EMERITUS CORP\WA\ - FORM 8-K - EX-1.1 - EX-1.1 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT 5 MILLION SHARES NOVEMBER 2010

Attached files

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EX-99.1 - EX-99.1 ITEM 14 OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE NOVEMBER 2010 - EMERITUS CORP\WA\	ex991item14nov2010.htm
8-K - ESC 8K UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT NOVEMBER 2010 - EMERITUS CORP\WA\	esc8kunderwriteagrmt2010.htm

EX-1.1

EMERITUS CORPORATION

(a Washington corporation)

5,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: November 9, 2010

EMERITUS CORPORATION

(a Washington corporation)

5,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

November 9, 2010

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Emeritus Corporation, a Washington corporation (the “Company”), and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the “Selling Shareholders”) confirm their respective agreements with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (the “Underwriter”) with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the Underwriter of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedules A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriter of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 750,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriter and all or any part of the 750,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”

The Company and the Selling Shareholders understand that the Underwriter proposes to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as it deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) (i) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-148400) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which shelf registration statement was declared effective by the Commission on January 16, 2008 (the “2008 Registration Statement”), and (ii) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-167448) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Securities, under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which shelf registration statement was declared effective by the Commission on June 18, 2010 (the “2010 Registration Statement”). Such registration statements, as of any time, as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule

430B”), are referred to herein as the “Registration Statements;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statements” without reference to a time means such registration statements as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of each such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to the Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriter for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statements, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or its Interactive Data Electronic Applications system (“IDEA”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 8:30 A.M., New York City time, on November 9, 2010 or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the prospectuses (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that are included in the Registration Statements as of the Applicable Time and the information included in Schedule C-1 hereto, all considered together.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration

Statements, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statements, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Registration Statements and Prospectuses. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of the 2008 Registration Statement and the 2010 Registration Statement is a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 and the Securities have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on the Registration Statements. Each of the 2008 Registration Statement and the 2010 Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statements or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

Each of the 2008 Registration Statement and the 2010 Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriter pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectuses filed as part of the Registration Statements as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto), at the time it was filed, complied in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR or IDEA, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).

(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statements nor any amendments thereto, at their effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any

individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statements became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statements (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares” in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statements or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statements by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

(iv) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statements and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(v) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statements are independent

public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(vi) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable.

(vii) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs, business prospects, or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

(viii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Washington and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(ix) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) and the subsidiaries listed in Schedule E hereto (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company as of the filing date of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K are the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statements.

(x) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

(xi) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xii) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.

(xiii) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statements or otherwise registered for sale by the Company under the 1933 Act, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.

(xiv) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under (except where such Repayment Event is described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”), or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xv) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvi) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which might result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statements or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xviii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

(xix) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xx) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(xxi) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or have obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, or other rights to use, all patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property necessary to carry on the business now operated by them and material to the Company’s business taken as a whole (collectively, “Intellectual Property”), and, to the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with

asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxii) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements and neither the Company nor its subsidiaries are aware of facts or circumstances indicating that any such permit will not be renewed or reissued in the ordinary course of business, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(xxiii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 of the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its

principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xxiv) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(xxv) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 have been settled, subject to the utilization of net operating loss deductions in future years, and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxvi) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, or in the case of self-insurance, excess loss coverage, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(xxvii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

(xxviii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xxix) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxx) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxi) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of its subsidiaries or joint venture partners or any other person, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(xxxii) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriter.

(xxxiii) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(xxxiv) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other person required to be described in the preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, other than as described in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. A committee of independent directors has determined that the terms of each related party transaction required to be disclosed in the preliminary

prospectus or the Prospectus are fair to the Company or its subsidiary and are no less favorable to the Company or its subsidiary than would be available in a transaction with an unaffiliated third party.

(xxxv) Government Reimbursement Programs. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the facilities operated by the Company and each of its subsidiaries that are enrolled in a federal health care program, including without limitation the Medicare programs, the Medicaid programs and the Tricare programs (together with their respective intermediaries or carriers, the “Government Reimbursement Programs”), comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Government Reimbursement Programs in which each respective facility participates or has participated, except for such failures to be qualified or to be entitled to reimbursement or to comply that could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated proceeding or investigation by any of the Government Reimbursement Programs with respect to (i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries’ qualification or right to participate in any Government Reimbursement Program in which they participate or have participated, (ii) the compliance or non-compliance by the Company and each of its subsidiaries with the terms or provisions of any Government Reimbursement Program in which they participate or have participated or (iii) the right of the Company and each of its subsidiaries to receive or retain amounts received or due or to become due from any Government Reimbursement Program in which they participate or have participated, which proceeding or investigation, together with all other such proceedings and investigations, singly or in the aggregate would not, result in a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, “Medicaid” means any state-operated means-tested entitlement program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act that provides federal grants to states for medical assistance based on specific eligibility criteria, “Medicare” means that government-sponsored entitlement program under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act that provides for a health insurance system for eligible elderly and disabled persons including eligible persons with end-stage renal disease and “Tricare” means the healthcare program established by the U.S. Department of Defense under Title 10, Subtitle A, Part II, Chapter 55 (10 U.S.C. § 1071 et seq.) for members of the military, military retirees and their dependants, and includes the competitive selection of contractors to financially underwrite the delivery of healthcare services under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services.

(xxxvi) Compliance with Federal Health Care Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any of their respective officers or directors, has, on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (A) committed any act that would cause any of them to incur a civil monetary penalty under 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7a or violated 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7b or any other of the federal statutes applicable to Government Reimbursement Programs or any regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes or related state or local statutes or regulations, including but not limited to the following: (i) knowingly made or caused to be made a false statement or representation of a material fact in any applications for any benefit or payment; (ii) knowingly made or caused to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact for use in determining rights to any benefit or payment; (iii) knowingly failed to disclose knowledge by a claimant of the occurrence of any event affecting the initial or continued right to any benefit or payment on its own behalf or on behalf of another, with intent to secure such benefit or payment fraudulently; or (iv) knowingly and willfully solicited or received or offered or paid any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind or offering to pay or soliciting to receive such remuneration (x) in return for referring an individual to a person for the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of any item

or service for which payment may be made in whole or in part by Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare or other applicable government payers or (y) in return for purchasing, leasing or ordering or arranging for or recommending, or to induce, the purchasing, leasing or ordering of any good, facility, service or item for which payment may be made in whole or in part by Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare or other applicable government payers, or (B) knowingly presented or caused to be presented a claim for a medical or other item or service that was not provided as claimed, or is for a medical or other item or service and the person knew or should have known the claim was false or fraudulent, except in the case of each of (A) and (B) as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as could not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has, nor have any of their respective officers or directors, on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries: (X) violated the Federal False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, including without limitation (i) knowingly presenting or causing to be presented to a government official a false claim for payment or approval, (ii) knowingly made, used or caused to be made or used, a false record or statement to get a false or fraudulent claim paid or approved by the government or (iii) conspired to defraud the government by getting a false or fraudulent claim paid; or (Y) violated 42 U.S.C. §1395nn or any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto (collectively, the “Stark Law”), including, without limitation, presenting or causing to be presented a claim under Medicare or Medicaid or billing any individual, third party payor, or other entity, for any “designated health service” (as defined in the Stark Law) payable by Medicare or Medicaid for a referral for the designated health service made by a physician that had (or whose immediate family member had) a financial relationship with the Company or any of its subsidiaries that did not meet a Stark Law exception. Except as singly or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries is in compliance as applicable to them with the privacy and security rules promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 found at 45 C.F.R. parts 160-164 (collectively, “HIPAA”) and the amendments to HIPAA made under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act amendments to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated 18 U.S.C. §1347 including, but not limited to, knowingly executing or attempting to execute a scheme or artifice by means of false or fraudulent pretenses (i) to defraud any health care benefit program or (ii) to obtain any money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any health benefit program.

(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders. Each of the Selling Shareholders represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time, and as of the Closing Time, and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the General Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided that such representations and warranties set forth in this subsection (b)(i) apply only to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Selling Shareholders furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (the “Selling Shareholders Information”).

(ii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.

(iii) Noncontravention. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Shareholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or any property or assets of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Shareholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or other organizational instrument of such Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder or any of its properties.

(v) Valid Title. Such Selling Shareholder has, and at the Closing Time will have, valid title to the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholders or a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities.

(vi) Delivery of Securities. Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriter, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (unless delivery of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already in possession of Cede or such nominee), registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee (unless registration of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already registered in the name of Cede or such nominee), and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the UCC) of the Underwriter (assuming that neither DTC nor the Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code then in effect in the State of New York (“UCC”), to such Securities), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriter will acquire a valid “security entitlement” in respect of such Securities and (B) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, the Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery (if necessary) and crediting occur, (I) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (II) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, (III) appropriate entries to the accounts of the Underwriter on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC, (IV) to the extent DTC, or any other securities intermediary which acts as “clearing corporation” with respect to the Securities, maintains any “financial asset” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC in a clearing corporation pursuant to Section 8-111 of the UCC, the rules of such clearing corporation may affect the rights of DTC or such securities intermediaries and the ownership interest of the Underwriter, (V) claims of creditors of DTC or any other securities intermediary or clearing corporation may be given priority to the extent set forth in Section 8-511(b) and 8-511(c) of the

UCC and (VI) if at any time DTC or other securities intermediary does not have sufficient Securities to satisfy claims of all of its entitlement holders with respect thereto then all holders will share pro rata in the Securities then held by DTC or such securities intermediary.

(vii) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Shareholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(viii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations hereunder or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of FINRA.

(ix) No Registration or Other Similar Rights. Such Selling Shareholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statements or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement.

(x) No Free Writing Prospectuses. Such Selling Shareholder has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf, or used or referred to, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405), and has not distributed any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.

(xi) No Association with FINRA. Neither such Selling Shareholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, any member firm of FINRA or is a person associated with a member (within the meaning of the FINRA By-Laws) of FINRA.

(c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificates signed by or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder as such and delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to the Underwriter and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Company and each Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be.

(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriter to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Underwriter to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the Underwriter is then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Underwriter, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time.

(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Winston & Strawn LLP, New York, New York, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company and the Selling Shareholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriter, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Underwriter to the Company.

Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Shareholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, against delivery to the Underwriter for its account of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them.

(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriter may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Underwriter in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Shareholders. The Company and each Selling Shareholder (with respect to subsection (k) hereof) covenant with the Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Underwriter immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statements shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statements or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information, (iv) of the

issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statements or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statements and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933 Act Regulations (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statements or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)).

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statements in order that the Registration Statements will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statements or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Underwriter notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Company has given the Underwriter notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Underwriter notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object.

(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver or make electronically available to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter, without charge, copies of the Registration Statements as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statements as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statements and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to the Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as the Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriter, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as reasonably practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriter the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(h) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange.

(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing, (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other

securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will issue an earnings release or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed in this clause (i) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless Merrill Lynch waives, in writing, such extension.

(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 of the 1933 Act.

(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 provided that the Underwriter will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Underwriter. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriter as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statements or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statements (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the

Underwriter to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriter, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriter, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange and (ix) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriter caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii). The Company shall bear the costs incident to the sale of shares by the Selling Shareholders, except for the fees and disbursements of the Selling Shareholders’ legal counsel, which shall be the exclusive responsibility of the Selling Shareholders.

(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriter in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriter for all of its out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter.

(c) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and at the Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statements or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(1)(i) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933 Act Regulations and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statements or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Perkins Coie LLP, counsel for the Company,

in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriter may reasonably request.

(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriter may reasonably request.

(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Winston & Strawn LLP, counsel for the Underwriter with respect to the matters set forth in clauses (v), (vi) (solely as to preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under the charter or by-laws of the Company), (viii), (x), (xiv) (solely as to the information in the Prospectus under “Description of Capital Stock¾Common Stock”), the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A hereto, and other related matters as the Underwriter may require. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Underwriter. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(e) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of either of the Co-Chief Executive Officers of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statements under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

(f) Certificate of Selling Shareholders. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of each Selling Shareholder, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (ii) each Selling Shareholder has complied with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Time.

(g) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the “specified date” referred to in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(i) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(j) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.

(k) Maintenance of Rating. Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) of the 1933 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriter exercises its option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Underwriter shall have received:

(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of either of the Co-Chief Executive Officers of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Underwriter, the favorable opinion of Perkins Coie LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iii) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. If requested by the Underwriter, the favorable opinion of Winston & Strawn LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.

(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Underwriter, a letter from KPMG LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriter pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof, except that the “specified date” referred to in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(m) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any), counsel for the Underwriter shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein

contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Selling Shareholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter.

(n) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the Underwriter to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders at any time at or prior to the Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriter. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statements (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company and the Selling Shareholders; and

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statements (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Indemnification of Underwriter by the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act of Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above; provided that the liability under this subsection of each Selling Shareholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, to such Selling Shareholder from the sale of Securities sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder.

(c) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Shareholders. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statements, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Shareholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statements (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) and 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6 (c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company and the Selling Shareholders. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(e) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

(f) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification.

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and of the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriter, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Shareholders or by the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company and the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by the Underwriter in connection with the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and the Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statements, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be.

The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling the Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination. The Underwriter may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Underwriter, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Selling Shareholders or the Company. (a) If a Selling Shareholder shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling Shareholder is obligated to sell hereunder, and the remaining Selling Shareholders do not exercise the right hereby granted to increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number of Securities to be sold by them hereunder to the total number to be sold by all Selling Shareholders as set forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriter may, by notice from the Underwriter to the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholders, either (i) terminate this Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall remain in full force and effect or (ii) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling Shareholders and the Company has agreed to sell hereunder. No action taken pursuant to this Section 10 shall relieve any Selling Shareholder so defaulting from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

In the event of a default by any Selling Shareholder as referred to in this Section 10, each of the Underwriter and the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholders shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required change in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.

(b) If the Company shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriter shall be directed to Merrill Lynch at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department, with a copy to ECM Legal; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 3131 Elliott Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98121, attention of Robert C. Bateman, Executive Vice President – Finance and Chief Financial Officer; and notices to the Selling Shareholders shall be directed to c/o AREA Property Partners LP, Two Manhattanville Road, Suite 203, Purchase, New York 10577, attention of Ron Solotruk.

SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, the Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder, or their respective shareholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) the Underwriter has not assumed and will not assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder on other matters) and the Underwriter does not have any

obligation to the Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder, and (e) the Underwriter has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 13. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 14. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates), each of the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 15. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

SECTION 16. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 17. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

SECTION 19. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,

EMERITUS CORPORATION

By: /s/ Robert C. Bateman

Title: Executive Vice President—Finance and Chief Financial Officer

APOLLO REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FUND III, L.P.

By: Apollo Real Estate Advisors III, L.P.,

its General Partner

By: Apollo Real Estate Capital Advisors III, Inc.,

its General Partner

By: /s/ Stuart Koenig

Name: Stuart Koenig

Title: Chief Financial Officer

AP SUMMERVILLE, LLC

By: Kronus Property III, Inc., its Manager

By: /s/ Stuart Koenig

Name: Stuart Koenig

Title: Chief Financial Officer

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

INCORPORATED

By: /s/ Gray W. Hampton III

Authorized Signatory

Name: Gray W. Hampton III

Title: Managing Director

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

SCHEDULE A

The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $18.25.

The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the Underwriter shall be $17.6341, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $0.6159 per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.

Name of Underwriter	Number of Initial Securities

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated	5,000,000

Total	5,000,000

Sch A - 1

SCHEDULE B

	Number of Initial Securities to be Sold	Maximum Number of Option Securities to Be Sold
EMERITUS CORPORATION	4,000,000	750,000
APOLLO REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FUND III, L.P.	936,776	0
AP SUMMERVILLE, LLC	63,224	0
Total	5,000,000	750,000

Sch B - 1

SCHEDULE C-1

Pricing Terms

1. The Company and the Selling Shareholders are selling 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock.

2. The Company has granted an option to the Underwriter to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares of Common Stock.

3. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $18.25.

Sch C - 1

SCHEDULE C-2

Free Writing Prospectuses

Sch C - 2

SCHEDULE D

List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up

Sch D - 1

SCHEDULE E

List of Subsidiaries

Sch E - 1

Exhibit A

FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)

A - 1

Exhibit B

FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)

B - 1

Exhibit C

LOCK UP AGREEMENT

C - 1

EMERITUS CORP\WA\ - FORM 8-K - EX-1.1 - EX-1.1 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT 5 MILLION SHARES NOVEMBER 2010 - November 10, 2010

Attached files

EMERITUS CORP\WA\ Reports