Attached files
| file | filename |
|---|---|
| 8-K - 8-K - Black Knight, Inc. | a8-ktest.htm |
| EX-3.2 - EXHIBIT 3.2 - Black Knight, Inc. | exhibit32bkfsbylaws.htm |
| EX-99.1 - EXHIBIT 99.1 - Black Knight, Inc. | ex991bkfspressrelease.htm |
| EX-10.1 - EXHIBIT 10.1 - Black Knight, Inc. | ex101bkfscreditagreement.htm |
| EX-10.2 - EXHIBIT 10.2 - Black Knight, Inc. | ex102thirdsupplementalinde.htm |
EXHIBIT 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
BLACK KNIGHT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
Black Knight Financial Services, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:
First: The Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on October 27, 2014.
Second: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
Third: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation amends, restates and integrates the provisions of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation.
Fourth: The text of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the corporation (the “Corporation”) is “Black Knight Financial Services, Inc.”
ARTICLE II
REGISTERED AGENT
The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19801. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at that address is The Corporation Trust Company.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may now or hereafter be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL STOCK
Section 4.1. Upon this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be further amended and/or restated from time to time, this “Certificate of Incorporation”) becoming effective pursuant to the DGCL, each issued and outstanding share of the Corporation’s existing common stock, par value $0.0001 per share shall automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof be canceled and shall cease to exist.
Section 4.2. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 575,000,000, consisting of (a) 350,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), (b) 200,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B Common Stock” and, together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”), and (c) 25,000,000 shares of one or more series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”).
Section 4.3. (a) Except as otherwise expressly required by law or provided in this Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to any voting rights provided to holders of Preferred Stock at any time outstanding, the holders of any outstanding shares of Common Stock shall vote together as a single class on all matters with respect to which stockholders are entitled to vote under applicable law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation adopted on the date hereof (as amended form time to time) (the “Bylaws”), or upon which a vote of stockholders is otherwise duly called for by the Corporation. At each annual or special meeting of stockholders, each holder of record of shares of Common Stock on the relevant record date shall be entitled to cast one vote in person or by proxy for each share of Common Stock outstanding in such holder’s name on the stock transfer records of the Corporation.
(b) Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Class A Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid on the Class A Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation that are by law available therefor at such times and in such amounts as the board of directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) in its discretion shall determine. Dividends shall not be declared or paid on the Class B Common Stock.
(c) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and of the preferential and other amounts, if any, to which the holders of Preferred Stock shall be entitled, the holders of all outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by each such stockholder. The holders of shares of Class B Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to receive any assets of the Corporation in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
(d) (1) A holder of Class B Common Stock may only transfer shares of Class B Common Stock to another person if such holder transfers a corresponding number of LLC Units (as defined below) to such person in accordance with the provisions of the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Black Knight Financial Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), as such agreement may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof (the “LLC Agreement”).
(2) Any purported transfer of shares of Class B Common Stock in violation of the restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph (the “Restrictions”) shall be null and void. If, notwithstanding the foregoing prohibition, a person shall, voluntarily or involuntarily, purportedly become or attempt to become, the purported owner (“Purported Owner”) of shares of Class B Common Stock in violation of the Restrictions, then the Purported Owner shall not obtain any rights in and to such shares of Class B Common Stock (the “Restricted Shares”), and the purported transfer of the Restricted Shares to the Purported Owner shall not be recognized by the Corporation’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”).
(3) Upon a determination by the Board of Directors that a person has attempted or may attempt to transfer or to acquire Restricted Shares, the Board of Directors may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to such transfer or acquisition on the books and records of the Corporation, including without limitation to cause the Transfer Agent to record the Purported Owner’s transferor as the record owner of the Restricted Shares, and to institute proceedings to enjoin or rescind any such transfer or acquisition.
(4) The Board of Directors may, to the extent permitted by law, from time to time establish, modify, amend or rescind, by bylaw or otherwise, regulations and procedures not inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 4.3(d) for determining whether any acquisition of shares of Class B Common Stock would violate the Restrictions and for the orderly application, administration and implementation of the provisions of this Section 4.3(d). Any such procedures and regulations shall be kept on file with the Secretary of the Corporation and with the Transfer Agent and shall be made available for inspection by any prospective transferee and, upon written request, shall be mailed to any holder of shares of Class B Common Stock.
(5) The Board of Directors shall have all powers necessary to implement the Restrictions, including without limitation the power to prohibit the transfer of any shares of Class B Common Stock in violation thereof.
(6) Upon the exchange of any shares of Class B Common Stock (and a corresponding number of LLC Units pursuant to the LLC Agreement) for Class A Common Stock of the Corporation or upon the payment of cash for any shares of Class B Common Stock (and a corresponding number of LLC Units pursuant to the LLC Agreement), such shares of Class B Common Stock shall immediately be cancelled on the books and records of the Corporation and shall no longer be deemed to be issued and outstanding capital stock of the Corporation.
(7) As used in this Certificate of Incorporation, (i) “LLC Units” shall mean Class A Units of Holdings, or any successor entity thereto, issued under the LLC Agreement and (ii) “person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, joint venture or other enterprise or entity.
(8) In the event of a reclassification or other similar transaction as a result of which the shares of Class A Common Stock are converted into another security, then a holder of shares of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive upon exchange of such shares (together with a corresponding number of LLC Units) the amount of such security that such holder would have received if such exchange had occurred immediately prior to the record date of such reclassification or other similar transaction, taking into account any adjustment as a result of any subdivision (by any stock split or dividend, reclassification or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, reclassification or otherwise) of such security that occurs after the effective time of such reclassification or other similar transaction.
(9) The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exchange of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock and a corresponding number of LLC Units for Class A Common Stock, such number of shares of Class A Common Stock that are issuable upon any such exchange and shall exchange such shares of Class B Common Stock and a corresponding number of LLC Units for shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to the LLC Agreement; provided that nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude the Corporation from satisfying its obligations in respect of any such exchange by delivery of shares of Class A Common Stock which are held in the treasury of the Corporation; provided further that nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude the Corporation from paying cash in exchange for shares of Class B Common Stock and a corresponding number of LLC Units. All shares of Class A Common Stock issued upon any such exchange shall, upon issuance, be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(e) If the Corporation in any manner subdivides or combines the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, the outstanding shares of the Class B Common Stock shall be proportionately subdivided or combined, as the case may be. If the Corporation in any manner subdivides or combines the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock, the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock shall be proportionately subdivided or combined, as the case may be.
Section 4.4. Shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation may be issued from time to time in one or more classes or series, each of which class or series shall have such distinctive designation and title as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors prior to the issuance of any shares thereof. The Board of Directors is hereby authorized to fix the designation and title for each such class or series of Preferred Stock, to fix the voting powers, whether full or limited, or no voting powers, and such powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, and to fix the number of shares constituting such class or series (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding), in each case as shall be stated in such resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such class or series of Preferred Stock as may be adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors prior to the issuance of any shares thereof pursuant to the authority hereby expressly vested in it.
ARTICLE V
DIRECTORS
Section 5.1. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, consisting of not less than one (1) nor more that fourteen (14) members with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock as set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors. At each annual meeting of stockholders, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term. The term of the initial Class I directors shall terminate on the date of the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders; the term of the initial Class II directors shall terminate on the date of the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders and the term of the initial Class III directors shall terminate on the date of the 2018 annual meeting of stockholders. At each annual meeting of stockholders beginning in 2016, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term.
Section 5.2. If the number of directors on the Board of Directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any additional director of any class elected to fill a vacancy resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case will a decrease in the number of directors shorten the term of any incumbent director. A director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in which his term expires and until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify for office, subject, however, to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.
Section 5.3. Subject to the terms of any one or more series or classes of Preferred Stock, any vacancy on the Board of Directors, however resulting, may be filled only by an affirmative vote of the majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by an affirmative vote of the sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the term of the class to which such director shall have been elected.
Section 5.4. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions, whenever the holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation, or the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
pursuant to Section 4.4 of this Certificate of Incorporation applicable thereto, and such directors so elected shall not be divided into classes pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms.
ARTICLE VI
CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES
Section 6.1. In anticipation of the possibility (a) that the officers and/or directors of the Corporation may also serve as officers and/or directors of Fidelity (as defined below) or THL (as defined below) and (b) that the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, may engage in the same or similar activities or lines of business and have an interest in the same corporate opportunities, and in recognition of the benefits to be derived by the Corporation through its continued contractual, corporate and business relations with Fidelity and THL, the provisions of this Article VI are set forth to regulate, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation as they relate to Fidelity and THL and their respective officers and directors, and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its officers, directors and stockholders in connection therewith.
Section 6.2. (a) Except as may be otherwise provided in a written agreement between the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, Fidelity and THL shall have no duty to refrain from engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Fidelity nor THL nor any officer or director thereof (except in the event of any violation of Section 6.3 hereof, to the extent such violation would create liability under applicable law) shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of any such activities of Fidelity or THL.
(b) The Corporation may from time to time be or become a party to and perform, and may cause or permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to be or become a party to and perform, one or more agreements (or modifications or supplements to pre-existing agreements) with Fidelity and/or THL. Subject to Section 6.3 hereof, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no such agreement, nor the performance thereof in accordance with its terms by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, Fidelity or THL, shall be considered contrary to any fiduciary duty to the Corporation or to its stockholders of any director or officer of the Corporation who is also a director, officer or employee of Fidelity or THL. Subject to Section 6.3 hereof, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no director or officer of the Corporation who is also a director, officer or employee of Fidelity or THL shall have or be under any fiduciary duty to the Corporation or its stockholders to refrain from acting on behalf of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, Fidelity or THL in respect of any such agreement or performing any such agreement in accordance with its terms.
Section 6.3. In the event that a director or officer of the Corporation who is also a director or officer of Fidelity or THL acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity of both the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, such director or officer of the Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have fully satisfied and fulfilled the fiduciary duty of such director or officer to the Corporation and its stockholders with respect to such corporate opportunity, if such director or officer acts in a manner consistent with the following policy:
(a) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer of the Corporation, and who is also a director but not an officer of Fidelity or THL, shall belong to the Corporation, unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in a capacity other than such person’s capacity as an officer of the Corporation, in which case it shall not belong to the Corporation;
(b) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is a director but not an officer of the Corporation, and who is also a director or officer of Fidelity or THL, shall belong to the Corporation only if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in such person’s capacity as a director of the Corporation; and
(c) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer of both the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, shall belong to the Corporation only if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in such person’s capacity as an officer of the Corporation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not be prohibited from pursuing any corporate opportunity of which the Corporation becomes aware.
Section 6.4. Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article VI.
Section 6.5. (a) For purposes of this Article VI, a director of any company who is the chairman of the board of directors of that company shall not be deemed to be an officer of the company solely by reason of holding such position.
(b) The term “Corporation” shall mean, for purposes of this Article VI, the Corporation and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which the Corporation beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests. The term “Fidelity” shall mean, for purposes of this Article VI, Fidelity National Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereof, and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which it beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests other than the Corporation. The term “THL” shall mean, for purposes of this Article VI, Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and any successor thereof, and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which it or one or more of its affiliates beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries.
Section 6.6. Anything in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary notwithstanding, the foregoing provisions of this Article VI shall not apply at any time that no person who is a director or officer of the Corporation is also a director or officer of Fidelity or THL. Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Article VI nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VI shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VI in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article VI, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.
ARTICLE VII
REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS
Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any or all of the directors of the Corporation may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, considered for purposes of this Article VII as one class. For purposes of this Article VII, “cause” shall mean, with respect to any director, (x) the willful failure by such director to perform, or the gross negligence of such director in performing, the duties of a director, (y) the engaging by such director in willful or serious misconduct that is injurious to the Corporation or (z) the conviction of such director of, or the entering by such director of a plea of nolo contendere to, a crime that constitutes a felony.
ARTICLE VIII
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Elections of directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders shall be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall otherwise provide.
ARTICLE IX
WRITTEN CONSENT OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 9.1. Actions required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be effected without a meeting by the written consent of the holders of common stock of the Corporation (a “Consent”), but only if such action is taken in accordance with the provisions of this Article IX or by the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock issued pursuant to Article IV hereof, if the terms of such class or series of Preferred Stock expressly provide for such action by Consent.
Section 9.2. The record date for determining stockholders entitled to authorize or take corporate action by Consent shall be as fixed by the Board of Directors or as otherwise established under this Article IX. Any stockholder seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by Consent shall, by written notice addressed to the Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the principal executive offices of the Corporation and signed by holders of record owning not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation, as determined in accordance with any applicable requirements of the Bylaws, who shall continue to own not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation through the date of delivery of Consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to authorize or take such action and who shall not revoke such request, request that a record date be fixed for such purpose (each such notice, a “Request”). The Request must contain the information set forth in Section 9.3 hereof. By the later of (i) twenty days after delivery of a valid Request and (ii) five days after delivery of any information requested by the Corporation pursuant to Section 9.3 hereof, the Board of Directors shall determine the validity of the Request and whether the Request relates to an action that may be authorized or taken by Consent pursuant to this Article IX and, if appropriate, adopt a resolution fixing the record date for such purpose. The record date for such purpose shall be no more than ten days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors and shall not precede the date such resolution is adopted. If the Request has been determined to be valid and to relate
to an action that may be authorized or taken by Consent pursuant to this Article IX or if such no determination shall have been made by the date required by this Article IX, and in either event no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date shall be the day on which the first signed Consent is delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in Section 9.7 hereof; except that, if prior action by the Board of Directors is required under the provisions of the DGCL, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
Section 9.3. Any Request (a) must be delivered by the holders of record owning not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation, as determined in accordance with any applicable requirements of the Bylaws (with evidence of such ownership attached), who shall continue to own not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation through the date of delivery of Consents and who shall not revoke such request, signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to authorize or take such action; (b) must describe the action proposed to be authorized or taken by Consent; and (c) must contain (i) such other information and representations, to the extent applicable, then required by the Corporation's Bylaws as though each stockholder submitting such Request was submitting a notice of a nomination for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting of stockholders or of other business to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, (ii) the text of the proposal (including the text of any resolutions to be adopted by Consent and the language of any proposed amendment to the Bylaws), and (iii) any agreement of the requesting stockholders required by the Bylaws. The Board of Directors may require the stockholders submitting a Request to furnish such other information as it may require to determine the validity of the Request. Stockholders seeking to authorize or take action by Consent shall update the information provided in the Request as required by the Corporation's Bylaws with respect to information provided concerning nominations for elections to the Board or other business at annual stockholders meetings.
Section 9.4. Stockholders are not entitled to authorize or take action by Consent if (a) the action relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law, (b) an identical or substantially similar item of business, as determined by the Board of Directors in its reasonable determination, which determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Corporation and its stockholders (a “Similar Item”), is included in the Corporation's notice of meeting as an item of business to be brought before an annual or special stockholders meeting that has been called but not yet held or that is called to be held on a date within 90 days after the receipt by the Corporation of the Request for such action, provided that the removal of directors without electing replacements shall not be a Similar Item to the election of directors, or (c) such Request was made in a manner that involved a violation of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or other applicable law.
Section 9.5. Stockholders may authorize or take action by Consent only if such Consents are solicited from all holders of common stock of the Corporation.
Section 9.6. Every Consent purporting to take or authorize the taking of corporate action must bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the Consent, and no Consent shall be effective to take or authorize the taking of the action referred to therein unless, within 60 days of the earliest dated Consent delivered in the manner required by Section 9.7 hereof, Consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to authorize or take such action are so delivered to the Corporation.
Section 9.7. Every Consent purporting to take or authorize the taking of corporate action must be dated and delivered to the Corporation or its registered office in the State of Delaware no earlier than 60 days after the delivery of a valid Request. Consents must be delivered to the Corporation's registered office in the State of Delaware or its principal place of business. Delivery must be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. The Secretary of the Corporation, or such other officer of the Corporation as the Board of Directors may designate (“Other Officer”), shall provide for the safe-keeping of such Consents and any related revocations and shall promptly conduct such ministerial review of the sufficiency of all Consents and any related revocations and of the validity of the action to be authorized or taken by Consent as the Secretary of the Corporation or Other Officer, as the case may be, deems necessary or appropriate, including, without limitation, whether the holders of a number of shares having the requisite voting power to authorize or take the action specified in the Consents have given consent; provided, however, that if the action to which the Consents relate is the removal or replacement of one or more members of the Board of Directors, the Secretary of the Corporation or Other Officer, as the case may be, shall promptly designate two persons, who shall not be members of the Board of Directors, to serve as inspectors (“Inspectors”) with respect to such Consents and such Inspectors shall discharge the functions of the Secretary of the Corporation or Other Officer, as the case may be, under this Article IX. If after such investigation the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, shall determine that the action has been duly authorized or taken by the Consents, that fact shall be certified on the records of the Corporation and the Consents shall be filed in such records. In conducting the investigation required by this Section, the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, may retain special legal counsel and any other necessary or appropriate professional advisors as such person or persons may deem necessary or appropriate, at the expense of the Corporation, and shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the opinion of such counsel or advisors.
Section 9.8. No action may be authorized or taken by the stockholders by Consent except in accordance with this Article IX. If the Board of Directors shall determine that any Request was not properly made in accordance with, or relates to an action that may not be effected by Consent pursuant to, this Article IX, or any stockholder seeking to authorize or take such action does not
otherwise comply with this Article IX, then the Board of Directors shall not be required to fix a record date and any such purported action by Consent shall be null and void to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. No Consent shall be effective until such date as the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, certify to the Corporation that the Consents delivered to the Corporation in accordance with Section 9.7 hereof represent at least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take the corporate action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, in accordance with Delaware law and this Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 9.9. Nothing contained in this Article IX shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any Consent or related revocations, whether before or after such certification by the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).
Section 9.10. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth above, (a) none of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall apply to any solicitation of stockholder action by written consent by or at the direction of the Board of Directors and (b) the Board of Directors shall be entitled to solicit stockholder action by Consent in accordance with applicable law.
ARTICLE X
SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purposes may be called at any time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board or Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. Except as required by law or provided by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of any Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may not be called by any other person or persons.
ARTICLE XI
OFFICERS
The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen in such manner, shall hold their offices for such terms and shall carry out such duties as are determined solely by the Board of Directors, subject to the right of the Board of Directors to remove any officer or officers at any time with or without cause.
ARTICLE XII
INDEMNITY
The Corporation shall indemnify to the full extent authorized or permitted by law any person made, or threatened to be made, a party to any action or proceeding (whether civil or criminal or otherwise) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or by reason of the fact that such director or officer, at the request of the Corporation, is or was serving any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, in any capacity. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which employees other than directors and officers may be entitled by law. No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty by such a director as a director. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, a director shall be liable to the extent provided by applicable law (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL or (d) for any transaction from which such director derived an improper personal benefit. No amendment to or repeal of this Article XII shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment.
ARTICLE XIII
BUSINESS COMBINATIONS
The Corporation shall not be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.
ARTICLE XIV
AMENDMENT
The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at any time may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law. All rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature
conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XIV. In addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock required by law, by this Certificate of Incorporation or by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of such Preferred Stock, the provisions (a) of the Bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed if approved by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office or approved by holders of the Class A Common Stock in accordance with applicable law and this Certificate of Incorporation and (b) of this Certificate of Incorporation may be adopted, amended or repealed as provided by applicable law.
ARTICLE XV
SEVERABILITY
If any provision (or any part thereof) of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officer of the Corporation has executed this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation on behalf of the Corporation this 26th day of May, 2015.
BLACK KNIGHT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Michael L. Gravelle | |
Name: | Michael L. Gravelle | |
Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | |