Amended and Restated Bylaws of Guidewire Software, Inc.
Bylaws Amended and Restated Bylaws of Guidewire Software, Inc. |
ARTICLE I - CORPORATE OFFICES
1.1 REGISTERED OFFICE
The registered office of Guidewire Software, Inc. shall be fixed in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time.
1.2 OTHER OFFICES
The corporation’s board of directors may at any time establish other offices at any place or places where the corporation is qualified to do business.
ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS
Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the board of directors. The board of directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the ”DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the corporation’s principal executive office.
2.2 ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held on such date, at such time, and at such place (if any) within or without the State of Delaware as shall be designated from time to time by the board of directors and stated in the corporation’s notice of the meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and any other proper business may be transacted.
2.3 SPECIAL MEETING
(i) A special meeting of the stockholders, other than those required by statute, may be called at any time by the board of directors, chairperson of the board of directors, chief executive officer or president (in the absence of a chief executive officer) or the Secretary at the written request of one or more holders of record of at least twenty percent (20%) of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting, but a special meeting may not be called by any other person or persons. Special meetings shall be held at such time as may be fixed and stated in the notice of meeting or waiver thereof. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.
(ii) The notice of a special meeting shall include the purpose for which the meeting is called. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors, chairperson of the board of directors, chief executive officer or president (in the absence of a chief executive officer). Nothing contained in this Section 2.3(ii) shall be construed as limiting, fixing or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the board of directors may be held.
2.4 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES
(i) Advance Notice of Business to be Brought Before a Meeting. At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be brought: (A) pursuant to the corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such meeting, (B) by or at the direction of the board of directors, or (C) by a stockholder of the corporation present in person who (1)(i) is a stockholder of record at the time of the giving of the notice required by this Section 2.4(i) and at the time of the meeting, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (iii) has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(i) in all applicable respects, or (2) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “1934 Act”). The foregoing clause (C) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4(i), “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the board of directors must comply with Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii) and this Section 2.4(i) shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii).
(a) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice must set forth all information required under this Section 2.4(i) in writing, in proper form, and a stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary of the corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required under this Section 2.4(i). To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the 90th day nor earlier than the 120th day before the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or if the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 60 days after the one-year anniversary of the date of the previous year’s annual meeting, then, for notice by the stockholder to be timely, it must be so delivered or mailed and received by the secretary not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90th day prior to such annual meeting, or (ii) the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement (as defined below) of the date of such annual meeting is first made (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s Timely Notice as described in this Section 2.4(i). “Public Announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.
(b) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the secretary mustset forth as to each matter of business as to each Proposing Person (as defined below) intends to bring before the annual meeting: (1) a brief description of the business intended to be brought before the annual meeting (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment) and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (2) the name and address, as they appear on the corporation’s books and records, of the Proposing Person, (3) the class or series and number of shares of the corporation that are directly or indirectly, owned of record or are beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) by the Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future) (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the forgoing clauses (2) and (3) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”) and (4) the full notational amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the 1934 Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the 1934 Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the 1934 Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the 1934 Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (5) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the corporation, (6) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between or among any of the Proposing Persons or between or among any Proposing Person and any other record or beneficial holder(s) or persons who have a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future of the shares of any class or series of the corporation (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, (7) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the corporation, (8) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the corporation or any affiliate of the corporation (9) and any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the corporation or any affiliate of the corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement, or consulting agreement) (10) a representation whether either such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal (11) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the 1934 Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses in (4) through (10) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests” and such information provided and statements made as required by clauses (1) through (11), a “Business Solicitation Statement”); provided, however, that the disclosures required by this paragraph shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner. In addition, to be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the secretary must be supplemented (i) not later than ten (10) business days following the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting to disclose the information contained in clauses (1) and (11) above as of the record date and (ii) as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to date of the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof to disclose the information contained in clauses (1) and (11) above and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the date of the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other section of these bylaws shall not limit the corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4, a “Proposing Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.
(c) Without exception, no business shall be conducted at any annual meeting except in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Section 2.4(i) and, if applicable, Section 2.4(ii). In addition, business proposed to be brought by a stockholder may not be brought before the annual meeting if such Proposing Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Business Solicitation Statement applicable to such business or if the Business Solicitation Statement applicable to such business contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The chairperson of the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the annual meeting that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.4(i), and, if the chairperson should so determine, he or she shall so declare at the annual meeting that any such business not properly brought before the annual meeting shall not be conducted.
(ii) Advance Notice of Director NominationsNotwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(ii) shall be eligible for election or re-election as directors at an annual meeting or at a special meeting of stockholders (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting). Nominations of persons for election to the board of directors of the corporation shall be made at such meeting only (A) by or at the direction of the board of directors, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the board of directors or these bylaws or (B) by a stockholder of the corporation present in person who (1) was entitled to vote at the meeting and (2) has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii) as to such notice and nomination, in all applicable respects. In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the secretary of the corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.4(ii), “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder nominating any person for election to the board of directors at the meeting of the corporation, or a qualified representative of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. The foregoing clause (B) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the board of directors at an annual meeting or special meeting.
- (a) (1) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a
person or persons for election to the board of directors at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (A) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(i)(a) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary of the corporation (B) a nomination to be made by a stockholder must set forth all information required under this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii), (C) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its nominee (as defined below) as required to be set forth by this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii), and (C) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii).
- Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter
specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the board of directors at a special meeting, the stockholder must (A) deliver a timely written notice of the nomination to the secretary of the corporation at the principal executive offices of the corporation (B) set forth all information required under this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii) and (C) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii). To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement (as defined in Section 2.4(i) is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the board of directors to be elected at such meeting.
- In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual
meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
- In no event may a Nominating Person (as defined below) provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by stockholders at the applicable meeting. If the corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors subject to election at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (i) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice (ii) the date set forth in Section 2.4(ii)(a)(1) or (iii) the tenth day following the date of Public Announcement (as defined in Section 2.4(i)(a)) of such increase.
- To be in proper written form, such stockholder’s notice to the secretary
must set forth:
- As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(i)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.4(ii) the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(i)(b);
- As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as
defined in Section 2.4(i)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.4(ii) the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(i)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(i)(b) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting); and provided that, in lieu of including the information set forth in Section 2.4(i)(b)(10), the Nominating Person’s notice for purposes of this Section 2.4(ii) shall include a written representation as to whether the Nominating Person intends or is part of a group which intends to (A) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of a number of the corporation’s voting shares reasonably believed by such Nominating Person to be necessary to elect such nominee(s) and (B) solicit the holders of shares representing at least 67% of the voting power of shares entitled to vote on the election of directors in support of director nominees other than the Corporation’s nominees in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the 1934 Act; and
- as to each person (a “nominee”) whom the Nominating Person
proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director: (A) all information with respect to such nominee that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii) if such nominee were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such nominee that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in a proxy statement and accompanying proxy card relating to the Corporation’s next meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected and to serving as a director for a full term if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each nominee or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.4(iii)(a), (E) a written statement executed by the nominee acknowledging that as a director of the corporation, the nominee will owe a fiduciary duty under Delaware law with respect to the corporation and its stockholders (such information provided and statements made as required by Section 2.4(i)(b), a “Nominee Solicitation Statement”).
- A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be
made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4(ii) shall be true and correct as of (i) not later than ten (10) business days following the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting to disclose the information required by this Section 2.4(ii) above as of the record date and (ii) as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to date of the applicable meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof to disclose the information contained in this Section 2.4(ii) above and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the applicable meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the date of the applicable meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other section of these bylaws shall not limit the corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.
- Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.4(ii), unless
otherwise required by law, (i) no Nominating Person shall solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the corporation’s nominees unless such Nominating Person has complied with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the 1934 Act in connection with the solicitation of such proxies, including the provision to the corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner and (ii) if any Nominating Person
(1) provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the 1934 Act and (2) subsequently fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) and Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the 1934 Act, including the provision to the corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner, or fails to timely provide reasonable evidence sufficient to satisfy the corporation that Nominating Person has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the 1934 Act in accordance with the following sentence, then the corporation shall disregard any proxies or votes solicited for the Nominating Person’s nominees. If any Nominating Person provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the 1934 Act, such Nominating Person shall deliver to the corporation, no later than seven (7) business days prior to the applicable meeting, reasonable evidence that it has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the 1934 Act.
- Additional Requirements For Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director
and, If Elected, to Be Seated as Directors.
- To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the corporation
at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in this Section 2.4(ii) and the nominee, whether nominated by the board of directors or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the board of directors), to the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation, (1) a completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the corporation upon written request of any stockholder of record thereof) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee, (2) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the corporation upon written request of any stockholder of record thereof) that such nominee (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed to the corporation, (3) a written statement of such nominee that such nominee, if elected, will abide by these bylaws, the corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and other policies and guidelines of the corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any nominee, the secretary of the corporation shall provide to such nominee all such policies and guidelines then in effect) and (4) if elected as director of the corporation, intends to serve the entire term until the next meeting at which such candidate would face reelection.
- At the request of the board of directors, any person nominated by a
stockholder for election as a director must furnish to the secretary of the corporation (1) that information required to be set forth in the stockholder’s notice of nomination of such person as a director as of a date subsequent to the date on which the notice of such person’s nomination was given, (2) such other information as may reasonably be required by the corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee; in the absence of the furnishing of such information if requested, such stockholder’s nomination shall not be considered in proper form pursuant to this Section 2.4(iii). Such other information shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation (or any other office specified by the corporation in any Public Announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the request by the board of directors has been delivered to, or mailed and received by such Nominating Person.
- A nominee as a director shall further update and supplement the materials
delivered pursuant to this Section 2.4(iii), if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.4(iii) shall be true and correct as of (i) the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and (ii) as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the corporation in any Public Announcement, as defined in ) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other section of these bylaws shall not limit the corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees proposed to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders.
- Without exception, no person shall be eligible for election or re-election
as a director of the corporation at an annual meeting or special meeting of stockholders unless nominated in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 2.4(ii) and Section 2.4(iii). In addition, a nominee shall not be eligible for election or re-election if a Nominating Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee or if the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The chairperson of the annual or special meeting, as applicable, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the annual meeting or special meeting, as applicable, that a nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions prescribed by these bylaws, and if the chairperson should so determine, he or she shall so declare at the annual meeting or special meeting, as applicable, and the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.
- Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no nominee
shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with this Section 2.4(iii).
- Other Requirements and Rights.
- In addition to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.4, a stockholder
must also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.4, including, with respect to business such stockholder intends to bring before the annual meeting that involves a proposal that such stockholder requests to be included in the corporation’s proxy statement, the requirements of Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the 1934 Act. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect any right of the corporation to omit a proposal from the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the 1934 Act.
2.5 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS
Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise provided in the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the written notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.
2.6 QUORUM
The holders of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
If, however, such quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting, or (ii) the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.
2.7 ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or are provided in any other manner permitted by the DGCL. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the board of directors shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 213(a) of the DGCL and Section 2.11 of these bylaws, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.
2.8 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of business.
2.9 VOTING
The stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.11 of these bylaws, subject to Section 217 (relating to voting rights of fiduciaries, pledgors and joint owners of stock) and Section 218 (relating to voting trusts and other voting agreements) of the DGCL.
Except as may be otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.
Except as otherwise required by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders.
Except as otherwise required by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, a nominee for director shall be elected to the board of directors if the number of votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the number of votes cast against such nominee’s election; provided, however, that in a contested election a nominee shall be elected by a plurality of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. An election shall be considered contested if, as of the last date on which nominees for director may be submitted in accordance with these bylaws, the nominees for election to the board of directors exceeds the number of positions on the board of directors to be filled by election at that meeting.
Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of such class or series or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or series or classes or series, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
2.10 STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING
Subject to the rights of the holders of the shares of any series of Preferred Stock of the corporation or any other class of stock or series thereof having a preference over the Common Stock as dividend or upon liquidation, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
2.11 RECORD DATES
In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the board of directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the board of directors and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If the board of directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the board of directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination.
If no record date is fixed by the board of directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.
A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the board of directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions of Section 213 of the DGCL and this Section 2.11 at the adjourned meeting.
In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the board of directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the board of directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
2.12 PROXIES
i. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law, including Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the 1934 Act, filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL.
ii. Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for the exclusive use by the board of directors.
2.13 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE
The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare and make, no later than the tenth day before each meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting; provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of ten (10) days ending on the day before the meeting date: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the corporation’s principal place of business. In the event that the corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the corporation. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.
2.14 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION
A written proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the person.
Before any meeting of stockholders, the board of directors shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment. The number of inspectors shall be either one (1) or three (3). If any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the chairperson of the meeting may, and upon the request of any stockholder or a stockholder’s proxy shall, appoint a person to fill that vacancy.
Such inspectors shall:
- determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the
number of shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum and the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies;
- receive votes, ballots or consents;
- hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection
with the right to vote;
- count and tabulate all votes or consents;
- determine when the polls shall close; vi. determine the result; and
vii. do any other acts that may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness
to all stockholders.
The inspectors of election shall perform their duties impartially, in good faith, to the best of their ability and as expeditiously as is practical. If there are three (3) inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS
3.1 POWERS
The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the board of directors, except as may be otherwise provided in the DGCL or the certificate of incorporation.
3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS
The board of directors shall consist of one or more members, each of whom shall be a natural person. Unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, the number of directors shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the board of directors. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.
3.3 ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS
Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws. The certificate of incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe other qualifications for directors.
3.4 RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES
Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the corporation. A resignation is effective when the resignation is delivered unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event or events. A resignation which is conditioned upon the director failing to receive a specified vote for reelection as a director may provide that it is irrevocable. Prior to any non-contested election of directors, any incumbent director seeking to become a nominee to the board of directors for election or re-election must tender an irrevocable resignation to the board of directors that will be effective upon (i) the failure to receive the required vote at the next annual meeting at which such director faces election and (ii) the acceptance by the board of directors of such resignation. If such incumbent director receives a greater number of votes cast against his or her election than in favor of his or her election, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the board of directors (or any future committee the equivalent thereof) will make a recommendation to the board of directors on whether to accept or reject the resignation or whether other action should be taken. The board of directors will consider the recommendation of such committee and will publicly disclose its decision within ninety (90) days from the date of the certification of the election results. An incumbent director who tenders his or her resignation may not participate in such deliberations or decisions of the committee or the board of directors.
Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, when one or more directors resign from the board of directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective.
Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. If the directors are divided into classes, a person so elected by the directors then in office to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
The board of directors shall fill vacancies on the board of directors only with candidates who tender an irrevocable resignation to the board of directors that will be effective upon (i) the failure to receive the required vote at the next annual meeting at which such director faces election and (ii) the acceptance by the board of directors of such resignation.
If at any time, by reason of death or resignation or other cause, the corporation should have no directors in office, then any officer or any stockholder or an executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of a stockholder, or other fiduciary entrusted with like responsibility for the person or estate of a stockholder, may call a special meeting of stockholders in accordance with the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, or may apply to the Court of Chancery for a decree summarily ordering an election as provided in Section 211 of the DGCL.
If, at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office constitute less than a majority of the whole board of directors (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Court of Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least 10% of the voting stock at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors, summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office as aforesaid, which election shall be governed by the provisions of Section 211 of the DGCL as far as applicable.
3.5 PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE
The board of directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, members of the board of directors, or any committee designated by the board of directors, may participate in a meeting of the board of directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
3.6 REGULAR MEETINGS
Regular meetings of the board of directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the board of directors.
3.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE
Special meetings of the board of directors for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the board of directors, the chief executive officer, the president, the secretary or a majority of the authorized number of directors.
Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:
- delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone; ii. sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid; iii. sent by facsimile; or iv. sent by electronic mail,
directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, as the case may be, as shown on the corporation’s records.
If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or (iii) sent by electronic mail, it shall be delivered or sent at least 24 hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by United States mail, it shall be deposited in the United States mail at least four days before the time of the holding of the meeting. Any oral notice may be communicated to the director. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.
3.8 QUORUM; VOTING
At all meetings of the board of directors, a majority of the total authorized number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the board of directors, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of directors, if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.
The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
If the certificate of incorporation provides that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter, every reference in these bylaws to a majority or other proportion of the directors shall refer to a majority or other proportion of the votes of the directors.
3.9 BOARD ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the board of directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the board of directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the board of directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
3.10 FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the board of directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.
3.11 REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS
Any director may be removed from office by the stockholders of the corporation with or without cause.
No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of such director’s term of office.
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES
4.1 COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS
The board of directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation. The board of directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the board of directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the board of directors or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the board of directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the corporation.
4.2 COMMITTEE MINUTES
Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the board of directors when required.
4.3 MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES
Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:
- Section 3.5 (place of meetings and meetings by telephone); ii. Section 3.6 (regular meetings); iii. Section 3.7 (special meetings and notice); iv. Section 3.8 (quorum; voting);
- Section 7.5 (waiver of notice); and vi. Section 3.9 (action without a meeting)
with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the board of directors and its members. However:
- the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by
resolution of the board of directors or by resolution of the committee;
- special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the
committee or the board of directors;
- notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to all alternate
members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. The board of directors may adopt rules for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws; and
- at all meetings of committees, 50% of the members of a committee,
including the chairperson of such committee, or a majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Any provision in the certificate of incorporation providing that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter shall apply to voting in any committee or subcommittee, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
4.4 SUBCOMMITTEES
Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the board of directors designating the committee, a committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
5.1 OFFICERS
The officers of the corporation shall be a president and a secretary. The corporation may also have, at the discretion of the board of directors, a chairperson of the board of directors, a vice chairperson of the board of directors, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer or treasurer, one or more vice presidents, one or more assistant vice presidents, one or more assistant treasurers, one or more assistant secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
5.2 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS
The board of directors shall appoint the officers of the corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment.
5.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS
The board of directors may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or, in the absence of a chief executive officer, the president, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the board of directors may from time to time determine.
5.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS
Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by an affirmative vote of the majority of the board of directors at any regular or special meeting of the board of directors or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the board of directors, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the board of directors.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.
5.5 VACANCIES IN OFFICES
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the corporation shall be filled by the board of directors or as provided in Section 5.3.
5.6 REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER CORPORATIONS
The chairperson of the board of directors, the president, any vice president, the treasurer, the secretary or assistant secretary of this corporation, or any other person authorized by the board of directors or the president or a vice president, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this corporation all rights incident to any and all shares of any other corporation or corporations standing in the name of this corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.
5.7 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
All officers of the corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the corporation as may be designated from time to time by the board of directors or the stockholders and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the board of directors.
ARTICLE VI - STOCK
6.1 STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES
The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the board of directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the corporation. Every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the corporation by the chairperson of the board of directors or vice-chairperson of the board of directors, or the president or a vice-president, and by the treasurer or an assistant treasurer, or the secretary or an assistant secretary of the corporation representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. The corporation shall not have power to issue a certificate in bearer form.
The corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly-paid shares, or upon the books and records of the corporation in the case of uncertificated partly-paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully-paid shares, the corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly-paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.
6.2 SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON CERTIFICATES
If the corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate that the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate that the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated stock, the corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to this Section 6.2 or Sections 156, 202(a) or 218(a) of the DGCL or with respect to this Section 6.2 a statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and obligations of the holders of uncertificated stock and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be identical.
6.3 LOST CERTIFICATES
Except as provided in this Section 6.3, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the corporation and cancelled at the same time. The corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.
6.4 DIVIDENDS
The board of directors, subject to any restrictions contained in the certificate of incorporation or applicable law, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of the corporation’s capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the corporation’s capital stock, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation.
The board of directors may set apart out of any of the funds of the corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the corporation and meeting contingencies.
6.5 TRANSFER OF STOCK
Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by an attorney duly authorized, and, if such stock is certificated, upon the surrender of a certificate or certificates for a like number of shares, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer.
6.6 STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS
The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
6.7 REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS
The corporation:
- shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books
as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner;
- shall be entitled to hold liable for calls and assessments the person registered on
its books as the owner of shares; and
- shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such
share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
ARTICLE VII - MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE AND WAIVER
7.1 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS
Notice of any meeting of stockholders, if mailed, is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the corporation’s records. An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the corporation or of the transfer agent or other agent of the corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
7.2 NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
pursuant to the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any notice to stockholders given by the corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if:
- the corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two consecutive
notices given by the corporation in accordance with such consent; and
- such inability becomes known to the secretary or an assistant secretary of the
corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice.
However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.
Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:
- if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;
- if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the
stockholder has consented to receive notice;
- if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the
stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and
- if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the corporation that the notice has been given by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
7.3 NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS SHARING AN ADDRESS
Except as otherwise prohibited under the DGCL, without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the corporation under the provisions of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation. Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the corporation, within 60 days of having been given written notice by the corporation of its intention to send the single notice, shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.
7.4 NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL
Whenever notice is required to be given, under the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.
7.5 WAIVER OF NOTICE
Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII - INDEMNIFICATION
8.1 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS
Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the corporation serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such Proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.
8.2 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN ACTIONS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION
Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the corporation serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
8.3 SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE
To the extent that a present or former director or officer of the corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
8.4 INDEMNIFICATION OF OTHERS
Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the corporation shall have power to indemnify its employees and agents to the extent not prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law. The board of directors shall have the power to delegate to an officer or officers of the corporation the determination of whether employees or agents shall be indemnified.
8.5 ADVANCED PAYMENT OF EXPENSES
Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director of the corporation in defending any Proceeding shall be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding upon receipt of a written request therefor (together with documentation reasonably evidencing such expenses) and an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to repay such amounts if it shall ultimately be determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or the DGCL. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems appropriate. The right to advancement of expenses shall not apply to any claim for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to these bylaws, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 8.6(ii) or 8.6(iii) prior to a determination that the person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation.
8.6 LIMITATION ON INDEMNIFICATION
Subject to the requirements in Section 8.3 and the DGCL, the corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any person pursuant to this Article VIII in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):
- for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of such person under
any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;
- for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
- for any reimbursement of the corporation by such person of any bonus or other
incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by such person from the sale of securities of the corporation, as required in each case under the 1934 Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the corporation pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the corporation of profits arising from the purchase and sale by such person of securities in violation of Section 306 of the SarbanesOxley Act), if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
- initiated by such person, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding)
initiated by such person against the corporation or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (a) the board of directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (b) the corporation provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under applicable law, (c) otherwise required to be made under Section 8.7 or (d) otherwise required by applicable law; or
- if prohibited by applicable law.
8.7 DETERMINATION; CLAIM
If a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VIII is not paid in full within 90 days after receipt by the corporation of the written request therefor, the claimant shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses. The corporation shall indemnify such person against any and all expenses that are incurred by such person in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of expenses from the corporation under this Article VIII, to the extent such person is successful in such action, and to the extent not prohibited by law. In any such suit, the corporation shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving that the claimant is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses.
8.8 NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS
The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VIII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the certificate of incorporation or any statute, bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advancement of expenses, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law.
8.9 INSURANCE
The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.
8.10 SURVIVAL
The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VIII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
8.11 EFFECT OF REPEAL OR MODIFICATION
Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article VIII shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.
8.12 CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Article VIII, references to the “corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VIII, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this Article VIII.
ARTICLE IX - GENERAL MATTERS
9.1 EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS
Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the board of directors may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any document or instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized or ratified by the board of directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
9.2 FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the board of directors and may be changed by the board of directors.
9.3 SEAL
The corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the board of directors. The corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
9.4 CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS
Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular, and the term “person” includes both a corporation and a natural person.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the stockholders entitled to vote. However, the corporation may, in its certificate of incorporation, confer the power to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws upon the directors. The fact that such power has been so conferred upon the directors shall not divest the stockholders of the power, nor limit their power to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws.
A bylaw amendment adopted by stockholders which specifies the votes that shall be necessary for the election of directors shall not be further amended or repealed by the board of directors.
ARTICLE XI – EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION
Unless the corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any state law claim for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the corporation; (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the corporation to the corporation or the corporation’s stockholders; (iii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or the corporation’s certificate of incorporation or these bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time); or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article XI and unless the corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any action asserting a claim arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant to such complaint. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of the corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article XI. This provision is intended to benefit and may be enforced by the corporation, its officers and directors, the underwriters to any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional or entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article XI shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the 1934 Act, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.
If any provision or provisions of this Article XI shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XI (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Article XI 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 (b) the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Adopted December 21, 2022 and effective as of December 21, 2022.