case any officer, transfer agent or
registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a
certificate shall cease to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before
such certificate is issued, it may nevertheless be issued and delivered by the
Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer
agent or registrar at the date of issue.
All certificates for shares of stock
shall be consecutively numbered as the same are issued. The name of
the person owning the shares represented thereby with the number of such shares
and the date of issue thereof shall be entered on the books of the
Corporation.
(c) Statements Relating to
Uncertificated Shares. Within two (2) business days after
uncertificated shares have been registered, the Corporation or its transfer
agent shall send to the registered owner thereof a written statement containing
a description of the issue of which such shares are a part, the number of shares
registered, the date of registration and such other information as may be
required or appropriate.
Transfer of
Shares
25. Upon
surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a
certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of
succession, assignment or authority to transfer, the Corporation shall issue or
cause to be issued uncertificated shares or, if requested by the appropriate
person, a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old
certificate and record the transaction upon its books. Upon receipt
of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner of uncertificated
shares, such uncertificated shares shall be canceled and issuance of new
equivalent uncertificated shares shall be made to the person entitled thereto
and the transaction shall be recorded upon the books of the
Corporation.
Record
Dates
26. In
order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of
or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to
express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to
receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any
rights, or 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
may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor
less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting or such
action. 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 may fix a new record date for the
adjourned meeting.
Dividends
27. Dividends
upon the capital stock may be declared by the Board at any regular or special
meeting.
Notice
28. Whenever,
under the provisions of these By-laws, notice is required to be given by the
Corporation, such notice shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be
deemed to be duly received at the time so given) by personal delivery, by
express courier service or by mail, postage prepaid, to the person to whom
notice is required, at such address as appears on the records of the
Corporation. Notice may also be given by electronic transmission (if
consented to, in the case of stockholders), which notice shall be deemed to have
been given when sent or transmitted.
29. Any
stockholder, Director or officer may waive any notice required to be given under
these By-laws.
Amendment or Repeal of
By-laws
30. These
By-laws may be altered or repealed at any regular meeting of the stockholders,
or at any special meeting of the stockholders at which a quorum is present or
represented, provided notice of the proposed alteration or repeal be contained
in the notice of such special meeting, by the affirmative vote of the majority
of the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting and present or represented
at the meeting, or by the affirmative vote of the majority of the Board of
Directors at any regular meeting of the Board, or at any special meeting of the
Board, if notice of the proposed alteration or repeal be contained in the notice
of such special meeting; provided, however, that no change in these By-laws
setting the time or place of the meeting for the election of Directors shall be
made within sixty (60) days next before the day on which such meeting is to be
held, and that in case of any change in such time or place, notice thereof shall
be given to each stockholder in person or by letter mailed to his last known
post office address at least twenty (20) days before the meeting is
held.
Provisions for National
Emergencies
31. During
periods of emergency resulting from an attack on the United States or on a
locality in which the Corporation conducts its business or customarily holds
meetings of its Board of Directors or its stockholders, or during any nuclear or
atomic disaster, or during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar
emergency condition, the following provisions shall apply notwithstanding any
different provisions elsewhere contained in these By-laws:
(a) Whenever,
during such emergency and as a result thereof, a quorum of the Board of
Directors or a standing or special committee thereof cannot readily be convened
for action, a meeting of such Board or committee thereof may be called by any
officer or Director by a notice of the time and place given only to such of the
Directors as it may be feasible to reach at the time and by such means as may be
feasible at the time, including publications or radio. Three
(3) Directors in attendance at the meeting shall constitute a quorum;
provided, however, that the officers or other persons present who have been
designated on a list approved by the Board before the emergency, all in such
order of priority and subject to such conditions and for such period of time as
may be provided in the resolution approving such list, or in the absence of such
a resolution, the officers of the Corporation who are present, in order of rank,
and within the same rank in order of seniority, shall to the extent required to
provide a quorum be deemed Directors for such meeting.
(b) The
Board, both before or during any such emergency, may provide, and from time to
time modify, lines of succession in the event that during such emergency any or
all officers or agents of the Corporation shall for any reason be rendered
incapable of discharging their duties.
(c) The
Board both before or during any such emergency, may, effective as of the
emergency, change the principal executive office or designate several
alternative principal executive offices or regional offices, or authorize the
officers so to do.
(d) No
officer, Director or employee acting in accordance with this Section shall be
liable except for willful misconduct.
(e) To
the extent not inconsistent with this Section, all other Sections of these
By-laws shall remain in effect during any emergency described in this Section
and upon termination of the emergency, the provisions of this Section shall
cease to be operative.
Indemnification
32. (a) Each
person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is
involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative (hereinafter a "proceeding"), by reason of the
fact that he or she 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 or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans,
whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity
as a director or officer or in any other capacity while serving or having agreed
to serve as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the
Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation
Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, (but, in the case of any
such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation
to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the
Corporation to provide prior to such amendment) against all expense, liability
and loss (including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA, excise taxes or
penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or
suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall
continue as to a person who has ceased to serve in the capacity which initially
entitled such person to indemnity hereunder and shall inure to the benefit of
his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that the
Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in
connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if
such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation. The right to indemnification conferred in this
Section 32 shall be a contract right that vests upon a person becoming a
Director or officer of the Corporation or upon a person serving at the request
of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation or of a
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with
respect to employee benefit plans, and shall include the right to be paid by the
Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of
its final disposition; provided, however, that, if the Delaware General
Corporation Law requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or
officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other
capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or
officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in
advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon
delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director
or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be
determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under
this Section or otherwise.
(b) If
a claim under Paragraph (a) of this Section 32 is not paid in full by the
Corporation within ninety days after a written claim has been received by the
Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the
Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in
whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of
prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action
(other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in
defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required
undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the
claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under
the Delaware General Corporation Law for the Corporation to indemnify the
claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be
on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including
its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have
made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that
indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she
has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General
Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its
Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the
claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to
the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable
standard of conduct.
(c) The
right to indemnification and the advancement and payment of expenses conferred
in this Section 32 shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person
may have or hereafter acquire under any law (common or statutory), provision of
the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, By-law, agreement, vote of
stockholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
(d) The
Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any
person who is or was serving as 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 any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would
have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss
under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
(e) If
this Section 32 or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any
court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless
indemnify and hold harmless each director or officer of the Corporation as to
costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments,
fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative to the full
extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section 32 that shall not
have been invalidated and to the full extent permitted by applicable
law.
(f) Any
amendment or modification of this Section 32 affecting the rights of persons
described in this Section 32 will not alter the rights of such persons with
respect to conduct pre-dating the amendment or modification without the affected
individual’s written consent.
Revised
effective December 3, 2008