Exhibit 3.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CAPITOL INVESTMENT CORP. VII

 

January 19, 2021

 

The undersigned, for the purposes of forming a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, does make, file and record this Certificate of Incorporation (this “Certificate”), and does hereby certify as follows:

 

Article I
NAME

 

The name of the corporation is Capitol Investment Corp. VII (the “Corporation”).

 

Article II
PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”). In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, effecting a merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Corporation and one or more businesses or entities (a “Business Combination”).

 

Article III
REGISTERED AGENT

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19801, and the name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

 

Article IV
CAPITALIZATION

 

Section 4.1. Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock, each with a par value of $0.0001 per share, which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 111,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 451,000,000 shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”), including (i) 400,000,000 shares of Class A common stock (the “Class A Common Stock”) and (ii) 50,000,000 shares of Class B common stock (the “Class B Common Stock”), and (b) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”).

 

 

Section 4.2. Preferred Stock. The board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide out of the unissued shares of the Preferred Stock for one or more series of Preferred Stock, and to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional, special and other rights, if any, of each such series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board providing for the issuance of such series and included in a certificate of designation (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) filed pursuant to the DGCL, and the Board is hereby expressly vested with the authority to the full extent provided by law, now or hereafter, to adopt any such resolution or resolutions.

 

Section 4.3. Common Stock.

 

(a) Voting.

 

(i) Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of the shares of Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.

 

(ii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation on which the holders of such Common Stock are entitled to vote.

 

(iii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Class A Common Stock and holders of the Class B Common Stock, voting together as a single class, shall have the exclusive right to vote on all matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), holders of shares of any series of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock or other series of Common Stock if the holders of such affected series of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as applicable, are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

 

(b) Class B Common Stock.

 

(i) Shares of Class B Common Stock shall be convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (the “Initial Conversion Ratio”) (A) at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder thereof and (B) automatically on the closing of the initial Business Combination.

 

 

(ii) Notwithstanding the Initial Conversion Ratio, in the case that additional shares of Class A Common Stock, or Equity-linked Securities (as defined below), are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in the Corporation’s initial public offering of securities (the “Offering”) and related to the closing of the initial Business Combination, all issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall automatically convert into shares of Class A Common Stock at the time of the closing of the initial Business Combination at a ratio for which:

 

the numerator shall be equal to the sum of (A) 25% of all shares of Class A Common Stock issued or issuable (upon the conversion or exercise of any Equity-linked Securities or otherwise) by the Corporation, related to or in connection with the consummation of the initial Business Combination (net of the number of shares of Class A Common Stock redeemed in connection with the initial Business Combination and excluding any securities issued or issuable to any seller in the initial Business Combination) plus (B) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination; and

 

the denominator shall be the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the closing of the initial Business Combination.

 

As used herein, the term “Equity-linked Securities” means any debt or equity securities of the Corporation that are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Class A Common Stock issued in a financing transaction in connection with the initial Business Combination, including, but not limited to, a private placement of equity or debt.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the foregoing adjustment to the Initial Conversion Ratio may be waived as to any particular issuance or deemed issuance of additional shares of Class A Common Stock or Equity-linked Securities by the written consent or agreement of holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding consenting or agreeing separately as a single class in the manner provided in Section 4.3(b)(iii), and (ii) in no event shall the Class B Common Stock convert into Class A Common Stock at a ratio that is less than one-for-one.

 

The foregoing conversion ratio shall also be adjusted to account for any subdivision (by stock split, subdivision, exchange, stock dividend, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, exchange, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares occurring after the original filing of this Certificate without a proportionate and corresponding subdivision, combination or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock.

 

 

Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into its pro rata number of shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 4.3(b). The pro rata share for each holder of Class B Common Stock will be determined as follows: Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as is equal to the product of one multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock into which all of the issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall be converted pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) and the denominator of which shall be the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock at the time of conversion.

 

(iii) Voting. Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), for so long as any shares of Class B Common Stock shall remain outstanding, the Corporation shall not, without the prior vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding, voting separately as a single class, amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Certificate, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, if such amendment, alteration or repeal would alter or change the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other or special rights of the Class B Common Stock. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Class B Common Stock may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of the outstanding Class B Common Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of Class B Common Stock were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which minutes of proceedings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Prompt written notice of the taking of corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent of the holders of Class B Common Stock shall, to the extent required by law, be given to those holders of Class B Common Stock who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders of Class B Common Stock to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.

 

(c) Dividends.  Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

 

(d) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up of the Corporation.  Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock (on an as converted basis with respect to the Class B Common Stock) held by them.

 

 

Section 4.4. Rights and Options. The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board. The Board is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.

 

Article V
INCORPORATOR

 

The name and mailing address of the sole incorporator of the Corporation are as follows:

 

Name		Address
John E. Andrews		Latham & Watkins LLP 555 Eleventh Street, N.W., Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20004

 

Article VI
board of DIRECTORS

 

Section 6.1. Board Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon the Board by statute, this Certificate or the bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”), the Board is hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Certificate and any Bylaws adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

Section 6.2. Number, Election and Term.

 

(a) The number of directors of the Corporation, other than those who may be elected by the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock voting separately by class or series, shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board.

 

 

(b) Subject to Section 6.5, the Board shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible and designated Class I, Class II and Class III. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office as of the effectiveness of this Certificate to Class I, Class II or Class III. The term of the initial Class I Directors shall expire at the first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Certificate; the term of the initial Class II Directors shall expire at the second annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Certificate; and the term of the initial Class III Directors shall expire at the third annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Certificate. At each succeeding annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, beginning with the first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Certificate, each of the successors elected to replace the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term or until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office, subject to their earlier death, resignation or removal. Subject to Section 6.5, if the number of directors that constitute the Board is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned by the Board among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board shorten the term of any incumbent director. Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon. The Board is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions thereof, to assign members of the Board already in office to the aforesaid classes at the time this Certificate (and therefore such classification) becomes effective in accordance with the DGCL.

 

(c) Subject to Section 6.5, a director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in which his or her term expires and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

(d) Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors need not be by written ballot. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors.

 

Section 6.3. Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to Section 6.5, newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause may be filled solely and exclusively by a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by stockholders), and any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors to which the new directorship was added or in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

 

Section 6.4. Removal. Subject to Section 6.5 and except as otherwise required by this Certificate, any or all of the directors may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

Section 6.5. Preferred Stock—Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article VI, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of Preferred Stock as set forth in this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) and such directors shall not be included in any of the classes created pursuant to this Article VI unless expressly provided by such terms.

 

Article VII
BYLAWS

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board shall have the power and is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors present at a regular or special meeting of the Board at which there is a quorum or by unanimous written consent. The Bylaws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the Corporation to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws; provided, further, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

Article VIII
SPECIAL MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS; ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT

 

 

Section 8.1. Special Meetings. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation, for any purpose or purposes, may be called only by the Chairman or Co-Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or Secretary of the Corporation or the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board, and the ability of the stockholders of the Corporation to call a special meeting is hereby specifically denied. Except as provided in the foregoing sentence, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may not be called by another person or persons.

 

 

Section 8.2. Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

Section 8.3. Action by Written Consent. Except as may be otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) relating to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, subsequent to the consummation of the Offering, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation other than with respect to our Class B Common Stock with respect to which action may be taken by written consent.

 

Article IX
LIMITED LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 9.1. Limitation of Director Liability. A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, unless a director violated his or her duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized unlawful payments of dividends, unlawful stock purchases or unlawful redemptions or derived improper personal benefit from his or her actions as a director. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended. Any amendment, modification or repeal of the second preceding sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.

 

 

Section 9.2. Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses.

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 9.2 or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Section 9.2 shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.2(a), except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

 

(b) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Section 9.2 shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Certificate, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

(c) Any repeal or amendment of this Section 98.2 by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this Section 9.2, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

(d) This Section 9.2 shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.

 

 

Article X
INSOLVENCY; SALE, LEASE OR EXCHANGE OF ASSETS

 

Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between this Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between this Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of this Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under Section 291 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under Section 279 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of this Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, and also on this Corporation.

 

Article XI
CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

 

To the extent allowed by law, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, and the Corporation renounces any expectancy that any of the directors or officers of the Corporation will offer any such corporate opportunity of which he or she may become aware to the Corporation, except, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall apply with respect to any of the directors or officers of the Corporation only with respect to a corporate opportunity that was offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to the Corporation without violating any legal obligation.

 

Article XII
AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force that may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Certificate and the DGCL; and, except as set forth in Article IX, all rights, preferences and privileges of whatever nature herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Certificate in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XII.

 

Article XIII
SEVERABILITY

 

If any provision or provisions (or any part thereof) of this Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (ii) the provisions of this Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate 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.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned incorporator has executed this Certificate as of the date first set forth above.

 

	By:	/s/ John E. Andrews
	Name:	John E. Andrews
	Title:	Sole Incorporator

 

[Signature Page to Certificate of Incorporation]