EX-99.25.2.A.2 3 fp0064098_ex99252a2.htm

DECLARATION OF TRUST

 

of

 

Thirdline REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND

 

a Delaware Statutory Trust

 

1 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I. Name and Definitions Page
Section 1  Name. 6
Section 2. Registered Agent and Registered Office; Principal Place of Business. 6
  (a) Registered Agent and Registered Office. 6
  (b) Principal Place of Business. 6
Section 3. Definitions 7
  (a) 1940 Act 7
  (b) Affiliated Person 7
  (c) Assignment”. 7
  (d) Board of Trustees 7
  (e) By-Laws 7
  (f) Certificate of Trust 7
  (g) Code 7
  (h) Commission 7
  (i) Continuing Trustee 7
  (j) Delaware Act 7
  (k) Declaration of Trust 7
  (l) Exchange Act 8
  (m) General Liabilities 8
  (n) Interested Person 8
  (o) Investment Adviser” or “Adviser 8
  (p) Majority Shareholder Vote 8
  (q) National Financial Emergency 8
  (r) Person 8
  (s) Principal Underwriter 8
  (t) Series 8
  (u) Shares 9
  (v) Shareholder 9
  (w) Trust 9
  (x) Trust Property 9
  (y) Trustee” or “Trustees”. 9
ARTICLE II. Purpose of Trust 9
ARTICLE III. Shares 13
Section 1. Division of Beneficial Interest. 13
Section 2. Ownership of Shares. 14
Section 3. Investments in the Trust. 14

 

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Section 4. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability. 14
Section 5. Power of Board of Trustees to Change Provisions Relating to Shares. 15
Section 6. Establishment and Designation of Series. 15
  (a) Assets Held with Respect to a Particular Series 16
  (b) Liabilities Held with Respect to a Particular Series 16
  (c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions and Repurchases 17
  (d) Voting 17
  (e) Equality 17
  (f) Fractions 18
  (g) Exchange Privilege 18
  (h) Combination of Series 18
  (i) Elimination of Series. 18
Section 7. Indemnification of Shareholders. 18
ARTICLE IV. The Board of Trustees 18
Section 1. Number, Election and Tenure. 18
Section 2. Effect of Death, Resignation, Removal, etc. of a Trustee. 19
Section 3. Powers. 19
Section 4. Chairman of the Trustees. 19
Section 5. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. 21
Section 6. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. 21
Section 7. Ownership of Trust Property. 21
Section 8. Service Contracts. 22
ARTICLE V. Shareholders’ Voting Powers and Meetings 23
Section 1. Voting Powers. 23
Section 2. Meetings. 23
Section 3. Quorum and Required Vote. 23
Section 4. Shareholder Action by Written Consent without a Meeting. 23

 

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Section 5. Record Dates. 24
Section 6. Derivative Actions. 24
Section 7. Conversion to Open-End Company. 25
Section 8. Additional Provisions. 25
ARTICLE VI. Custodian 25
Section 1. Appointment and Duties. 25
Section 2. Central Certificate System. 26
ARTICLE VII. Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions 26
Section 1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income and Distributions. 26
Section 2. Redemptions at the Option of a Shareholder. 27
Section 3. Redemptions at the Option of the Trust. 28
ARTICLE VIII. Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Officers and Trustees 28
Section 1. Compensation. 28
Section 2. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability. 29
Section 3. Officers and Trustees’ Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety. 29
Section 4. Insurance. 29
ARTICLE IX. Miscellaneous 29
Section 1. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. 29
Section 2. Dissolution of Trust or Series. 30
Section 3. Merger and Consolidation; Conversion. 30
  (a) Merger and Consolidation  
  (b) Conversion. 30
Section 4. Reorganization. 30

 

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Section 5. Amendments. 30
Section 6. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. 31
Section 7. Applicable Law. 32
Section 8. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations. 32
Section 9. Statutory Trust Only. 32
Section 10. Fiscal Year. 32
Section 11. Restrictions on Transfer and Ownership of Shares. 32

 

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AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST

 

OF

 

Thirdline real estate income fund

 

AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made as of the 7th day of April, 2021, by the Trustee hereunder, and by the holders of Shares issued hereunder, if any, as hereinafter provided.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS this Trust has been formed to carry on the business of an investment company; and

 

WHEREAS this Trust is authorized to issue its shares of beneficial interest in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth; and

 

WHEREAS the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into their hands as trustees of a Delaware business trust in accordance with the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act of 2002 (12 Del. C. §3801, et seq.), as from time to time amended and including any successor statute of similar import (the “DSTA”), and the provisions hereinafter set forth.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all cash, securities and other assets which they may from time to time acquire in any manner as Trustees hereunder IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to time of shares of beneficial interest in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.

 

ARTICLE I

Name and Definitions.

 

Section 1. Name. The name of the Trust hereby created is “Thirdline Real Estate Income Fund” and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name, or any other name as they may from time to time determine.

 

Section 2. Registered Agent and Registered Office; Principal Place of Business.

 

(a)Registered Agent and Registered Office. The name of the registered agent of the Trust and the address of the registered office of the Trust are as set forth on the Certificate of Trust.

 

(b)Principal Place of Business. The principal place of business of the Trust is 1310 Roseneath Road, Suite 200, Richmond Virginia 23230, or such other location within or outside of the State of Delaware as the Board of Trustees may determine from time to time.

 

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Section 3. Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided:

 

(a)1940 Act” shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder, all as adopted or amended from time to time;

 

(b)Affiliated Person” shall have the meaning given to it in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act when used with reference to a specified Person;

 

(c)Assignment” shall have the meaning given in the 1940 Act, as modified by or interpreted by any applicable order or orders of the Commission or any rules or regulations adopted or interpretive releases of the Commission thereunder.

 

(d)Board of Trustees” shall mean the governing body of the Trust, which is comprised of the Trustees of the Trust;

 

(e)By-Laws” shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust, as amended from time to time in accordance with Article X of the By-Laws, and incorporated herein by reference;

 

(f)Certificate of Trust” shall mean the certificate of trust filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required under the DSTA to form the Trust;

 

(g)Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder;

 

(h)Commission” shall have the meaning given it in Section 2(a)(7) of the 1940 Act;

 

(i)Continuing Trustee” means (i) Lawrence Eiben (the “Current Trustee” or “Sole Trustee”), (ii) trustees whose nomination for election by the Trust's Shareholders or whose election by the trustees to fill vacancies on the board of trustees is approved by a majority of the current trustees then serving on the board of trustees or (iii) any successor trustees whose nomination for election by the Shareholders or whose election by the trustees to fill vacancies is approved by a majority of Continuing Trustees or the successor Continuing Trustees then in office. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this definition of “Continuing Trustee” can only be amended by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office;

 

(j)The “Delaware Act” refers to Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code entitled “Treatment of Delaware Statutory Trusts,” as it may be amended from time to time;

 

(k)Declaration of Trust” shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;

 

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(l)Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and exemptions granted therefrom, both as amended from time to time;

 

(m)General Liabilities” shall have the meaning given it in Article III, Section 6(b) of this Declaration Trust;

 

(n)Interested Person” shall have the meaning given it in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act;

 

(o)Investment Adviser” or “Adviser” shall mean a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Article IV, Section 8(a) hereof;

 

(p)Majority Shareholder Vote” shall have the same meaning as the term “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” is given in the 1940 Act, as modified by or interpreted by any applicable order or orders of the Commission or any rules or regulations adopted or interpretive releases of the Commission thereunder;

 

(q)National Financial Emergency” shall mean the whole or any part of any period set forth in Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, declare that the suspension relating to a national financial emergency shall terminate, as the case may be, on the first business day on which the New York Stock Exchange shall have reopened or the period specified in Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act shall have expired (as to which, in the absence of an official ruling by the Commission, the determination of the Board of Trustees shall be conclusive);

 

(r)Person” shall include natural persons, corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, statutory trusts and foreign statutory trusts, trusts, limited liability companies, associations, joint ventures, estates, custodians, nominees and any other individual or entity in its own or any representative capacity, any syndicate or group deemed to be a person under Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof, in each case whether domestic or foreign;

 

(s)Principal Underwriter” shall have the meaning given to it in Section 2(a)(29) of the 1940 Act;

 

(t)Series” means a series of Shares of the Trust established in accordance with the provisions of Article III, Section 6;

 

(u)Shares” shall mean the transferable units of beneficial interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares; “Shares” also means (1) any preferred shares which may be issued from time to time, and (2) if more than one Series or Class of Shares is authorized by the Trustees, the transferable units of beneficial interest (including fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares) into which each Series or Class of shares shall be divided from time to time;

 

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(v)Shareholder” means as of any particular time the holders of record of outstanding Shares of the Trust, at such time;

 

(w)Trust” shall refer to the Delaware statutory trust established by this Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time;

 

(x)Trust Property” shall mean any and all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, which is owned or held by or for the account of the Trust or one or more of any Series, including, without limitation, the rights referenced in Article IX, Section 2 hereof;

 

(y)Trustee” or “Trustees” shall refer to the person or persons who are Current Trustees and/or Continuing Trustees and all other persons who may from time to time be duly elected or appointed and have qualified to serve as Trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, in each case so long as such person shall continue in office in accordance with the terms of this Declaration, and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such person or persons in his or her or their capacity as Trustees hereunder.

 

ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust.

 

The purpose of the Trust is to conduct, operate and carry on the business of a registered management investment company registered under the 1940 Act through one or more Series investing primarily in securities and, in addition to any authority given by law, to exercise all of the powers and to do any and all of the things as fully and to the same extent as any private corporation organized for profit under the general corporation law of the State of Delaware, now or hereafter in force, including, without limitation, the following powers:

 

(a)To invest and reinvest cash, to hold cash uninvested, and to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, pledge, sell, assign, mortgage, transfer, exchange, distribute, write options on, lend or otherwise deal in or dispose of contracts for the future acquisition or delivery of securities and other instruments or property of every nature and kind, including, without limitation, all types of bonds, debentures, stocks, preferred stocks, negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, bankers’ acceptances, shares or interests in open-end or closed-end investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles including real estate investment trusts, real estate, and other securities of any kind, issued, created, guaranteed, or sponsored by any and all Persons, including, without limitation, states, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, any foreign government or any political subdivision of the U.S. Government or any foreign government, or any international instrumentality, or by any bank or savings institution, or by any corporation or organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory, or possession thereof, or by any corporation or organization organized under any foreign law, or in “when issued” contracts for any such securities, to change the investments of the assets of the Trust;

 

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(b)To exercise any and all rights, powers and privileges with reference to or incident to ownership or interest, use and enjoyment of any of such securities and other instruments or property of every kind and description, including, but without limitation, the right, power and privilege to own, vote, hold, purchase, sell, negotiate, assign, exchange, lend, transfer, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, pledge or write options with respect to or otherwise deal with, dispose of, use, exercise or enjoy any rights, title, interest, powers or privileges under or with reference to any of such securities and other instruments or property, the right to consent and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons, to exercise any of said rights, powers, and privileges in respect of any of said instruments, and to do any and all acts and things for the preservation, protection, improvement and enhancement in value of any of such securities and other instruments or property;

 

(c)To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease or write options with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating to any or all of the assets of the Trust or any Series, subject to any requirements of the 1940 Act;

 

(d)To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such person or persons such power and discretion with relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;

 

(e)To exercise powers and right of subscription or otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;

 

(f)To hold any security or property in a form not indicating that it is trust property, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own name or in the name of a custodian or sub-custodian or a nominee or nominees or otherwise or to authorize the custodian or a sub-custodian or a nominee or nominees to deposit the same in a securities depository, subject in each case to proper safeguards according to the usual practice of investment companies or any rules or regulations applicable thereto;

 

(g)To consent to, or participate in, any plan for the reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security held in the Trust;

 

(h)To join with other security holders in acting through a committee, depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depositary or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and compensation of such committee, depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper;

 

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(i)To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not limited to claims for taxes;

 

(j)To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and any other combinations or associations;

 

(k)To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other obligations of any Person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof;

 

(l)To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust Property such insurance as the Trustees may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business, including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust or payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, Investment Advisers, Principal Underwriters, or independent contractors of the Trust, individually against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding Shares, holding, being or having held any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such Person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent, Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, or independent contractor, to the fullest extent permitted by this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws and by applicable law;

 

(m)To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust;

 

(n)To purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, sell, negotiate, exchange, assign, transfer, mortgage, pledge or otherwise deal with, dispose of, use, exercise or enjoy, property of all kinds;

 

(o)To buy, sell, mortgage, encumber, hold, own, exchange, rent or otherwise acquire and dispose of, and to develop, improve, manage, subdivide, and generally to deal and trade in real property, improved and unimproved, and wheresoever situated; and to build, erect, construct, alter and maintain buildings, structures, and other improvements on real property;

 

(p)To borrow or raise moneys for any of the purposes of the Trust, and to mortgage or pledge the whole or any part of the property and franchises of the Trust, real, personal, and mixed, tangible or intangible, and wheresoever situated;

 

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(q)To borrow funds or other property or otherwise obtain credit or utilize leverage in the name of the Trust exclusively for Trust purposes and in connection therewith issue notes or other evidence of indebtedness and to mortgage and pledge the Trust Property or any part thereof to secure any or all of such indebtedness;

 

(r)To enter into, make and perform contracts and undertakings of every kind for any lawful purpose, without limit as to amount;

 

(s)To employ as custodian of any assets of the Trust one or more banks, trust companies or companies that are members of a national securities exchange or such other entities as the Commission may permit as custodians of the Trust, subject to any conditions set forth in this Declaration of Trust or in the By-Laws;

 

(t)To employ auditors, counsel or other agents of the Trust, subject to any conditions set forth in this Declaration of Trust or in the By-Laws;

 

(u)To interpret the investment policies, practices, or limitations of any Series or Class;

 

(v)To establish separate and distinct Series with separately defined investment objectives and policies and distinct investment purposes, and with separate Shares representing beneficial interests in such Series, and to establish separate classes, all in accordance with the provisions of this Declaration of Trust;

 

(w)To allocate, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Act, assets, liabilities and expenses of the Trust to a particular Series and liabilities and expenses to a particular class or to apportion the same between or among two or more Series or classes, provided that any liabilities or expenses incurred by a particular Series or class shall be payable solely out of the assets belonging to that Series or class as provided for in this Declaration of Trust;

 

(x)To engage in any other lawful act or activity in which a statutory trust organized under the Delaware Act may engage subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act; and

 

(y)To issue, purchase, sell and transfer, reacquire, hold, trade and deal in Shares, bonds, debentures and other securities, instruments or other property of the Trust, from time to time, to such extent as the Board of Trustees shall, consistent with the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, determine; and to repurchase, re-acquire and redeem, from time to time, its Shares or, if any, its bonds, debentures and other securities.

 

The Trust shall not be limited to investing in obligations maturing before the possible dissolution of the Trust or one or more of its Series. The Trust shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or future law or custom in regard to investment by fiduciaries. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees shall be required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust or take any other action hereunder.

 

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The foregoing clauses shall each be construed as purposes, objects and powers, and it is hereby expressly provided that the foregoing enumeration of specific purposes, objects and powers shall not be held to limit or restrict in any manner the powers of the Trust, and that they are in furtherance of, and in addition to, and not in limitation of, the general powers conferred upon the Trust by the DSTA and the other laws of the State of Delaware or otherwise; nor shall the enumeration of one thing be deemed to exclude another, although it be of like nature, not expressed.

 

ARTICLE III
Shares.

 

Section 1. Division of Beneficial Interest. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall at all times be divided into Shares, all without par value, unless otherwise determined by the Trustees. The number of Shares authorized hereunder is unlimited. The Board of Trustees may authorize the division of Shares into separate and distinct Series and the division of any Series into separate classes of Shares. The different Series and classes shall be established and designated, and the variations in the relative rights and preferences as between the different Series and classes shall be fixed and determined by the Board of Trustees without the requirement of Shareholder approval. If no separate Series or classes shall be established, the Shares shall have the rights and preferences provided for herein and in Article III, Section 6 hereof to the extent relevant and not otherwise provided for herein, and all references to Series and classes shall be construed (as the context may require) to refer to the Trust. The fact that a Series shall have initially been established and designated without any specific establishment or designation of classes (i.e., that all Shares of such Series are initially of a single class) shall not limit the authority of the Board of Trustees to establish and designate separate classes of said Series. The fact that a Series shall have more than one established and designated class, shall not limit the authority of the Board of Trustees to establish and designate additional classes of said Series, or to establish and designate separate classes of the previously established and designated classes.

 

The Board of Trustees shall have the power to issue Shares of the Trust, or any Series or class thereof, from time to time for such consideration (but not less than the net asset value thereof) and in such form as may be fixed from time to time pursuant to the direction of the Board of Trustees.

 

The Board of Trustees may hold as treasury shares, reissue for such consideration and on such terms as they may determine, or cancel, at their discretion from time to time, any Shares of any Series reacquired by the Trust. Shares held in the treasury shall not, until reissued, confer any voting rights on the Trustees, nor shall such Shares be entitled to any dividends or other distributions declared with respect to the Shares. The Board of Trustees may classify or reclassify any unissued Shares or any Shares previously issued and reacquired of any Series or class into one or more Series or classes that may be established and designated from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust and any Series thereof may acquire, hold, sell and otherwise deal in, for purposes of investment or otherwise, the Shares of any other Series of the Trust or Shares of the Trust, and such Shares shall not be deemed treasury shares or cancelled.

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 6 of this Article III, each Share shall have voting rights as provided in Article V hereof, and the Shareholders of any Series shall be entitled to receive dividends and distributions, when, if and as declared with respect thereto in the manner provided in Article IV, Section 3 hereof. No Share shall have any priority or preference over any other Share of the same Series or class with respect to dividends or distributions paid in the ordinary course of business or distributions upon dissolution of the Trust or of such Series or class made pursuant to Article VIII, Section 2 hereof. All dividends and distributions shall be made ratably among all Shareholders of a particular class of Series from the Trust Property held with respect to such Series according to the number of Shares of such class of such Series held of record by such Shareholders on the record date for any dividend or distribution. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to new or additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust or any Series. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any particular Series into a greater or lesser number of Shares of that Series. Such division or combination may not materially change the proportionate beneficial interests of the Shares of that Series in the Trust Property held with respect to that Series or materially affect the rights of Shares of any other Series.

 

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Any Trustee, officer or other agent of the Trust, and any organization in which any such Person is interested, may acquire, own, hold and dispose of Shares of the Trust to the same extent as if such Person were not a Trustee, officer or other agent of the Trust; and the Trust may issue and sell or cause to be issued and sold and may purchase Shares from any such Person or any such organization subject only to the general limitations, restrictions or other provisions applicable to the sale or purchase of such Shares generally.

 

Section 2. Ownership of Shares. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust kept by the Trust or by a transfer or similar agent for the Trust, which books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series and class thereof that has been established and designated. No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the Board of Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Board of Trustees may make such rules not inconsistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act as they consider appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, the transfer of Shares of each Series or class and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are the Shareholders of each Series or class thereof and as to the number of Shares of each Series or class thereof held from time to time by each such Shareholder.

 

Section 3. Investments in the Trust. Investments may be accepted by the Trust from such Persons, at such times, on such terms, and for such consideration as the Board of Trustees may, from time to time, authorize. Each investment shall be credited to the individual Shareholder’s account in the form of full and fractional Shares of the Trust, in such Series or class as the purchaser may select, at the net asset value per Share next determined for such Series or class after receipt of the investment; provided, however, that the Principal Underwriter may, pursuant to its agreement with the Trust, impose a sales charge upon investments in the Trust.

 

Section 4. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving to Shareholders only the rights provided in this Declaration of Trust and under applicable law. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to have become a party hereto. The death of a Shareholder during the existence of the Trust shall not operate to dissolve the Trust or any Series, nor entitle the representative of any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees or any Series, but entitles such representative only to the rights of said deceased Shareholder under this Declaration of Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any part of the Trust Property or right to call for a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders as partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall have any power to bind personally any Shareholder, nor, except as specifically provided herein, to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay. All Shares when issued on the terms determined by the Board of Trustees shall be fully paid and nonassessable. As provided in the DSTA, Shareholders of the Trust shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of a private corporation organized for profit under the general corporation law of the State of Delaware.

 

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Section 5. Power of Board of Trustees to Change Provisions Relating to Shares. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust and without limiting the power of the Board of Trustees to amend this Declaration of Trust or the Certificate of Trust as provided elsewhere herein, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to amend this Declaration of Trust, or the Certificate of Trust, at any time and from time to time, in such manner as the Board of Trustees may determine in its sole discretion, without the need for Shareholder action, so as to add to, delete, replace or otherwise modify any provisions relating to the Shares contained in this Declaration of Trust, provided that before adopting any such amendment without Shareholder approval, the Board of Trustees shall determine that Shareholder approval is not otherwise required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. If Shares have been issued, Shareholder approval shall be required to adopt any amendments to this Declaration of Trust which would adversely affect to a material degree the rights and preferences of the Shares of any Series or class already issued; provided, however, that in the event that the Board of Trustees determines that the Trust shall no longer be operated as an investment company in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, the Board of Trustees may adopt such amendments to this Declaration of Trust to delete those terms the Board of Trustees identifies as being required by the 1940 Act.

 

Subject to the foregoing Paragraph, the Board of Trustees may amend the Declaration of Trust to amend any of the provisions set forth in paragraphs (a) through (i) of Section 6 of this Article III.

 

The Board of Trustees shall have the power, in its discretion, to make such elections as to the tax status of the Trust as may be permitted or required under the Code as presently in effect or as amended, without the vote of any Shareholder.

 

Section 6. Establishment and Designation of Series. The establishment and designation of any Series or class of Shares shall be effective upon the resolution by a majority of the then Board of Trustees, adopting a resolution which sets forth such establishment and designation and the relative rights and preferences of such Series or class. Each such resolution shall be incorporated herein by reference upon adoption.

 

Each Series shall be separate and distinct from any other Series and shall maintain separate and distinct records on the books of the Trust, and the assets and liabilities belonging to any such Series shall be held and accounted for separately from the assets and liabilities of the Trust or any other Series.

 

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Shares of each Series or class established pursuant to this Section 6, unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series, shall have the following relative rights and preferences:

 

(a)Assets Held with Respect to a Particular Series. All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including, without limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably be held with respect to that Series for all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors with respect to that Series, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including, without limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as “assets held with respect to” that Series. In the event that there are any assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments which are not readily identifiable as assets held with respect to any particular Series (collectively “General Assets”), the Board of Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion, deems fair and equitable, and any General Asset so allocated to a particular Series shall be held with respect to that Series. Each such allocation by the Board of Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes.

 

(b)Liabilities Held with Respect to a Particular Series. The assets of the Trust held with respect to each particular Series shall be charged against the liabilities of the Trust held with respect to that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series, and any liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as being held with respect to any particular Series (collectively “General Liabilities”) shall be allocated and charged by the Board of Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion deems fair and equitable. The liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves so charged to a Series are herein referred to as “liabilities held with respect to” that Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Board of Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes. All Persons who have extended credit which has been allocated to a particular Series, or who have a claim or contract that has been allocated to any particular Series, shall look, and shall be required by contract to look exclusively, to the assets of that particular Series for payment of such credit, claim, or contract. In the absence of an express contractual agreement so limiting the claims of such creditors, claimants and contract providers, each creditor, claimant and contract provider will be deemed nevertheless to have impliedly agreed to such limitation unless an express provision to the contrary has been incorporated in the written contract or other document establishing the claimant relationship.

 

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Subject to the right of the Board of Trustees in its discretion to allocate General Liabilities as provided herein, the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a particular Series, whether such Series is now authorized and existing pursuant to this Declaration of Trust or is hereafter authorized and existing pursuant to this Declaration of Trust, shall be enforceable against the assets held with respect to that Series only, and not against the assets of any other Series or the Trust generally and none of the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any other Series thereof shall be enforceable against the assets held with respect to such Series. Notice of this limitation on liabilities between and among Series shall be set forth in the Certificate of Trust of the Trust (whether originally or by amendment) as filed or to be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the DSTA, and upon the giving of such notice in the Certificate of Trust, the statutory provisions of Section 3804 of the DSTA relating to limitations on liabilities between and among Series (and the statutory effect under Section 3804 of setting forth such notice in the Certificate of Trust) shall become applicable to the Trust and each Series.

 

(c)Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions and Repurchases. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including, without limitation, Article VI, no dividend or distribution including, without limitation, any distribution paid upon dissolution of the Trust or of any Series with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of any Series or class shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets held with respect to such Series, nor, except as specifically provided in Section 7 of this Article III, shall any Shareholder of any particular Series otherwise have any right or claim against the assets held with respect to any other Series or the Trust generally except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series. The Board of Trustees shall have full discretion, to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders.

 

(d)Voting. All Shares of the Trust entitled to vote on a matter shall vote on the matter, separately by Series and, if applicable, by class, subject to: (1) where the 1940 Act requires all Shares of the Trust to be voted in the aggregate without differentiation between the separate Series or classes, then all of the Trust’s Shares shall vote in the aggregate; and (2) if any matter affects only the interests of some but not all Series or classes, then only the Shareholders of such affected Series or classes shall be entitled to vote on the matter. The Shareholder of record (as of the record date established pursuant to Section 5 of this Article V) of each Share shall be entitled to one vote for each full Share, and a fractional vote for each fractional Share.

 

(e)Equality. All Shares of each particular Series shall represent an equal proportionate undivided beneficial interest in the assets held with respect to that Series (subject to the liabilities held with respect to that Series and such rights and preferences as may have been established and designated with respect to classes of Shares within such Series), and each Share of any particular Series shall be equal to each other Share of that Series (subject to the rights and preferences with respect to separate classes of such Series).

 

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(f)Fractions. Any fractional Share of a Series shall carry proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole Share of that Series, including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions, redemption of Shares and dissolution of the Trust or that Series.

 

(g)Exchange Privilege. The Board of Trustees shall have the authority to provide that the holders of Shares of any Series shall have the right to exchange said Shares for Shares of one or more other Series in accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established by the Board of Trustees, and in accordance with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

(h)Combination of Series. The Board of Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series unless otherwise required by applicable law, to combine the assets and liabilities held with respect to any two or more Series into assets and liabilities held with respect to a single Series.

 

(i)Elimination of Series. At any time that there are no Shares outstanding of any particular Series or class previously established and designated, the Board of Trustees may by resolution of a majority of the then Board of Trustees abolish that Series or class and rescind the establishment and designation thereof.

 

Section 7. Indemnification of Shareholders. If any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be exposed to liability by reason of a claim or demand relating solely to his or her being or having been a Shareholder of the Trust (or by having been a Shareholder of a particular Series), and not because of such Person’s acts or omissions, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or, in the case of a natural person, his or her heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be held harmless from and indemnified out of the assets of the Trust or out of the assets of the applicable Series (as the case may be) against all loss and expense arising from such claim or demand; provided, however, there shall be no liability or obligation of the Trust (or any particular Series) arising hereunder to reimburse any Shareholder for taxes paid by reason of such Shareholder’s ownership of any Shares.

 

ARTICLE IV
The Board of Trustees.

 

Section 1. Number, Election and Tenure. The number of Trustees constituting the Board of Trustees may be fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed, or by resolution approved at a duly constituted meeting, by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office or by resolution approved at a duly constituted meeting by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office, provided, however, that the number of Trustees shall in no event be less than one (1) nor more than fifteen (15). The initial Trustee shall be the person named herein and shall act as Sole Trustee until such time as other Trustees are elected and/or appointed as set forth herein. The Board of Trustees, by a written instrument signed, or by resolution approved at a duly constituted meeting, of the remaining Continuing Trustees, may fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees or remove any Trustee with or without cause. If the Shareholders of any Series or class of Shares are entitled separately to elect one or more Trustees, a majority of the remaining Continuing Trustees or the sole remaining Continuing Trustee elected by that Series or class may fill any vacancy among the number of Trustees elected by that Series or class. Any vacancy created by an increase in Trustees may be filled by the appointment of an individual by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office. The Shareholders may elect Trustees, including filling any vacancies in the Board of Trustees, at any meeting of Shareholders called by the Board of Trustees for that purpose. A meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of electing one or more Trustees may be called by the Board of Trustees or, to the extent provided by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, by the Shareholders. Shareholders shall have the power to remove a Trustee only to the extent provided by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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Each Trustee shall serve during the continued lifetime of the Trust until he or she dies, resigns, is declared bankrupt or incompetent by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, or is removed, or, if sooner than any of such events, until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or her successor. Any Trustee may resign at any time by written instrument signed by him or her and delivered to any officer of the Trust or to a meeting of the Board of Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some later time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period following any such event or any right to damages on account of such events or any actions taken in connection therewith following his or her resignation or removal.

 

Section 2. Effect of Death, Resignation, Removal, etc., of a Trustee. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, declaration as bankrupt or incapacity of one or more Trustees, or of all of them, shall not operate to dissolve the Trust or any Series or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the Board of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled as provided in this Article IV, Section 1, the Trustee(s) in office, regardless of the number, shall have all the powers granted to the Board of Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Board of Trustees by this Declaration of Trust. In the event of the death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, declaration as bankrupt or incapacity of all of the then Trustees, the Trust’s Investment Adviser(s) is (are) empowered to appoint new Trustees subject to the provisions of Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act.

 

Section 3. Powers. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees shall manage the business of the Trust, and such Board of Trustees shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility, including, without limitation, the power to engage in securities or other transactions of all kinds on behalf of the Trust. The Board of Trustees shall have full power and authority to do any and all acts and to make and execute any and all contracts and instruments that it may consider necessary or appropriate in connection with the administration of the Trust. The Trustees shall not be bound or limited by present or future laws or customs with regard to investment by trustees or fiduciaries, but shall have full authority and absolute power and control over the assets of the Trust and the business of the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners of the assets of the Trust and the business in their own right, including such authority, power and control to do all acts and things as they, in their sole discretion, shall deem proper to accomplish the purposes of this Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may: (1) adopt, amend and repeal By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust providing for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Trust; (2) fill vacancies in or remove from their number in accordance with this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, and may elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they consider appropriate; (3) appoint from their own number and establish and terminate one or more committees consisting of two or more Trustees which may exercise the powers and authority of the Board of Trustees to the extent that the Board of Trustees determine; (4) employ one or more custodians of the Trust Property and may authorize such custodians to employ sub-custodians and to deposit all or any part of such Trust Property in a system or systems for the central handling of securities or with a Federal Reserve Bank; (5) retain a transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, a shareholder servicing agent or administrative services agent, or all of them; (6) provide for the issuance and distribution of Shares by the Trust directly or through one or more Principal Underwriters or otherwise; (7) retain one or more Investment Adviser(s); (8) redeem, repurchase and transfer Shares pursuant to applicable law; (9) set record dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters, in the manner provided in Article V, Section 5 of this Declaration of Trust; (10) declare and pay dividends and distributions to Shareholders from the Trust Property; (11) establish from time to time, in accordance with the provisions of Article III, Section 6 hereof, any Series or class of Shares, each such Series to operate as a separate and distinct investment medium and with separately defined investment objectives and policies and distinct investment purposes; and (12) in general delegate such authority as they consider desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the Board of Trustees and to any agent or employee of the Trust or to any such custodian, transfer, dividend disbursing or shareholder servicing agent, Principal Underwriter or Investment Adviser. Any determination as to what is in the best interests of the Trust made by the Board of Trustees in good faith shall be conclusive.

 

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The Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust shall have the authority to hire employees and to retain advisers and experts necessary to carry out their duties.

 

In construing the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees. Unless otherwise specified herein or required by law, any action by the Board of Trustees shall be deemed effective if approved or taken by a majority of the Trustees then in office.

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Trustees, or a committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if a majority of the members of the Board of Trustees, or committee thereof, as the case may be, shall individually or collectively consent in writing to that action. Such action by written consent shall have the same force and effect as a majority vote of the Board of Trustees, or committee thereof, as the case may be. Such written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Trustees, or committee thereof, as the case may be.

 

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The Trustees shall devote to the affairs of the Trust such time as may be necessary for the proper performance of their duties hereunder, but neither the Trustees nor the officers, directors, shareholders or partners of the Trustees, shall be expected to devote their full time to the performance of such duties. The Trustees, or any Affiliate shareholder, officer, director, partner or employee thereof, or any Person owning a legal or beneficial interest therein, may engage in or possess an interest in any other business or venture of any nature and description, independently or with or for the account of others.

 

Section 4. Chairman of the Trustees. The Trustees shall appoint one of their number to be Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Trustees, shall be responsible for the execution of policies established by the Trustees and the administration of the Trust, and may be (but is not required to be) the chief executive, financial and/or accounting officer of the Trust.

 

Section 5. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. The Board of Trustees is authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the Trust or any particular Series or class, or partly out of the principal and partly out of the income of the Trust or any particular Series or class, and to charge or allocate the same to, between or among such one or more of the Series or classes that may be established or designated pursuant to Article III, Section 6, as it deems fair, all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred by or arising in connection with the maintenance or operation of the Trust or a particular Series or class, or in connection with the management thereof, including, but not limited to, the Trustees’ compensation and such expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities for the services of the Trust’s officers, employees, Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, auditors, counsel, custodian, sub-custodian (if any), transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors and such other expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities as the Board of Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur.

 

Section 6. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trust’s custodian, transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing or similar agent impose fees directly on individual shareholders for certain services requested by the shareholder (“Service Charges”). The Board of Trustees shall have the power to assist the Trust’s custodian, transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing or similar agent in the collection of Service Fees by setting off such Service Charges due from a Shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends or distributions owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such Service Charges due from such Shareholder.

 

Section 7. Ownership of Trust Property. Legal title to all of the Trust Property shall at all times be considered to be vested in the Trust, except that the Board of Trustees shall have the power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of any Person as nominee, on such terms as the Board of Trustees may determine, in accordance with applicable law.

 

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Section 8. Service Contracts.

 

(a)Subject to such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the By-Laws and/or the 1940 Act, the Board of Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or nonexclusive advisory, management and/or administrative services for the Trust or for any Series with any corporation, trust, association or other organization, including any Affiliate; and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Board of Trustees may determine, including without limitation, authority for the Investment Adviser or administrator to determine from time to time without prior consultation with the Board of Trustees what securities and other instruments or property shall be purchased or otherwise acquired, owned, held, invested or reinvested in, sold, exchanged, transferred, mortgaged, pledged, assigned, negotiated, or otherwise dealt with or disposed of, and what portion, if any, of the Trust Property shall be held uninvested and to make changes in the Trust’s or a particular Series’ investments, or such other activities as may specifically be delegated to such party.

 

(b)The Board of Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time, contract with any corporation, trust, association or other organization, including any Affiliate, appointing it or them as the exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or Principal Underwriter for the Shares of the Trust or one or more of the Series or classes thereof or for other securities to be issued by the Trust, or appointing it or them to act as the custodian, transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and/or shareholder servicing agent for the Trust or one or more of the Series or classes thereof.

 

(c)The Board of Trustees is further empowered, at any time and from time to time, to contract with any Persons to provide such other services to the Trust or one or more of its Series, as the Board of Trustees determines to be in the best interests of the Trust or one or more of its Series.

 

(d)The fact that:

 

i.any of the Shareholders, Trustees, employees or officers of the Trust is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, manager, Adviser, Principal Underwriter, distributor, or Affiliate or agent of or for any corporation, trust, association, or other organization, or for any parent or Affiliate of any organization with which an Adviser’s, management or administration contract, or Principal Underwriter’s or distributor’s contract, or custodian, transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing or other type of service contract may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such organization, or any parent or Affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or has an interest in the Trust, or that

 

ii.any corporation, trust, association or other organization with which an Adviser’s, management or administration contract or Principal Underwriter’s or distributor’s contract, or custodian, transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing or other type of service contract may have been or may hereafter be made also has an Adviser’s, management or administration contract, or Principal Underwriter’s or distributor’s contract, or custodian, transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing or other service contract with one or more other corporations, trusts, associations, or other organizations, or has other business or interests, shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any Shareholder, Trustee, employee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the same, or create any liability or accountability to the Trust or its Shareholders, provided that the establishment of and performance under each such contract is permissible under the provisions of the 1940 Act.

 

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(e)Every contract referred to in this Section 8 shall comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the By-Laws, the 1940 Act or stipulated by resolution of the Board of Trustees; and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Board of Trustees may determine.

 

ARTICLE V
Shareholders’ Voting Powers and Meetings.

 

Section 1. Voting Powers. Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 6(d), the Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election of Trustees, including the filling of any vacancies in the Board of Trustees, as provided in Article IV, Section 1; (ii) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws, the 1940 Act or any registration statement of the Trust filed with the Commission; and (iii) on such other matters as the Board of Trustees may consider necessary or desirable. The Shareholder of record (as of the record date established pursuant to Section 5 of this Article V) of each Share shall be entitled to one vote for each full Share, and a fractional vote for each fractional Share. Shareholders shall not be entitled to cumulative voting in the election of Trustees or on any other matter. Shareholders may vote Shares in person or by proxy. A proxy may be given in writing. The Bylaws may provide that proxies may also, or may instead, be given by an electronic or telecommunications device or in any other manner.

 

Section 2. Meetings. The Board of Trustees may set forth in the By-Laws or elsewhere the requirements for the conduct of meetings of the Board of Trustees and any committee of the Trustees, including requirements as to notice of meetings, quorum for meetings, voting and actions taken by written consent.

 

Section 3. Quorum and Required Vote. The provisions regarding the constitution of a quorum and the required vote for actions taken at meetings of the Shareholders shall be set as provided in the By-Laws.

 

Section 4. Shareholder Action by Written Consent without a Meeting. Any action which may be taken at any meeting of Shareholders may be taken without a meeting and without prior notice if a consent in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by the holders of Shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting at which all Shares entitled to vote on that action were present and voted. All such consents shall be filed with the secretary of the Trust and shall be maintained in the Trust’s records. Any Shareholder giving a written consent or the Shareholder’s proxy holders or a transferee of the Shares or a personal representative of the Shareholder or its respective proxy-holder may revoke the consent by a writing received by the secretary of the Trust before written consents of the number of Shares required to authorize the proposed action have been filed with the secretary.

 

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If the consents of all Shareholders entitled to vote have not been solicited in writing and if the unanimous written consent of all such Shareholders shall not have been received, the secretary shall give prompt notice of the action taken without a meeting to such Shareholders. This notice shall be given in the manner specified in the By-Laws.

 

Section 5. Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders of any Series or class who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, the Board of Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such other distribution, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series or class having the right to receive such dividend or distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as precluding the Board of Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series or classes.

 

Section 6. Derivative Actions. No Shareholder shall have the right to bring or maintain any action, proceeding, claim, or suit (“Action”) on behalf of the Trust or any Series or class of Shares or Shareholders (a)(i) unless such Shareholder is a Shareholder at the time such Action is commenced and such Shareholder continues to be a Shareholder throughout the duration of such Action and (a)(ii)(1) at the time of the transaction or event underlying such Action, such Shareholder was a Shareholder or (2) such Shareholder's status as a Shareholder devolved upon the Shareholder by operation of law or pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust from a person who was a Shareholder at the time of the transaction or event underlying such Action and (b) without first making demand on the Trustees requesting the Trustees to bring or maintain such Action and such demand has the support of Shareholders owning a majority of the outstanding class or Series of Shares affected by the proposed Action. Such demand shall not be excused under any circumstances, including allegations or claims of interest on the part of the Trustees, unless the plaintiff makes a specific showing that irreparable non-monetary injury to the Trust or Series or class of Shares or Shareholders would otherwise result. Such demand shall be mailed to the Secretary at the Trust's principal office and shall set forth with particularity the nature of the proposed Action and the essential facts relied upon by the Shareholder to support the allegations made in the demand. The Trustees who are not Interested Persons of the Trust (the “Independent Trustees”) shall consider such demand. In their sole discretion, the Independent Trustees may decide to bring, maintain, or settle such Action or to not bring, maintain, or settle such Action, or may submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders of the Trust or a Series or class thereof, as appropriate. Any decision by the Independent Trustees to bring, maintain, or settle such Action, or to submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders, shall be binding upon all Shareholders who will be prohibited from maintaining a separate competing Action relating to the same subject matter. Any decision by the Independent Trustees not to bring or maintain an Action on behalf of the Trust or a Series or class shall be subject to the right of the Shareholders to vote on whether or not such Action should or should not be brought or maintained as a matter presented for Shareholder consideration pursuant to the provisions of the By-Laws regarding Shareholder requested special meetings; and the vote of Shareholders required to override the Independent Trustees' decision and to permit the Shareholder(s) to proceed with the proposed Action shall be 75 percent of the outstanding Shares of the Trust or 75 percent of the outstanding Shares of the Series or class affected by the proposed Action, as applicable.

 

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Section 7. Conversion to Open-End Company. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, the conversion of the Trust or any series of Shares from a “closed-end company” to an “open-end company”, as those terms are defined in Sections 5(a)(2) and 5(a)(1), respectively, of the 1940 Act (as in effect on the date of this Declaration of Trust), together with any necessary amendments to this Declaration of Trust to permit such a conversion, shall require the affirmative vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares outstanding of the Series and entitled to vote on the matter, unless a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees entitled to vote on the matter approve such conversion and related actions. In the event of such approval by the Trustees and the Continuing Trustees as referred to in the preceding sentence, the 1940 Act shall govern whether and to what extent a vote or consent of Shares of such Series shall be required to approve such conversion and related actions. Any affirmative vote or consent required under this Section 7 shall be in addition to the vote or consent of the Shareholders otherwise required by law or by any agreement between the Trust and any national securities exchange, as applicable.

 

Section 8. Additional Provisions. The By-Laws may include further provisions for Shareholders’ votes, meetings and related matters.

 

ARTICLE VI

Custodian

 

Section 1. Appointment and Duties. Subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall at all times employ a bank, a company that is a member of a national securities exchange, or a trust company, as custodian with authority as its agent, but subject to such restrictions, limitations and other requirements, if any, as may be contained in the Bylaws of the Trust:

 

(a)To hold the securities owned by the Trust and deliver the same upon written order or oral order confirmed in writing, or by such electro-mechanical or electronic devices as are agreed to by the Trust and the custodian, if such procedures have been authorized in writing by the Trust;

 

(b)To receive and receipt for any moneys due to the Trust and deposit the same in its own banking department or elsewhere as the Trustees may direct;

 

(c)To disburse such funds upon orders or vouchers; and the Trust may also employ such custodian as its agent:

 

(i) To keep the books and accounts of the Trust or of any Series or class and furnish clerical and accounting services; and

 

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(ii) To compute, if authorized to do so by the Trustees, the Net Asset Value of any Series, or class thereof, in accordance with the provisions hereof; all upon such basis of compensation as may be agreed upon between the Trustees and the custodian.

 

The Trustees may also authorize the custodian to employ one or more sub-custodians from time to time to perform such of the acts and services of the custodian, and upon such terms and conditions, as may be agreed upon between the custodian and such sub-custodian and approved by the Trustees, provided that in every case such sub-custodian shall be a bank, a company that is a member of a national securities exchange, or a trust company organized under the laws of the United States or one of the states thereof and having capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least two million dollars ($2,000,000) or such other person as may be permitted by the Commission, or otherwise in accordance with the 1940 Act.

 

Section 2. Central Certificate System. Subject to such rules, regulations and orders as the Commission may adopt, the Trustees may direct the custodian to deposit all or any part of the securities owned by the Trust in a system for the central handling of securities established by a national securities exchange or a national securities association registered with the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or such other person as may be permitted by the Commission, or otherwise in accordance with the 1940 Act, pursuant to which system all securities of any particular class or series of any issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of such securities, provided that all such deposits shall be subject to withdrawal only upon the order of the Trust or its custodians, sub-custodians or other agents.

 

ARTICLE VII

Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions.

 

Section 1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income and Distributions. Subject to Article III, Section 6 hereof, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to fix an initial offering price for the Shares of any Series or class thereof which shall yield to such Series or class not less than the net asset value thereof, at which price the Shares of such Series or class shall be offered initially for sale, and to determine from time to time thereafter the offering price which shall yield to such Series or class not less than the net asset value thereof from sales of the Shares of such Series or class; provided, however, that no Shares of a Series or class thereof shall be issued or sold for consideration which shall yield to such Series or class less than the net asset value of the Shares of such Series or class next determined after the receipt of the order (or at such other times set by the Board of Trustees), except in the case of Shares of such Series or class issued in payment of a dividend properly declared and payable.

 

Subject to Article III, Section 6 hereof, the Board of Trustees, in their absolute discretion, may prescribe and shall set forth in the By-Laws or in a duly adopted vote of the Board of Trustees such bases and time for determining the per Share or net asset value of the Shares of any Series or net income attributable to the Shares of any Series, or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions on the Shares of any Series, as they may deem necessary or desirable.

 

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Section 2. Redemptions at the Option of a Shareholder. Unless otherwise provided in the prospectus of the Trust relating to the Shares, as such prospectus may be amended from time to time (“Prospectus”):

 

(a)The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any Shareholder for redemption upon the presentation of a proper instrument of transfer, together with a request directed to the Trust or a Person designated by the Trust, that the Trust purchase such Shares in accordance with the fundamental policies of the Series issuing the Shares and such other procedures for redemption as the Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value thereof, in accordance with the By-Laws and applicable law. Payment for said Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven days after the date on which the request is received in proper form. The obligation set forth in this Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the event that any time the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) is closed for other than weekends or holidays, or if permitted by the Rules of the Commission during periods when trading on the Exchange is restricted or during any National Financial Emergency which makes it impracticable for the Trust to dispose of the investments of the applicable Series or to determine fairly the value of the net assets held with respect to such Series or during any other period permitted by order of the Commission for the protection of investors, such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the Board of Trustees. If certificates have been issued to a Shareholder, any such request by such Shareholder must be accompanied by surrender of any outstanding certificate or certificates for such Shares in form for transfer, together with such proof of the authenticity of signatures as may reasonably be required on such Shares and accompanied by proper stock transfer stamps, if applicable.

 

(b)Payments for Shares so redeemed by the Trust shall be made in cash, except payment for such Shares may, at the option of the Board of Trustees, or such officer or officers as it may duly authorize in its complete discretion, be made in kind or partially in cash and partially in kind. In case of any payment in kind, the Board of Trustees, or its delegate, shall have absolute discretion as to what security or securities of the Trust shall be distributed in kind and the amount of the same; and the securities shall be valued for purposes of distribution at the value at which they were appraised in computing the then current net asset value of the Shares, provided that any Shareholder who cannot legally acquire securities so distributed in kind by reason of the prohibitions of the 1940 Act or the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) shall receive cash. Shareholders shall bear the expenses of in-kind transactions, including, but not limited to, transfer agency fees, custodian fees and costs of disposition of such securities.

 

(c)Payment for Shares so redeemed by the Trust shall be made by the Trust as provided above within seven days after the date on which the redemption request is received in good order; provided, however, that if payment shall be made other than exclusively in cash, any securities to be delivered as part of such payment shall be delivered as promptly as any necessary transfers of such securities on the books of the several corporations whose securities are to be delivered practicably can be made, which may not necessarily occur within such seven day period. Moreover, redemptions may be suspended in the event of a National Financial Emergency. In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any corporation or other Person in transferring securities selected for delivery as all or part of any payment in kind.

 

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(d)The right of Shareholders to receive dividends or other distributions on Shares shall be determined by the Board of Trustees as provided in Section 3 of Article IV. The right of any Shareholder of the Trust to receive dividends or other distributions on Shares redeemed and all other rights of such Shareholder with respect to the Shares so redeemed by the Trust, except the right of such Shareholder to receive payment for such Shares, shall cease at the time as of which the purchase price of such Shares shall have been fixed, as provided above.

 

Section 3. Redemptions at the Option of the Trust. The Board of Trustees may, from time to time, without the vote or consent of the Shareholders, and subject to the 1940 Act, redeem Shares or authorize the closing of any Shareholder account, subject to such conditions as may be established by the Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Compensation and Limitation of Liability of
Officers and Trustees
.

 

Section 1. Compensation. Except as set forth in the last sentence of this Section 1, the Board of Trustees may, from time to time, fix a reasonable amount of compensation to be paid by the Trust to the Trustees and officers of the Trust. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services and payment for the same by the Trust.

 

Section 2. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability.

 

(a)The Trust shall indemnify and advance expenses to its currently acting and former Trustees to the fullest extent that indemnification of Trustees is permitted by the Delaware Act. The Trust shall indemnify and advance expenses to its currently acting and former officers to the same extent as its Trustees and to such further extent as is consistent with law. The Board of Trustees may by By-law, resolution or agreement make further provision for indemnification of Trustees, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Act. No provision of this Article VIII, Section 2 shall be effective to protect or purport to protect any Trustee or officer of the Trust against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties expressly set forth herein. No amendment to the Declaration of Trust shall affect the right of any person under this Section 2 based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to such amendment.

 

(b)To the fullest extent that limitations on the liability of Trustees and officers are permitted by the DSTA, the officers and Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any act or omission of: any agent or employee of the Trust; any Investment Adviser or Principal Underwriter of the Trust; or with respect to each Trustee and officer, the act or omission of any other Trustee or officer, respectively. The Trust, out of the Trust Property, shall indemnify and hold harmless each and every officer and Trustee from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever arising out of or related to such officer’s or Trustee’s performance of his or her duties as an officer or Trustee of the Trust. This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a Person serves as a Trustee or officer of the Trust whether or not such Person is a Trustee or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is asserted.

 

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(c)Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or document whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust, the officers or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in such Person’s capacity as Trustee and/or as officer, and such Trustee or officer, as applicable, shall not be personally liable therefor, except as described in the last sentence of the first paragraph of this Section 2 of this Article VIII.

 

Section 3. Officers and Trustees’ Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. An officer or Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for such officer’s or Trustee’s own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of such officer or Trustee, and for nothing else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The officers and Trustees may obtain the advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust and their duties as officers or Trustees. No such officer or Trustee shall be liable for any act or omission in accordance with such advice and no inference concerning liability shall arise from a failure to follow such advice. The officers and Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.

 

Section 4. Insurance. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the officers and Trustees shall be entitled and have the authority to purchase with Trust Property, insurance for liability and for all expenses reasonably incurred or paid or expected to be paid by a Trustee or officer in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which such Person becomes involved by virtue of such Person’s capacity or former capacity with the Trust, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Article.

 

ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous.

 

Section 1. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. No person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any actions made or to be made by the Trustees.

 

Section 2. Dissolution of Trust or Series. Unless dissolved as provided herein, the Trust shall have perpetual existence. The Trust may be dissolved at any time by vote of a majority of the Shares of the Trust entitled to vote or by the Board of Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders. Any Series may be dissolved at any time by vote of a majority of the Shares of that Series or by the Board of Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of that Series.

 

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Upon dissolution of the Trust (or a particular Series, as the case may be), the Trustees shall (in accordance with § 3808 of the DSTA) pay or make reasonable provision to pay all claims and obligations of each Series (or the particular Series, as the case may be), including all contingent, conditional or unmatured claims and obligations known to the Trust, and all claims and obligations which are known to the Trust but for which the identity of the claimant is unknown. If there are sufficient assets held with respect to each Series of the Trust (or the particular Series, as the case may be), such claims and obligations shall be paid in full and any such provisions for payment shall be made in full. If there are insufficient assets held with respect to each Series of the Trust (or the particular Series, as the case may be), such claims and obligations shall be paid or provided for according to their priority and, among claims and obligations of equal priority, ratably to the extent of assets available therefor. Any remaining assets (including without limitation, cash, securities or any combination thereof) held with respect to each Series of the Trust (or the particular Series, as the case may be) shall be distributed to the Shareholders of such Series, ratably according to the number of Shares of such Series held by the several Shareholders on the record date for such dissolution distribution.

 

Section 3. Merger and Consolidation; Conversion.

 

(a)Merger and Consolidation. Pursuant to an agreement of merger or consolidation, the Trust, or any one or more Series, may, by act of a majority of the Board of Trustees, merge or consolidate with or into one or more business trusts or other business entities formed or organized or existing under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state or the United States or any foreign country or other foreign jurisdiction. Any such merger or consolidation shall not require the vote of the Shareholders affected thereby, unless such vote is required by the 1940 Act, or unless such merger or consolidation would result in an amendment of this Declaration of Trust, which would otherwise require the approval of such Shareholders. In accordance with Section 3815(f) of the DSTA, an agreement of merger or consolidation may affect any amendment to this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws or affect the adoption of a new declaration of trust or by-laws of the Trust if the Trust is the surviving or resulting business trust. Upon completion of the merger or consolidation, the Trustees shall file a certificate of merger or consolidation in accordance with Section 3810 of the DSTA.

 

(b)Conversion. A majority of the Board of Trustees may, without the vote or consent of the Shareholders, cause (i) the Trust to convert to a common-law trust, a general partnership, limited partnership or a limited liability company organized, formed or created under the laws of the State of Delaware as permitted pursuant to Section 3821 of the DSTA; (ii) the Shares of the Trust or any Series to be converted into beneficial interests in another business trust (or series thereof) created pursuant to this Section 3 of this Article VIII, or (iii) the Shares to be exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute to the extent permitted by law; provided, however, that if required by the 1940 Act, no such statutory conversion, Share conversion or Share exchange shall be effective unless the terms of such transaction shall first have been approved at a meeting called for that purpose by the “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” as such phrase is defined in the 1940 Act, of the Trust or Series, as applicable; provided, further, that in all respects not governed by statute or applicable law, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to prescribe the procedure necessary or appropriate to accomplish a sale of assets, merger or consolidation including the power to create one or more separate business trusts to which all or any part of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust may be transferred and to provide for the conversion of Shares of the Trust or any Series into beneficial interests in such separate business trust or trusts (or series thereof).

 

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Section 4. Reorganization. A majority of the Board of Trustees may cause the Trust to sell, convey and transfer all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust, or all or substantially all of the assets associated with any one or more Series, to another trust, business trust, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association or corporation organized under the laws of any state, or to one or more separate series thereof, or to the Trust to be held as assets associated with one or more other Series of the Trust, in exchange for cash, shares or other securities (including, without limitation, in the case of a transfer to another Series of the Trust, Shares of such other Series) with such transfer either (a) being made subject to, or with the assumption by the transferee of, the liabilities associated with each Series the assets of which are so transferred, or (b) not being made subject to, or not with the assumption of, such liabilities; provided, however, that, if required by the 1940 Act, no assets associated with any particular Series shall be so sold, conveyed or transferred unless the terms of such transaction shall first have been approved at a meeting called for that purpose by the “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” as such phrase is defined in the 1940 Act, of that Series. Following such sale, conveyance and transfer, the Board of Trustees shall distribute such cash, shares or other securities (giving due effect to the assets and liabilities associated with and any other differences among the various Series the assets associated with which have so been sold, conveyed and transferred) ratably among the Shareholders of the Series the assets associated with which have been so sold, conveyed and transferred (giving due effect to the differences among the various classes within each such Series); and if all of the assets of the Trust have been so sold, conveyed and transferred, the Trust shall be dissolved.

 

Section 5. Amendments. Subject to the provisions of the second paragraph of this Section 5 of this Article VIII, this Declaration of Trust may be restated and/or amended at any time by an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Continuing Trustees and, if required, by approval of such amendment by Shareholders in accordance with Article V, Section 3 hereof. Any such restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be effective immediately upon execution and approval or upon such future date and time as may be stated therein. The Certificate of Trust of the Trust may be restated and/or amended by a similar procedure, and any such restatement and/or amendment shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or upon such future date as may be stated therein.

 

Notwithstanding the above, the Board of Trustees expressly reserves the right to amend or repeal any provisions contained in this Declaration of Trust or the Certificate of Trust, in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of Article III hereof, and all rights, contractual and otherwise, conferred upon Shareholders are granted subject to such reservation. The Board of Trustees further expressly reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision of the By-Laws pursuant to Article 13 of the By-Laws.

 

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Section 6. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. The original or a copy of this Declaration of Trust and of each restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be kept at the principal executive office of the Trust where any Shareholder may inspect it. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to whether or not any such restatements and/or amendments have been made and as to any matters in connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this instrument or of any such restatements and/or amendments. In this Declaration of Trust and in any such restatements and/or amendments, references to this instrument, and all expressions of similar effect to “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended or affected by any such restatements and/or amendments. Headings are placed herein for convenience of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument. Whenever the singular number is used herein, the same shall include the plural; and the neuter, masculine and feminine genders shall include each other, as applicable. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.

 

Section 7. Applicable Law. This Declaration of Trust is created under and is to be governed by and construed and administered according to the laws of the State of Delaware and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Code. The Trust shall be a Delaware business trust pursuant to the DSTA, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by such a business trust.

 

Section 8. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.

 

(a)The provisions of this Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Board of Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the Code, the DSTA, or with other applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed not to have constituted a part of this Declaration of Trust from the time when such provisions became inconsistent with such laws or regulations; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this Declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.

 

(b)If any provision of this Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of this Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.

 

Section 9. Statutory Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create a statutory trust pursuant to the DSTA, and thereby to create the relationship of trustee and beneficial owners within the meaning of the DSTA between the Trustees and each Shareholder. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create a general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint stock association, corporation, bailment, or any form of legal relationship other than a business trust pursuant to the DSTA. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.

 

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Section 10. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Trust shall end on a specified date as set forth in the By-Laws, provided, however, that the Trustees may, without Shareholder approval, change the fiscal year of the Trust.

 

Section 11. Restrictions on Transfer and Ownership of Shares. The provisions of this Section 11 shall be applicable to any Series of the Trust that elects to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and shall remain in full force and effect until prior to the Restriction Termination Date (as defined in this Section).

 

Section 11.1. Definitions.

 

For the purpose of this Section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Aggregate Ownership Limit shall mean not more than 9.8 percent (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the aggregate of the Outstanding Shares, or such other percentage determined by the Board in accordance with Section 11.9.

 

Beneficial Ownership shall mean ownership of Shares by a Person, whether the interest in the Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Sections 856(h)(1) and/or 544 of the Code, as modified by Sections 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3) of the Code, provided, however, that in determining the number of Shares Beneficially Owned by a Person, no Share shall be counted more than once. Whenever a Person Beneficially Owns Shares that are not actually outstanding (e.g., shares issuable upon the exercise of an option or the conversion of a convertible security) (“Option Shares”), then, whenever this Agreement requires a determination of the percentage of Outstanding Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person, the Option Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person shall also be deemed to be Outstanding. The terms “Beneficial Owner”, “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Charitable Beneficiary shall be one or more nonprofit organizations designated by the Trust as the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Trust or Series thereunder as determined pursuant to ‎Section 11.11(f); provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

 

Common Share Ownership Limit shall mean not more than 9.8 percent (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the aggregate of the Outstanding Common Shares, or such other percentage determined by the Board in accordance with Section 11.9.

 

Constructive Ownership shall mean ownership of Shares by a Person, whether the interest in the Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee) and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms Constructive Owner, Constructively Owns and Constructively Owned shall have the correlative meanings.

 

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Excepted Holder shall mean a Person for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by this Agreement or by the Board pursuant to Section 11.8.

 

Excepted Holder Limit shall mean, provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with any requirements established by the Board pursuant to ‎Section 11.8 and subject to adjustment pursuant to Article IX, Section 7, the percentage limit established by the Board pursuant to ‎Section 11.8.

 

Initial Date shall mean the date of the closing of the Initial Offering of the Series.

 

Initial Offering shall mean the first issuance and sale for cash of Shares of the Series to any Person other than an Affiliate of the Series pursuant to:

 

(i) a public offering registered under the Securities Act; or

 

(ii) a private offering or offering qualified, as applicable, in accordance with Rule 144A, Regulation A, Regulation D or Regulation S of the Securities Act.

 

Non-Transfer Event shall mean any event or other changes in circumstances other than a purported Transfer, including, without limitation, any change in the value of any Shares.

 

One Hundred Shareholders Date means the first day on which Shares are beneficially owned by 100 or more Persons within the meaning of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code.

 

Ownership Limits means the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit and the Common Share Ownership Limit.

 

Person shall mean, solely for the purposes of this Section 11, an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust (including a trust qualified under Sections 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company or other entity and also includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act and a group to which an Excepted Holder Limit applies.

 

Prohibited Owner shall mean with respect to any purported Transfer or Non-Transfer Event, any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 11.2, would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares and, if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the Record Holder of the Shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

 

Restriction Termination Date means the first day after the Initial Date on which the Board determines in accordance with Section 11.1 that it is no longer in the best interests of a Series of the Trust to continue to qualify as a REIT or that compliance with any of the restriction and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of Shares set forth in this Section 11 is no longer required in order for a Series of the Trust to qualify as a REIT.

 

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Transfer shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire or change its Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares or the right to vote or receive distributions on Shares, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, including:

 

(a)the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option) or entering into any agreement for the sale, transfer or other disposition of Shares (or of Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares);

 

(b)any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Shares or any interest in Shares or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right; and

 

(c)Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares;

 

in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Constructively Owned or Beneficially Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms Transferring and Transferred shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Trust shall mean any trust provided for in ‎Section 11.11(a).

 

Trustee shall mean the Person that is unaffiliated with the Trust or any Prohibited Owner, that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code and is appointed by the Trust to serve as trustee of the Trust.

 

Section 11.2. Ownership Limitations.

 

The provisions of this Section 11 shall be applicable to any Series of the Trust that elects to be taxed as a REIT and shall remain in full force and effect until prior to the Restriction Termination Date.

 

(a) Basic Restrictions.

 

(i)

 

(1)No Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares in excess of the Aggregate Ownership Limit;

 

(2)no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Common Shares in excess of the Common Share Ownership Limit; and

 

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(3)no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

 

(ii)

 

(1)No Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares would result in the Series being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year, unless otherwise allowed under Section 11.8(e)); and

 

(2)no Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares would result in a Series otherwise failing to qualify for taxation as a REIT (including, but not limited to, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership) that:

 

(A)would result in a Series owning (actually or Constructively) an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code; or

 

(B)would cause any income of a Series that would otherwise qualify as “rents from real property” for purposes of Section 856(d) of the Code to fail to qualify as such (including, but not limited to, as a result of causing any entity that the Series intends to treat as an “eligible independent contractor” within the meaning of Section 856(d)(9)(A) of the Code to fail to qualify as such), in either case causing the Series to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code).

 

(iii) During the period commencing on the One Hundred Shareholders Date, any Transfer of Shares that, if effective, would result in the Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Shares.

 

(b) Transfer in Trust. If any Transfer of Shares or Non-Transfer Event occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Shares in violation of ‎Section 11.2(a)(i) or (ii).

 

(i) then that number of Shares the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 11.2(a)(i) or (ii) (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 11.11, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event, and such Person (or, if different, the direct or beneficial owner of such Shares) shall acquire no rights in such Shares (and shall be divested of its rights in such Shares); or

 

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(ii) if the transfer to the Trust described in clause (i) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of ‎Section 11.2(a)(i) or (ii), then the Transfer of that number of Shares that otherwise would cause any Person to violate ‎Section 11.2(a)(i) or (ii) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Shares .

 

Section 11.3. Remedies for Breach. If the Board shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer or Non-Transfer Event has taken place that results in a violation of ‎Section 11.2 or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any Shares in violation of Section 11.2 (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board shall take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event or otherwise prevent such violation, including, without limitation, causing the Series to redeem shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event on the books of the Series or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event; provided, however, that any Transfer or attempted Transfer or other event in violation of Section 11.2 (or Non-Transfer Event that results in a violation of Section 11.2) shall automatically result in the transfer to the Trust described above, and, where applicable, such Transfer (or Non-Transfer Event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board. Nothing herein shall limit the ability of the Board to grant a waiver as may be permitted under Section 11.8.

 

Section 11.4. Notice of Restricted Transfer. Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares that will or may violate Section 11.2(a) or any Person who would have owned Shares that resulted in a transfer to the Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.2(b) shall immediately give written notice to the Series of such event or, in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Series such other information as the Series may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer or Non-Transfer Event on the Series qualification for taxation as a REIT.

 

Section 11.5. Owners Required to Provide Information. From the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

 

(a) every owner of five percent or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the U.S. Treasury Department regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Outstanding Shares, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, shall give written notice to the Series stating the name and address of such owner, the number of Shares of each class and series Beneficially Owned and a description of the manner in which such Shares are held. Each such owner shall promptly provide to the Series in writing such additional information as the Series may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership on the Series qualification for taxation as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Ownership Limits; and

 

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(b) each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Shares and each Person who is holding Shares for a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall promptly provide to the Series in writing such information as the Series may request, in good faith, in order to determine the Series qualification for taxation as a REIT and to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

 

Section 11.6. Remedies Not Limited. Nothing contained in this Section 11 shall limit the authority of the Board to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Series and the interests of the Members in preserving the Series qualification for taxation as a REIT; provided, however, if the Board determines that it is no longer in the best interests of a Series to continue to be qualified for taxation as a REIT, the Board may authorize the Series to revoke or otherwise terminate its REIT election pursuant to Section 856(g) of the Code. It is intended that any Series of the Trust that elects to be taxed as a REIT will elect to be treated as a corporation prior to the Initial Date (as defined in Section 11) of the Series until the Restriction Termination Date of the Series.

 

Section 11.7. Ambiguity. In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 11, the Board shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Section 11 with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it. In the event Section 11 requires an action by the Board and this Agreement fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of this Section 11. Absent a decision to the contrary by the Board (which the Board may make in its sole and absolute discretion), if a Person would have (but for the remedies set forth in ‎Section 11.3) acquired or retained Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares in violation of Section 11.2, such remedies (as applicable) shall apply first to the Shares which, but for such remedies, would have been Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned (but not actually owned) by such Person, pro rata among the Persons who actually own such Shares based upon the relative number of the Shares held by each such Person.

 

Section 11.8. Exceptions.

 

(a) Subject to ‎Section 11.2(a)(ii), the Board, in its sole discretion, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a Person from the Aggregate Ownership Limit and/or the Common Share Ownership Limit, as the case may be, and may establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person if the Board determines, based on such representations and undertakings as it may require, that:

 

(i) subject to Section 11.8(e), such exemption will not cause the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares of the Series of any individual (as defined in Section 542(a)(2) of the Code as modified by Section 856(h)(3) of the Code) to violate ‎Section 11.2(a)(ii); and

 

(ii) such Person does not and will not Constructively own an interest in a tenant (or a tenant of any entity owned or controlled by the Series) that would cause the Series to own, actually or Constructively, more than a 9.9% interest (as set forth in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in such tenant (for this purpose, a tenant from whom the Series (or an entity owned or controlled by the Series) derives (and is expected to continue to derive) a sufficiently small amount of revenue such that, in the opinion of the Board, rent from such tenant would not adversely affect the Series ability to qualify for taxation as a REIT shall not be treated as a tenant of the Series).

 

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(b) Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 11.8(a), the Board may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an Opinion of Counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board in its sole discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Series qualification for taxation as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception or waiver or creating any Excepted Holder Limit.

 

(c) Subject to ‎Section 11.2(a)(ii), an underwriter which participates in a public offering or a private placement of Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares ) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares ) in excess of the Aggregate Ownership Limit, the Common Share Ownership Limit, or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement.

 

(d) The Board may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder:

 

(i) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or

 

(ii) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Common Share Ownership Limit or Aggregate Ownership Limit, as applicable.

 

(e) Subject to Section 11.2(a)(ii)(2), the Board, in its sole discretion, may exempt an Excepted Holder from the limitations in Section 11.2(a)(ii)(1) and Section 11.2(a)(i) on Beneficial Ownership and/or Constructive Ownership of Shares that would result in the Series being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (determined without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), but only during the first taxable year of the Series for which the Series elects to be taxed as a REIT under Section 856(c)(1) of the Code and/or during the first half of the Series second taxable year for which the Series elects to be treated as a REIT for tax purposes under Section 856(c)(1) of the Code and only to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership and/or Constructive Ownership for such periods does not result in the Series failing to qualify for taxation as a REIT.

 

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Section 11.9. Increase or Decrease in Aggregate Ownership and Common Share Ownership Limits.

 

(a) Subject to ‎Section 11.2(a)(ii), the Board may from time to time increase or decrease the Common Share Ownership Limit and the Aggregate Ownership Limit; provided, however, that any decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Ownership Limit will not be effective for any Person whose percentage ownership in Shares is in excess of such decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Ownership Limit until such time as such Person’s percentage of Shares equals or falls below the decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Ownership Limit, but any further acquisition of Shares in excess of such percentage ownership of Shares will be in violation of the Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Ownership Limit; and provided further, that any increased or decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Ownership Limit would not allow five or fewer Persons to Beneficially Own more than 49.9% in value of the Outstanding Shares of such Series.

 

(b) Prior to increasing or decreasing the Common Share Ownership Limit or the Aggregate Ownership Limit pursuant to ‎Section 11.9(a), the Board may require such opinions of counsel, affidavits, undertakings or agreements, in any case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board in its sole discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Series qualification for taxation as a REIT.

 

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Section 11.10. Legend. Each certificate for Shares, if certificated, or any written statement of information in lieu of a certificate delivered to a holder of uncertificated Shares shall bear a legend that substantially describes the foregoing restrictions on transfer and ownership, or, instead of such legend, the certificate, if any, may reference such restrictions and state that the Series will furnish a full statement about restrictions on transferability and ownership to a shareholder on request and without charge. In the case of any Shares that are uncertificated, such restrictions, or a reference to such restrictions and a statement that the Series will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on transferability to a Shareholder on request and without charge.

 

Section 11.11. Transfer of Shares in Trust.

 

(a) Ownership in Trust. Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 11.2(b) that would result in a transfer of Shares to a Trust, such Shares shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Trustee as trustee of a Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Trustee shall be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Trust pursuant to Section 11.2(b). The Trustee shall be appointed by the Series and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Series and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Series as provided in ‎Section 11.11(f).

 

(b) Status of Shares Held by the Trustee. Shares held by the Trustee shall be issued and Outstanding Shares. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any Shares held in trust by the Trustee, shall have no rights to distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the Shares held in the Trust.

 

(c) Distribution and Voting Rights. The Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to distributions with respect to Shares held in the Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Series that the Shares have been transferred to the Trustee shall be paid by the recipient of such distribution to the Trustee upon demand and any distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Trustee. Any distribution so paid to the Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to Shares held in the Trust and, subject to Delaware law, effective as of the date that the Shares have been transferred to the Trust, the Trustee shall have the authority (at the Trustee’s sole discretion):

 

(i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Series that the Shares have been transferred to the Trustee; and

 

(ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary;

 

provided, however, that if the Series has already taken action, then the Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, until the Series has received notification that Shares have been transferred into a Trust, the Series shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer records for purposes of preparing lists of Shareholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of Shareholders.

 

(d) Sale of Shares by Trustee. Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Series that Shares have been transferred to the Trust, the Trustee of the Trust shall sell the Shares held in the Trust to a person, designated by the Trustee, whose ownership of the Shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in ‎Section 11.2(a). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the Shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 11.11(d). The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of:

 

(1) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the Shares or, if the event causing the Shares to be held in the Trust did not involve a purchase of such Shares at Net Asset Value, the Net Asset Value of the Shares on the day of the event causing the Shares to be held in the Trust; and

 

(2) the price per Share received by the Trustee (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) from the sale or other disposition of the Shares held in the Trust.

 

The Trustee may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.11(c). Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by the Series that Shares have been transferred to the Trustee, such Shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then:

 

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(i) such Shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Trust; and

 

(ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such Shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this ‎Section 11.11(d), such excess shall be paid to the Trustee upon demand.

 

(e) Purchase Right in Shares Transferred to the Trustee. Shares transferred to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Series, or its designee, at a price per Share equal to the lesser of:

 

(i) the price per Share in the transaction that resulted in such Transfer to the Trust (or, if the event that resulted in the Transfer to the Trust did not involve a purchase of such Shares at Net Asset Value, the Net Asset Value of such Shares on the day of the event that resulted in the Transfer of such Shares to the Trust); and

 

(ii) the Net Asset Value on the date the Series, or its designee, accepts such offer.

 

The Series may reduce the amount payable to the Trustee by the amount of distributions which has been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.11(c) and may pay the amount of such reduction to the Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. The Series shall have the right to accept such offer until the Trustee has sold the Shares held in the Trust pursuant to ‎‎Section 11.11(d). Upon such a sale to the Series, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the Shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

 

(f) Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries. By written notice to the Trustee, the Series shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Trust such that the Shares held in the Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 11.2(a) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary. Neither the failure of the Series to make such designation nor the failure of the Series to appoint the Trustee before its automatic transfer provided for in Section 11.2(b) shall make such transfer ineffective; provided that the Series thereafter makes such designation and appointment. The designation of a nonprofit organization as a Charitable Beneficiary shall not entitle such nonprofit organization to serve in such capacity and the Series may, in its sole discretion, designate a different nonprofit organization as the Charitable Beneficiary at any time and for any or no reason. Any determination by the Series with respect to the application of this Section 11 shall be binding on each Charitable Beneficiary.

 

Section 11.12. Enforcement. The Series is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Section 11.

 

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Section 11.13. Non-Waiver. No delay or failure on the part of the Series or its Board in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Series or its Board, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

 

Section 11.14. Severability. If any provision of this Section 11 or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issues, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provisions shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of such court.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustee named below does hereby make and enter into this Declaration of Trust as of the date first above written.

 

/s/Lawrence Eiben  
Sole Trustee  

 

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