Draft 3/12/2015
JOINT TASK FORCE ON SECURITY INTERESTS IN LLC MEMBERSHIP AND OTHER UNINCORPORATED ENTITY INTERESTS “STRAW MAN DRAFT” OF MODEL SECURITY AGREEMENT FOR LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INTERESTS
FOR INTERNAL USE BY TASK FORCE MEMBERS – NOT FOR PUBLICATION
Preliminary Drafting Considerations
At the last meeting of the Joint Task Force held at the Business Law Section’s 2014 Spring Meeting in Los Angeles, there was strong consensus that the first and primary “deliverable” by the Task Force should be publication of a “Model” Security Agreement with associated annotations and commentary for eventual publication. There was considerable discussion (but not consensus) around the hypothetical scenario upon which the proposed model form should be premised. It was suggested that the process followed by the Joint Task Force on Deposit Account Control Agreements would be appropriate to our efforts as well. The first step in that process involved preparation of a “straw man” form to serve as a basis for further development, annotation and editorial comment by the Task Force membership as a whole. At the conclusion of the meeting, the co-chairs of the Task Force agreed to take on the task of preparing the “straw man” draft.
As we began the process of collecting, review and evaluating various agreement forms that were generously provided by several Task Force members, we identified the following three questions the answers to which would most directly influence the form and content of the proposed straw-man agreement:
- Should the equity interest qualify as a “general intangible” (governed by Article 9 of the UCC) or “investment property” (for which an opt-in under Article 8 will be necessary)?
- Does the LLC that issued the interest have only one member, or is it a multi-member entity?
- Is the equity interest certificated or un-certificated?
While the question of “certification” of the interest is somewhat of a red herring in the case of an issuing entity that has not opted into Article 8, it is nonetheless relevant to the method of perfection and priority in that context.
Depending upon the answers to those three questions, we determined that the model agreement could reflect any one or more of the following eight combinations:
- General Intangible (Article 9), Certificated, Single Member
- General Intangible (Article 9), Uncertificated, Single Member
- General Intangible (Article 9), Certificated, Multi-Member
- General Intangible (Article 9), Uncertificated, Multi-Member
- Investment Security (Article 8), Certificated, Single Member
- Investment Security (Article 8), Uncertificated, Single Member
- Investment Security (Article 8), Certificated, Multi-Member
- Investment Security (Article 8), Uncertificated, Multi-Member
Drawing on our own practice experience (in the absence of any empirical data), it seems that the fourth, fifth, and seventh scenarios likely capture the bulk of secured transactions occurring in the market. It also seemed to us that a model form focused on either the fourth or seventh options would be the most useful and interesting, particularly because any form that is limited to a single member scenario avoids the thorny issues raised by the “pick your partner principle”, as well as the operation and enforceability of UCC Sections 9-406 and 9-408 in that context. For the sake of thoroughness and in order to develop a product that is useful to the largest possible audience, we concluded that the fourth scenario (General Intangible (Article 9), Uncertificated, Multi-Member) is the most appropriate basis for development of the model form. Of course, alternate scenarios can (and should) be addressed through the use of appropriate footnotes, annotations and riders.
The other preliminary consideration addressed in the straw man draft is choice of law. There is considerable variety among state statutes governing the creation and operation of limited liability companies. While the State of Delaware is often selected due to the great number of entities organized there, we believe it more appropriate to use as the governing law of the entity the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, or RULLCA, and to use the Uniform Commercial Code (as amended through 2010) as the governing law of the jurisdiction in which the security interest is created, perfected and enforced. Again, non-uniform considerations can be addressed in appropriate annotations.
The next step in the process is breaking down the straw man draft into subparts for which smaller drafting teams can assume responsibility. The four primary topics are:
- Grant and Perfection
- Representations, Warranties and Covenants
- Enforcement and Remedies
- Consent and Acknowledgement of Issuing Entity and Co-Members
While the straw man draft contains section covering both “defined terms” and “general provisions”, we believe that these will be greatly influenced by the content that is created or refined with respect to the four identified subject areas. In order to avoid any unnecessary drafting constraints, each of the sub-groups is requested to supplement both the defined terms and general provisions sections as appropriate to address issues raised within the particular area upon which the group is focused.
|NY\6710674.4||| 805848-0000||
Draft 3/12/2015
SECURITY AGREEMENT
(LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INTERESTS)
THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made on [], between [ ] (“Debtor”) and [ ] (together with its successors, transferees and assigns “Secured Party”).
1.Defined Terms.
(a)Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Financing Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Agreement” means this Security Agreement as amended, modified, supplemented and/or restated from time to time.
“Collateral” is defined in Section 2.
“Debtor” is identified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Financing Agreement” means the [Credit Agreement/Indenture/______Agreement] among the Obligor, the Secured Party and [specify] dated as of [the date hereof][______. 20___] as amended, modified, supplement and/or restated from time to time.
“Issuing Entity” means the limited liability company that issues LLC Interests.
“Issuing Entity Governing Documents” means the [Certificate of Formation] and the [Operating Agreement[1]] of the Issuing Entity.
“LLC Interests” is defined in Section 2
“Obligor” means [], the party principally obligated for repayment of the Secured Obligations.
“RULLCA” means the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act approved by the Uniform Law Commission in July, 2006.[2]
“Secured Obligations” means all “Obligations” (as defined in the Financing Agreement) and all other indebtedness or other obligations of Obligor to Secured Party of any nature or character (including, without limitation, interest, fees and expenses accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Obligor, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest, fees or expenses is allowed in such proceeding) [provided, however, that Secured Obligations shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations (as defined in the Financing Agreement)][3].
“Secured Party” is identified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code-Secured Transactions (2010 Official Text with Comments).[4]
Terms Defined in the UCC: “Filing Office” “Financing Statement” “Investment Security” “Proceeds.”
(b)Rules of Construction.
(i)The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in this Agreement to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement in which such references appear and (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
2.Grant and Continuation of Security Interest.
(a)Debtor hereby grants to the Secured Party, as collateral security for the prompt and complete payment when due of the Secured Obligations, a security interest in all of the Debtor’s right, title and interest in and to the following wherever located in which Debtor now has or at any time in the future acquires any right, title or interest (collectively, the “Collateral”):
(i)all equity interests in the Issuing Entity in which Debtor currently has any rights (the “Existing LLC Interest”) including, without limitation, the equity interests identified on Schedule 1 annexed hereto[5], and all equity interests in the Issuing Entity in which the Debtor hereafter acquires any rights (the “Future LLC Interests” and, together with the Existing LLC Interests, collectively, the “LLC Interests”), in each case, no matter how characterized including, without limitation, all rights [as owner of such equity interests] to the profits and losses of the Issuing Entity, all rights to receive distributions of the Issuing Entity’s assets, voting rights, management rights and all other rights of the Debtor under the Operating Agreement or the RULLCA (collectively, the “LLC Interests”);
(ii)any right or option to acquire LLC Interests, including subscription rights, warrants or analogous rights;
(ii)certificates[6], if any, representing the LLC Interests or that may be issued from time to time with respect to the LLC Interests;
(iii)all securities, moneys or property representing LLC Interests or distributions or interest on the LLC Interests (or on capital contributions made in respect of the LLC interests), or resulting from a split up, revision, reclassification, conversion or other like change of the LLC Interests or otherwise received in exchange for the LLC Interests;
(iv)all other payments, if any, due or to become due to the Debtor in respect of the LLC Interests;
(v)all rights, privileges, authority and power arising from the Debtor’s ownership of the LLC Interests and all of the Debtor’s rights under any Issuing Entity Governing Documents or otherwise to exercise and enforce every right, power, remedy, authority, option and privilege of the Debtor relating to the LLC Interests, including the right to execute any instruments and to take any and all other action, on behalf of and in the name of the Debtor in respect of the LLC Interests or the Issuing Entity, to make determinations, to exercise any election (including election of remedies) or option or to give or receive any notice, consent, amendment, waiver or approval, together with full power and authority to demand, receive, enforce or collect any of the foregoing or any property of the Issuing Entity, to enforce or execute any checks or other instruments or orders and to file any claims and to take any action in connection with any of the foregoing;
(vi)all equity interests or other property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Debtor as a result of exchange offers, recapitalizations of any type, contributions to capital, options or other rights relating to the LLC Interests;
(vii)all books and records, documents and other information (tangible or electronic) evidencing or relating to any of the foregoing; and
(viii)Proceeds of any of the foregoing (including any proceeds of insurance thereon).
(b)The security interest in the Collateral is not terminated, abated, affected or impaired by the happening from time to time of (i)the impairment, modification, discharge or limitation of the liability of the Debtor, Obligor or any Issuing Entity, or its respective estate, in bankruptcy, conservatorship or receivership; or (ii)the dissolution, liquidation or termination of the Debtor, Obligor or the Issuing Entity. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Debtor shall remain liable for all obligations under the Collateral and nothing contained herein is intended or shall be a delegation of duties to the Secured Party.
3.Perfection.
(a)Debtor authorizes Secured Party to file Financing Statements in all applicable Filing Offices, naming such Debtor as the debtor and the Secured Party as the secured party which describes the Collateral generally or specifically and contains any other information required under Article 9 of the UCC or other applicable law for perfection of the security interest in the Collateral.
(b)If any of the Collateral is or shall become evidenced or represented by any certificate, such certificate shall be immediately delivered to the Secured Party, duly endorsed in a manner satisfactory to the Secured Party, to be held as Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.
(c)At any time and from time to time, upon the written request of the Secured Party, and at the cost and expense of Debtor, Debtor shall promptly and duly give, execute, deliver, file and record such further instruments and documents and take such further actions as the Secured Party may reasonably request (subject to any limitations in the relevant transaction documents or the Issuing Entity Governing Documents), for the purposes of obtaining, creating, perfecting, enforcing, validating or preserving the full benefits of this Agreement and the rights and powers herein granted, including filing of amendments to or continuations of Financing Statements. Debtor shall obtain the consent of the Issuing Entity and any other owner of equity interests in the Issuing Entity to execute and deliver to the Secured Party the Issuing Entity and Co-Member Consent and Acknowledgement in substantially to form of Exhibit __ hereto] [Debtor shall cause the Operating Agreement to include the language specified in Exhibit __ hereto or such other language as the Secured Party shall agree.][7]
(c)At any time and from time to time, upon the written request of the Secured Party, Debtor will furnish to the Secured Party statements and schedules further identifying and describing the LLC Interests and other Collateral owned by Debtor, all in reasonable detail.
(d)Debtor (i), if not an individual, will not change its name, identity or structure, or reorganize or reincorporate under the laws of another jurisdiction, or otherwise change its “location” as determined under Section 9-307 of the UCC or (ii) if an individual, will not change his or her name or principal residence, unless, in each such case, Debtor shall have given to the Secured Party not less than thirty(30) days’ prior written notice of such change and Secured Party either (x)reasonably determines that such event or occurrence will not adversely affect the validity, perfection or priority of the Secured Party’s security interest in the Collateral, or (y)takes such steps (with the cooperation of Debtor to the extent necessary or advisable and at the cost and expense of Debtor) as are necessary or advisable to properly maintain the validity, perfection and priority of the Secured Party’s security interest in the Collateral.[8]
4.Representations and Warranties. Debtor represents and warrants to Secured Party that:
(a)Debtor has the requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;
(b)the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Debtor and the performance by Debtor of its obligations under this Agreement have been duly approved, consented to or authorized by [Note to draft: This rep should reference to the internal governance processes and requirements of the Debtor, not the Issuing Entity. Those consents or authorizations are addressed in (j), below.];
(c)this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Debtor and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Debtor enforceable against Debtor in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and performance by Debtor of its obligations under this Agreement does not conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute a default under any provision of the Issuing Entity Governing Documents;
(d)upon filing of the Financing Statement with the Filing Office, the security interest granted by Debtor to the Secured Party in this Agreement will constitute a valid, perfected first priority security interest in the Collateral, enforceable as such against Debtor and all other creditors of Debtor or any other persons purporting to purchase the LLC Interests from Debtor;
(e)Debtor’s jurisdiction of organization, exact legal name as it appears on file with the Secretary of State of the State of ______, and chief executive office or principal place of business, is as set forth on the signature page of this Agreement;