EX-10.1 3 ea021099801ex10-1_larosa.htm FORM OF SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND BROWN STONE CAPITAL LTD. DATED AUGUST 7, 2024

Exhibit 10.1

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of August 7, 2024, by and between LA ROSA HOLDINGS CORP., a Nevada corporation, with headquarters located at 1420 Celebration Blvd., 2nd Floor, Celebration, FL 34747 (the “Company”), and BROWN STONE CAPITAL LTD., a corporation organized under the laws of England and Wales, with its address at 9663 Santa Monica Blvd., No 1091, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (the “Buyer”).

 

WHEREAS:

 

A. The Company and the Buyer are executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and/or Rule 506(b) promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the 1933 Act;

 

B. Buyer desires to purchase from the Company, and the Company desires to issue and sell to the Buyer, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, up to 3,051,336 shares of Common Stock (as defined in this Agreement) (the “Shares”) (subject to appropriate adjustments for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock (as defined below)), upon the terms and subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in this Agreement (“Common Stock” shall mean shares of common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value per share); and

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the agreements and covenants herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Buyer hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Purchase and Sale of the Shares.

 

a. First Closing. As used in this Agreement, the term “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which commercial banks in the city of New York, New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed. The “First Closing Date” shall mean the date of the issuance and sale of 1,271,187 of the Shares (the “First Closing Shares”, subject to appropriate adjustments for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock) by the Company to Buyer, which shall occur on or before August 7, 2024, at such location as may be agreed to by the Company and Buyer (including via exchange of electronic signatures), subject to the satisfaction (or written waiver) of the conditions thereto set forth in Section 5 and Section 6 below. On the First Closing Date, the Company shall issue and sell to the Buyer, and the Buyer agrees to purchase from the Company, the First Closing Shares, as further provided in this Agreement. On the First Closing Date: (i) the Buyer shall pay the purchase price of $750,000.33 (the “First Purchase Price”) for the First Closing Shares, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Company, in accordance with the Company’s written wiring instructions attached hereto as Exhibit E, and (ii) the Company shall issue the First Closing Shares to the Buyer on the First Closing Date. Further, the Buyer shall withhold $25,000.00 from the First Purchase Price to cover the Buyer’s legal fees in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Buyer would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined in this Agreement) as a result of the issuance of the First Closing Shares as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act, then in lieu of receiving the portion of the First Closing Shares in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, such Buyer shall instead receive pre-funded common stock purchase warrants in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, to purchase the number of First Closing Shares in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (the “First Closing Pre-Funded Warrants”). The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the date of the respective calculation of beneficial ownership.

 

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b. Second Closing. The “Second Closing Date” shall mean the date of the issuance and sale of 1,780,149 of the Shares (the “Second Closing Shares”, subject to appropriate adjustments for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock) by the Company to Buyer (the “Second Closing”), which shall occur on or before the date that is fourteen (14) calendar days after the First Effectiveness Date (as defined in this Agreement), at such location as may be agreed to by the Company and Buyer (including via exchange of electronic signatures), subject to the satisfaction (or written waiver) of the conditions thereto set forth in Sections 5 and Section 6 of this Agreement, and the Additional Second Closing Conditions (as defined in this Agreement). On the Second Closing Date, the Company shall issue and sell to the Buyer, and the Buyer agrees to purchase from the Company, the Second Closing Shares, as further provided in this Agreement. On the Second Closing Date: (i) the Buyer shall pay the purchase price of $1,050,287.91 (the “Second Purchase Price”) for the Second Closing Shares, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Company, in accordance with the Company’s written wiring instructions attached hereto as Exhibit E, and (ii) the Company shall issue the Second Closing Shares to the Buyer without any restrictive legend on the Second Closing Date. Further, the Buyer shall withhold $20,000.00 from the Second Purchase Price to cover the Buyer’s legal fees in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Buyer would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation as a result of the issuance of the Second Closing Shares as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act, then in lieu of receiving the portion of the Second Closing Shares in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, such Buyer shall instead receive pre-funded common stock purchase warrants in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, to purchase the number of Second Closing Shares in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (the “Second Closing Pre-Funded Warrants”). The “Additional Second Closing Conditions” shall mean (i) the Company has not breached any covenant, agreement, or other term or condition contained in the Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in this Agreement), or any document, agreement, or instrument contemplated thereby, (ii) the Common Stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq CM”) and is not suspended or halted from trading, (iii) the Company is in compliance with all of the listing standards of Nasdaq CM, (iv) the initial Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) (a) shall be declared effective by the SEC on or before the date that is sixty (60) calendar days from the date of this Agreement and shall still be effective as of the Second Closing Date, and (b) shall include all of the First Closing Shares, Common Stock underlying the First Closing Pre-Funded Warrants, Second Closing Shares, and Common Stock underlying the Second Closing Pre-Funded Warrants for the Buyer’s resale at prevailing market prices, and (v) Nasdaq official closing price of the Common Stock must be at least $1.20 per share (subject to appropriate adjustments for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock) on each of the five (5) Trading Days (as defined in this Agreement) prior to the Second Closing Date. “Trading Day” shall mean any day that shares of Common Stock are listed for trading on the Nasdaq CM. “First Effectiveness Date” shall mean the first date that the initial Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in this Agreement)) is declared effective by the SEC.

 

c. Termination. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree that the Company shall have the right to terminate and cancel the Second Closing by giving written notice to the Buyer of such termination (the “Termination Notice”) at any time during the thirty (30) calendar days after the First Closing Date, for any reason and at no cost to the Company.

 

2. Buyer’s Representations and Warranties. The Buyer represents and warrants to the Company as of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date that:

 

a. Formation. The Buyer represents and warrants that it is a corporation duly formed and validly existing under the laws of England and Wales and is in good standing with the relevant authorities.

 

b. Authority to Enter into this Agreement. The Buyer has the full power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents (as defined in this Agreement). The execution, delivery, and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Buyer has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or organizational action.

 

c. Investment Purpose. As of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date, the Buyer is purchasing the Securities (as defined in this Agreement) for its own account and not with a present view towards the public sale or distribution thereof, except pursuant to an effective registration statement or exemption from registration requirements under the 1933 Act; provided, however, that by making the representations herein, unless otherwise required by applicable law, the Buyer does not agree to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with or pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption from registration requirements under the 1933 Act. The “Securities” shall mean the First Closing Shares, the First Closing Pre-Funded Warrants, the Common Stock underlying the First Closing Pre-Funded Warrants, Second Closing Shares, the Second Closing Pre-Funded Warrants, and the Common Stock underlying the Second Closing Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

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d. Accredited Investor Status. The Buyer is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D (an “Accredited Investor”) promulgated under the 1933 Act.

 

e. Reliance on Exemptions. The Buyer understands that the Securities have not been registered under the 1933 Act or any other applicable state or other securities laws of any other jurisdiction, are being offered and sold to it in reliance upon specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Buyer’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Buyer set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Buyer to acquire the Securities.

 

f. Information. The Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by the Buyer or its advisors. The Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company regarding its business and affairs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company has not disclosed to the Buyer any material nonpublic information regarding the Company or otherwise and will not disclose such information unless such information is disclosed to the public prior to or promptly following such disclosure to the Buyer. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigation conducted by Buyer or any of its advisors or representatives shall modify, amend or affect Buyer’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in Section 3 below.

 

g. Governmental Review. The Buyer understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has reviewed, passed upon the merits or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities.

 

h. Transfer or Re-sale. The Buyer understands that (i) the sale or resale of the Securities has not been registered under the 1933 Act or any applicable state securities laws as of the date of this Agreement, and the Securities may not be transferred unless (a) the Securities are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, (b) the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company, at its own cost, an opinion of counsel (which may be the Legal Counsel Opinion (as defined below)) that shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions to the effect that the Securities to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, which opinion shall be reasonably acceptable for the Company, (c) the Securities are sold or transferred to an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule) (“Rule 144”)) of the Buyer who agrees to sell or otherwise transfer the Securities only in accordance with this Section 2(h) and who is an Accredited Investor, (d) the Securities are sold pursuant to Rule 144 or other applicable exemption, or (e) the Securities are sold pursuant to Regulation S promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule) (“Regulation S”), and the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company, at its own cost, an opinion of counsel that shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in corporate transactions, which opinion shall be reasonably acceptable for the Company; (ii) any sale of such Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of said Rule and further, if said Rule is not applicable, any re-sale of such Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the 1933 Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder; and (iii) other than set forth herein or in the Registration Rights Agreement, neither the Company nor any other person is under any obligation to register such Securities under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder (in each case). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else contained herein to the contrary, the Securities may be pledged in connection with a bona fide margin account or other lending arrangement secured by the Securities, and such pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and the Buyer in effecting such pledge of Securities shall not be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise. The Buyer understands and agrees that the Securities will be subject to transfer restrictions under applicable securities laws and, as a result of these transfer restrictions, the Buyer may not be able to readily offer, resell, transfer, pledge (other than in connection with ordinary course prime brokerage relationships) or otherwise dispose of the Securities and may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time. The Buyer understands that it has been advised to consult legal counsel and tax and accounting advisors prior to making any offer, resale, pledge, transfer or disposition of any of the Securities.

 

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i. Legends. The Buyer understands that until such time as the Securities have been registered under the 1933 Act or may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, the Securities shall bear a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and a stop-transfer order may be placed against transfer of such Securities):

 

“NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH COUNSEL SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE HOLDER), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, RULE 144A, REGULATION S, OR OTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION UNDER SAID ACT. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY PERMITTED TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ABOVE, THE COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED.”

 

The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Company shall issue a certificate or book entry statement for the applicable shares of Common Stock without such legend to the holder of any Security upon which it is stamped or (as requested by such holder) issue the applicable shares of Common Stock to such holder by electronic delivery by crediting the account of such holder’s broker with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), if, unless otherwise required by applicable state securities laws, (a) such Securities are registered for resale under an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, or (b) the Company or the Buyer provides the Legal Counsel Opinion (as contemplated by and in accordance with Section 4(l) hereof) to the effect that a public sale or transfer of such Securities may be made without registration under the 1933 Act, which opinion shall be reasonably acceptable for the Company so that the sale or transfer is effected. The Company shall be responsible for the fees of its transfer agent and all DTC fees associated with any such issuance. The Buyer agrees to sell all Securities, including those represented by a certificate(s) from which the legend has been removed, in compliance with applicable prospectus delivery requirements, if any.

 

j. Authorization; Enforcement. The Transaction Documents, when countersigned and delivered by the Company, shall constitute a valid and legally binding obligations of the Buyer enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as may be limited by the exercise of judicial discretion in applying principles of equity.

 

k. Investment Risk. The Buyer acknowledges that it is aware that there are substantial risks incident to the purchase and ownership of the Securities. The Buyer has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities, and the Buyer has had an opportunity to seek, and has sought, such accounting, legal, business and tax advice as the Buyer has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision, and has the ability to bear the economic risks of its prospective investment and can afford the complete loss of such investment. The Buyer acknowledges that it (i) is a sophisticated investor, experienced in investing in business and financial transactions and capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to all transactions and investment strategies involving a security or securities, and (ii) has exercised independent judgment in evaluating its purchase of the Securities. Alone, or together with any professional advisor(s), the Buyer represents and acknowledges that the Buyer has adequately analyzed and fully considered the risks of an investment in the Securities and determined that the Securities are a suitable investment for the Buyer and that the Buyer is able at this time and in the foreseeable future to bear the economic risk of a total loss of the Buyer’s investment in the Company. The Buyer acknowledges specifically that a possibility of total loss exists.

 

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l. OFAC. The Buyer is not (i) a person or entity named on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) or in any Executive Order issued by the President of the United States and administered by OFAC, or any other list of prohibited or restricted parties promulgated by OFAC, the Department of Commerce, or the Department of State (“Consolidated Sanctions Lists”), or a person or entity prohibited or restricted by any OFAC sanctions program, or a person or entity whose property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are otherwise blocked under any U.S. laws, Executive Orders or regulations, (ii) a person or entity listed on the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications (“SSI”) List maintained by OFAC or otherwise determined by OFAC to be subject to one or more of the Directives issued under Executive Order 13662 of March 20, 2014, or on any other of the Consolidated Sanctions Lists, (iii) an entity owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by, acting on behalf of, or controlled by, one or more persons described in subsections (i) or (ii), (iv) organized, incorporated, established, located, resident or born in, or a citizen, national or the government, including any political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, of, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Venezuela, Syria, Belarus, Russia, the Crimea region of Ukraine or any other country or territory embargoed or subject to substantial trade restrictions by the United States, (v) a person or entity named on the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) Denied Persons List, Entity List, or Unverified List (“BIS Lists”), (vi) a Designated National as defined in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515, or (vii) a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services indirectly to a non-U.S. shell bank. (collectively, (i) through (vii), a “Restricted Person”).

 

m. Independent Investigation. The Buyer further acknowledges that there have not been, and the Buyer hereby expressly and irrevocably acknowledges and agrees that it is not relying on, any representations, warranties, covenants or, agreements or statements made to the Buyer by or on behalf of the Company or any of the affiliates, control persons, officers, directors, employees, partners, agents or representatives of the Company, expressly or by implication, (including by omission), other than those representations, warranties, covenants, agreements and statements of the Company expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents, and the Buyer is not relying on any other purported representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or statements (including by omission). The Buyer acknowledges that certain information provided by the Company was based on projections, and such projections were prepared based on assumptions and estimates that are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the projections. In making its decision to purchase the Securities, the Buyer has relied solely upon independent investigation made by the Buyer and upon the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents (and no other representations and warranties). The Buyer acknowledges and agrees that the Buyer has received and had adequate time to review such information as the Buyer deems necessary in order to make an investment decision with respect to the Securities. The Buyer has been offered the opportunity to ask questions of the Company and received answers thereto, including on the financial information, as the Buyer deemed necessary in connection with its decision to purchase the Securities. Buyer confirms and represents that it was not provided any non-public information from the Company or its executive officers, directors, and representatives.

 

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Buyer as of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date that:

 

a. Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (as defined below), if any, is a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated or formed, as the case may be, with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease, use and operate its properties and to carry on its business as and where now owned, leased, used, operated and conducted. Schedule 3(a) sets forth a list of all of the Subsidiaries of the Company and the jurisdiction in which each is incorporated. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership or use of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, operations, assets, financial condition or prospects of the Company or its Subsidiaries, if any, taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby or by the agreements or instruments to be entered into in connection herewith. “Subsidiaries” or “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, any equity or other ownership interest.

 

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b. Authorization; Enforcement. The Company represents and warrants to the Buyer that (i) the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and to issue the Securities, in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including without limitation, the issuance of the Securities) have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further consent or authorization of the Company, its Board of Directors, its shareholders, or its debt holders is required, (iii) this Agreement (together with any other instruments executed in connection herewith or therewith) have been duly executed and delivered by the Company by its authorized representative, and such authorized representative is the true and official representative with authority to sign this Agreement and the other instruments documents executed in connection herewith or therewith and bind the Company accordingly, and (iv) this Agreement upon execution and delivery by the Company and Buyer, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as may be limited by the exercise of judicial discretion in applying principles of equity.

 

c. Capitalization; Governing Documents. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company’s authorized capital stock consists of 250,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 50,000,000 shares of “blank check” preferred stock. As of the date of this Agreement, there are 15,264,317 shares of common stock and 2,000 shares of Series Super Voting X Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. All of such outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and the Securities are, or upon issuance will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. No shares of capital stock of the Company are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights of the shareholders of the Company or any liens or encumbrances imposed through the actions or failure to act of the Company. As of the effective date of this Agreement, other than as publicly announced prior to such date and reflected in the SEC Documents (as defined below) of the Company or as listed on Schedule 3(c) hereto (i) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe for, puts, calls, rights of first refusal, agreements, understandings, claims or other commitments or rights of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of its or their securities under the 1933 Act and (iii) there are no anti-dilution or price adjustment provisions contained in any security issued by the Company (or in any agreement providing rights to security holders) that will be triggered by the issuance of any of the Securities. The Company has furnished to the Buyer or filed as exhibits to the Company’s SEC Documents true and correct copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation as in effect on the date hereof (“Articles of Incorporation”), the Company’s By-laws, as in effect on the date hereof (the “By-laws”), and the SEC Documents contain the material terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock of the Company and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.

 

d. Issuance of Securities. The Securities are duly authorized and reserved for issuance and will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and free from all taxes, liens, claims and encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof and shall not be subject to preemptive rights or other similar rights of shareholders of the Company and will not impose personal liability upon the holder thereof.

 

e. Acknowledgment of Dilution. The Company understands and acknowledges the potentially dilutive effect of the Securities to the outstanding Common Stock of the Company. The Company further acknowledges that its obligation to issue the Securities pursuant to the terms of this Agreement is absolute and unconditional regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other shareholders of the Company.

 

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f. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance and reservation for issuance of the Securities) will not (i) conflict with or result in a violation of any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws, or (ii) violate or conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both could become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, note, evidence of indebtedness, indenture, patent, patent license or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and regulations of any self-regulatory organizations to which the Company or its securities is subject) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected (except for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect), or (iv) except as disclosed in the SEC documents or Schedule 3(c) hereto, trigger any anti-dilution and/or ratchet provision contained in any other contract in which the Company is a party thereto or any security issued by the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its Articles of Incorporation, By-laws or other organizational documents and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default (and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both could put the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in default) under, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action or failed to take any action that would give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected, except for possible defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in the Schedule 3(f) hereto. The businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, if any, are not being conducted, and shall not be conducted so long as the Buyer owns any of the Securities, in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement and as required under the 1933 Act and any applicable state securities laws, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court, governmental agency, regulatory agency, self-regulatory organization or stock market or any third party in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof or to issue and sell the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been obtained or effected on or prior to the date hereof. The Company is not in violation of the listing requirements of the Principal Market (as defined herein) and does not reasonably anticipate that the Common Stock will be delisted by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. The Company and its Subsidiaries are unaware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing. The “Principal Market” shall mean the principal securities exchange or trading market where such Common Stock is listed or traded, including but not limited to any tier of the OTC Markets, any tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market (including NASDAQ Capital Market), or the NYSE American, or any successor to such markets.

 

g. SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included therein and financial statements and schedules thereto and documents (other than exhibits to such documents) incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter referred to herein as the “SEC Documents”). As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. None of the statements made in any such SEC Documents is, or has been, required to be amended or updated under applicable law (except for such statements as have been amended or updated in subsequent filings prior the date hereof). As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments). Except as set forth in the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents, the Company has no material liabilities, contingent or otherwise, other than (i) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business subsequent to March 31, 2024, and (ii) obligations under contracts and commitments incurred in the ordinary course of business and not required under generally accepted accounting principles to be reflected in such financial statements, which, individually or in the aggregate, are not material to the financial condition or operating results of the Company. The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act. The Company has never been a “shell company” as described in Rule 144(i)(1)(i).

 

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h. Absence of Certain Changes. Except as disclosed in the Company’s SEC Documents since March 31, 2024, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the assets, liabilities, business, properties, operations, financial condition, results of operations, prospects or 1934 Act reporting status of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

i. Absence of Litigation. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3(i) hereto, there is no action, suit, claim, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or their officers or directors in their capacity as such, that could have a Material Adverse Effect. The SEC Documents and Schedule 3(i) hereto contain a complete list and summary description of any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened proceeding against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, without regard to whether it would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are unaware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing.

 

j. Intellectual Property. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses the requisite licenses or rights to use all patents, patent applications, patent rights, inventions, know-how, trade secrets, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, service names, trade names and copyrights (“Intellectual Property”) necessary to enable it to conduct its business as now operated (and, as presently contemplated to be operated in the future); there is no claim or action by any person pertaining to, or proceeding pending, or to the Company’s knowledge threatened, which challenges the right of the Company or of a Subsidiary with respect to any Intellectual Property necessary to enable it to conduct its business as now operated (and, as presently contemplated to be operated in the future); to the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ current and intended products, services and processes do not infringe on any Intellectual Property or other rights held by any person; and the Company is unaware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing in each such case that could have a Material Adverse Effect on Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of their Intellectual Property.

 

k. No Materially Adverse Contracts, Etc. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any charter, corporate or other legal restriction, or any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation which in the judgment of the Company’s officers has or is expected in the future to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract or agreement which in the judgment of the Company’s officers has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

l. Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has made or filed all federal, state and foreign income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject (unless and only to the extent that the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all unpaid and unreported taxes) and has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim. The Company has not executed a waiver with respect to the statute of limitations relating to the assessment or collection of any foreign, federal, state or local tax. None of the Company’s tax returns is presently being audited by any taxing authority.

 

m. Transactions with Affiliates. Except for arm’s length transactions pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries makes payments in the ordinary course of business upon terms no less favorable than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could obtain from third parties and other than the grant of stock options and warrants and other transactions with the affiliates of the Company described in the SEC Documents and Schedule 3(m) hereto, none of the officers, directors, or employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any corporation, partnership, trust or other entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K.

 

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n. Disclosure. All information relating to or concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries set forth in this Agreement and provided to the Buyer pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof and otherwise in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made herein or therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No event or circumstance has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, prospects, operations or financial conditions, which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly announced or disclosed (assuming for this purpose that the Company’s reports filed under the 1934 Act are being incorporated into an effective registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act).

 

o. Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of arm’s length purchaser with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company further acknowledges that the Buyer is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and any statement made by the Buyer or any of its respective representatives or agents in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is not advice or a recommendation and is merely incidental to the Buyer’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Buyer that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the Company and its representatives.

 

p. No Integrated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf, has directly or indirectly made any offers or sales in any security or solicited any offers to buy any security under circumstances that would require registration under the 1933 Act of the issuance of the Securities to the Buyer. The issuance of the Securities to the Buyer will not be integrated with any other issuance of the Company’s securities (past, current or future) for purposes of any shareholder approval provisions applicable to the Company or its securities.

 

q. No Brokers; No Solicitation. The Company has taken no action which would give rise to any claim by any person for brokerage commissions, transaction fees or similar payments relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company represents and warrants that neither the Buyer nor its employee(s), member(s), beneficial owner(s), or partner(s) solicited the Company to enter into this Agreement and consummate the transactions described in this Agreement. The Company represents and warrants that neither the Buyer nor its employee(s), member(s), beneficial owner(s), or partner(s) is required to be registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act in order to (i) enter into or consummate the transactions encompassed by this Agreement and the related transaction documents entered into in connection herewith (the “Transaction Documents”), (ii) fulfill the Buyer’s obligations under the Transaction Documents, or (iii) exercise any of the Buyer’s rights under the Transaction Documents (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities).

 

r. Permits; Compliance. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in possession of all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exemptions, consents, certificates, approvals and orders necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted (collectively, the “Company Permits”), and there is no action pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened regarding suspension or cancellation of any of the Company Permits, in each such case that could have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in conflict with, or in default or violation of, any of the Company Permits, except for any such conflicts, defaults or violations which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Since March 31, 2024, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notification with respect to possible conflicts, defaults or violations of applicable laws, except for notices relating to possible conflicts, defaults or violations, which conflicts, defaults or violations would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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s. Environmental Matters.

 

(i) There are, to the Company’s knowledge, with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any predecessor of the Company, no past or present violations of Environmental Laws (as defined below), releases of any material into the environment, actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events, incidents, or contractual obligations which may give rise to any common law environmental liability or any liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 or similar federal, state, local or foreign laws and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice with respect to any of the foregoing, nor is any action pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened in connection with any of the foregoing, in each such case that could have a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.

 

(ii) Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those that are or were stored, used or disposed of in compliance with applicable law, no Hazardous Materials are contained on or about any real property currently owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and no Hazardous Materials were released on or about any real property previously owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during the period the property was owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each such case that could have a Material Adverse Effect, except in the normal course of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ business.

 

(iii) To the Company’s knowledge, there are no underground storage tanks on or under any real property owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are not in compliance with applicable law.

 

t. Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents and Schedule 3(t) hereto, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

u. Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged, except such as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Upon written request the Company will provide to the Buyer true and correct copies of all policies relating to directors’ and officers’ liability coverage, errors and omissions coverage, and commercial general liability coverage.

 

v. Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient, in the judgment of the Company’s board of directors, to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. As reported by the Company in its quarterly report for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024, as of March 31, 2024, the Company conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of its disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act). Based upon this evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of the quarter then ended.

 

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w. Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has, in the course of his actions for, or on behalf of, the Company, used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.

 

x. Solvency. The Company (after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) is solvent (i.e., its assets have a fair market value in excess of the amount required to pay its probable liabilities on its existing debts as they become absolute and matured) and currently the Company has no information that would lead it to reasonably conclude that the Company would not, after giving effect to the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, have the ability to, nor does it intend to take any action that would impair its ability to, pay its debts from time to time incurred in connection therewith as such debts mature. The Company’s financial statements for its most recent fiscal year end and interim financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business.

 

y. No Investment Company. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement will not be an “investment company” required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (an “Investment Company”). The Company is not controlled by an Investment Company.

 

aa. No Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

bb. No Disqualification Events. None of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering hereunder, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “Issuer Covered Person”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the 1933 Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event.

 

cc. Manipulation of Price. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has: (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result, or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result, in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

 

dd. Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

ee. Illegal or Unauthorized Payments; Political Contributions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or other representatives of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other business entity or enterprise with which the Company or any Subsidiary is or has been affiliated or associated, has, directly or indirectly, made or authorized any payment, contribution or gift of money, property, or services, whether or not in contravention of applicable law, (i) as a kickback or bribe to any person or (ii) to any political organization, or the holder of or any aspirant to any elective or appointive public office except for personal political contributions not involving the direct or indirect use of funds of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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ff. Shareholder Approval. The Company does not need to obtain any approval from the shareholders of the Company in order to enter into this Agreement and effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including but not limited to any shareholder approval as contemplated by Nasdaq Rule 5635(e).

 

4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS, AGREEMENTS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

 

a. Best Efforts. The parties shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to satisfy timely each of the conditions described in Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement.

 

b. Form D; Blue Sky Laws. The Company intends to issue the Securities pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act available to the Company under Section 4(a)(2) due to the fact that the issuance did not involve a public offering of securities. The Company is not be required to file a Form D with respect to the Securities under Regulation D. The Company shall, on or before the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date, take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary to qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyer at the applicable closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “blue sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyer on or prior to the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date.

 

c. Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the First Purchase Price and Second Purchase Price for business development, general working capital, and the repayment of debt, and not in violation or contravention of any applicable law, rule, or regulation.

 

d. Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any action or proceeding that may be brought by the Buyer in order to enforce any right or remedy under this Agreement and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under this Agreement or any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby for payments which under applicable law are in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest when aggregated with any other sums which under applicable law in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under this Agreement and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law applicable to this Agreement and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to this Agreement and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law.

 

e. Restriction on Activities. Commencing as of the date first above written, and until the date that is one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, without the Buyer’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld: (a) change the nature of its business; or (b) sell, divest, or change the structure of any material assets other than in the ordinary course of business.

 

f. Listing. The Company will, so long as the Buyer owns any of the Securities, maintain the listing and trading of its Common Stock on the Principal Market or any equivalent replacement exchange or electronic quotation system (including but not limited to the Pink Sheets electronic quotation system) and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and such exchanges, as applicable. The Company shall promptly provide to the Buyer copies of any notices it receives from the Principal Market and any other exchanges or electronic quotation systems on which the Common Stock is then traded regarding the continued eligibility of the Common Stock for listing on such exchanges and quotation systems.

 

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g. Corporate Existence. The Company will, so long as the Buyer beneficially owns any of the Securities, maintain its corporate existence and shall not sell all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, except in the event of a merger or consolidation with the written consent of the Buyer or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets with the written consent of the Buyer, where the surviving or successor entity in such transaction (i) assumes the Company’s obligations hereunder and under the agreements and instruments entered into in connection herewith and (ii) is a publicly traded corporation whose Common Stock is listed for trading or quotation on the Principal Market, any tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE American.

 

h. No Integration. The Company shall not make any offers or sales of any security (other than the Securities) under circumstances that would require registration of the Securities being offered or sold hereunder under the 1933 Act or cause the offering of the Securities to be integrated with any other offering of securities by the Company for the purpose of any stockholder approval provision applicable to the Company or its securities.

 

i. Compliance with 1934 Act; Public Information Failures. For so long as the Buyer beneficially owns any of the Securities, the Company shall comply with the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act; and the Company shall continue to be subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act. During the period that the Buyer beneficially owns any of the Securities, if the Company shall (i) fail for any reason to satisfy the requirements of Rule 144(c)(1), including, without limitation, the failure to satisfy the current public information requirements under Rule 144(c) or (ii) if the Company has ever been an issuer described in Rule 144(i)(1)(i) or becomes such an issuer in the future, and the Company shall fail to satisfy any condition set forth in Rule 144(i)(2) (each, a “Public Information Failure”) then, as partial relief for the damages to the Buyer by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Securities (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available pursuant to this Agreement, at law, or in equity), the Company shall pay to the Buyer an amount in cash equal to three percent (3%) of the sum of the First Purchase Price and Second Purchase Price on each of the day of a Public Information Failure and on every thirtieth day (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the date such Public Information Failure is cured. The payments to which a holder shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 4(j) are referred to herein as “Public Information Failure Payments.” Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (iii) the third business day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full.

 

j. Acknowledgement Regarding Buyer’s Trading Activity. Until the earlier of (i) the Second Closing Date or (ii) the date that is six (6) months after the date of this Agreement, the Buyer shall not effect any “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the 1934 Act) of the Common Stock which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.

 

k. Legal Counsel Opinions. Upon the request of the Buyer from to time to time (for no more than two requests per year), the Company shall be responsible (at its cost) for promptly supplying to the Company’s transfer agent and the Buyer a customary legal opinion letter of its counsel (the “Legal Counsel Opinion”) to the effect that the resale of the Securities by the Buyer or its affiliates, successors and assigns is exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act pursuant to Rule 144 (provided the requirements of Rule 144 are satisfied and provided the Securities are not then registered under the 1933 Act for resale pursuant to an effective registration statement) or other applicable exemption (provided the requirements of such other applicable exemption are satisfied). In addition, the Buyer may (at its own cost) at any time secure its own legal counsel to issue the Legal Counsel Opinion, and the Company will instruct its transfer agent to accept such opinion. The Company hereby agrees that it may never take the position that it is a “shell company” in connection with its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise.

 

l. Registration Rights Agreement and Piggy-Back Registration Rights. The Company hereby grants to the Buyer the piggy-back registration rights set forth in Exhibit A hereto. In addition, the Company and Buyer are entering into that certain registration rights agreement in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), on the date of this Agreement.

 

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m. Non-Public Information. The Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other person acting on its behalf will provide the Buyer or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes, or the Company reasonably believes constitutes, material non-public information, unless prior thereto the Buyer shall have consented to the receipt of such information and agreed with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that the Buyer shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to the Buyer without such Buyer’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Buyer shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or affiliates, not to trade on the basis of, such material, non- public information, provided that the Buyer shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided, information provided, or any other communications made by the Company, to the Buyer, constitutes or contains material non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice or other material information with the SEC pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. In addition to any other remedies provided by this Agreement or the related transaction documents, if the Company provides any material non-public information to the Buyer without their prior written consent, and it fails to immediately (no later than the end of business on the next day when the SEC is open) file a Form 8-K disclosing this material non-public information, it shall pay the Buyer as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty a sum equal to $3,000 per day beginning with the day the information is disclosed to the Buyer and ending and including the day the Form 8-K disclosing this information is filed.

 

n. No Broker-Dealer Acknowledgement.  Absent a final adjudication from a court of competent jurisdiction stating otherwise, the Company shall not to any person, institution, governmental or other entity, state, claim, allege, or in any way assert, that Buyer is currently, or ever has been, a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act.

 

5. Conditions to the Company’s Obligation to Sell. The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Securities to the Buyer at the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date, of each of the following conditions thereto, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion:

 

a. The Buyer shall have executed this Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement and delivered the same to the Company.

 

b. The Buyer shall have delivered the First Purchase Price or Second Purchase Price, as applicable, in accordance with Section 1 of this Agreement.

 

c. The representations and warranties of the Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date as applicable, as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date), and the Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Buyer at or prior to the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date as applicable.

 

d. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

6. Conditions to The Buyer’s Obligation to Purchase. The obligation of the Buyer hereunder to purchase the Securities, at the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date as applicable, is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Buyer at any time in its sole discretion:

 

a. The Company shall have executed this Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement and delivered the same to the Buyer.

 

b. The Company shall have delivered to the Buyer the Securities in accordance with Section 1 above.

 

c. The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects as of each of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date, as though made at such time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date as applicable.

 

d. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

e. No event shall have occurred which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company including but not limited to a change in the 1934 Act reporting status of the Company or the failure of the Company to be timely in its 1934 Act reporting obligations.

 

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f. Trading in the Common Stock on the Principal Market shall not have been suspended by the SEC, FINRA or the Principal Market.

 

g. The Company shall have delivered to the Buyer (i) a certificate evidencing the formation and good standing of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries in such entity’s jurisdiction of formation issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such jurisdiction, as of a date within five (5) days prior each of the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date and (ii) resolutions adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors at a duly called meeting or by unanimous written consent authorizing this Agreement and all other documents, instruments and transactions contemplated hereby.

 

h. The Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a legal opinion from the Company’s counsel covering the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in a form acceptable to the Buyer.

 

7. Governing Law; Miscellaneous.

 

a. Arbitration of Claims; Governing Law; Venue. The Company and Buyer shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit B of this Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit B of the Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Buyer hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions are unconditionally binding on the Company and Buyer hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Agreement. By executing this Agreement, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. Company acknowledges and agrees that Buyer may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Nevada or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Nevada. The Company and Buyer consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates shall be in the State of California, County of Los Angeles. Without modifying the Company’s and Buyer’s mandatory obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent relating to the Securities or otherwise related to Buyer in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Buyer for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in the State of California, County of Los Angeles, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Buyer for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in the State of California, County of Los Angeles, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Buyer to realize on any collateral or any other security, or the ability of either party to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of such party, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. Each party hereto irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.

 

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b. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. A facsimile or .pdf signature shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original, not a facsimile or .pdf signature. Delivery of a counterpart signature hereto by facsimile or email/.pdf transmission shall be deemed a valid delivery thereof.

 

c. Construction; Headings. This Agreement shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Buyer and shall not be construed against any person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

d. Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement or any other agreement or instrument delivered in connection herewith is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

e. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor the Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby may be waived or amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Buyer.

 

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f. Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) personally served, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, e-mail or facsimile, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery or delivery by e-mail or facsimile, with accurate confirmation generated by the transmitting facsimile machine, at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The addresses for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company, to:

 

LA ROSA HOLDINGS CORP.

1420 Celebration Blvd., 2nd Floor

Celebration, FL 34747

Attention: Joseph La Rosa

e-mail: joe@larosarealtycorp.com

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP

1185 Avenue of the Americas, 31st Floor

New York, NY 10036

Telephone number: 212-658-0458

Attention: Ross Carmel, Esq.

Email: rcarmel@srfc.law

 

If to the Buyer:

 

BROWN STONE CAPITAL LTD.

9663 Santa Monica Blvd., No 1091

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

e-mail: nima@brownstonecapital.net

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Anthony Linder Cacomanolis PLLC

1700 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 820

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Attention: Laura Anthony

Email: LAnthony@alclaw.com

 

g. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and assigns. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Buyer. The Buyer may assign its rights hereunder to any “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a) of the 1933 Act) in a private transaction from the Buyer or to any of its “affiliates,” as that term is defined under the 1934 Act, without the consent of the Company.

 

h. Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other person.

 

i. Survival. The representations and warranties of the Company and the agreements and covenants set forth in this Agreement shall survive the closing hereunder notwithstanding any due diligence investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Buyer. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer and all their officers, directors, employees and agents for loss or damage arising as a result of or related to any breach or alleged breach by the Company of any of its representations, warranties and covenants set forth in this Agreement or any of its covenants and obligations under this Agreement, including advancement of expenses as they are incurred.

 

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j. Publicity. The Company, and the Buyer shall have the right to review a reasonable period of time before issuance of any press releases, SEC, Principal Market or FINRA filings, or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of the Buyer, to make any press release or SEC, Principal Market (or other applicable trading market) or FINRA filings with respect to such transactions as is required by applicable law and regulations (although the Buyer shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release prior to its release and shall be provided with a copy thereof and be given an opportunity to comment thereon).

 

k. Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

l. No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

 

m. Indemnification. In consideration of the Buyer’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and acquiring the Securities hereunder, and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under this Agreement, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer and its stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby or (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, or (iii) the status of the Buyer or holder of the Securities as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities that is permissible under applicable law.

 

n. Remedies. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Buyer by vitiating the intent and purpose of the transaction contemplated hereby. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, that the Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies at law or in equity, and in addition to the penalties assessable herein, to an injunction or injunctions restraining, preventing or curing any breach of this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof and thereof, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.

 

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o. Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the (i) Company makes a payment or payments to the Buyer hereunder or pursuant to any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, or (ii) the Buyer enforces or exercises its rights under this Agreement or pursuant to any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities) are for any reason (i) subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, or disgorged by the Buyer, or (ii) are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver, government entity, or any other person or entity under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then (i) to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred and (ii) the Company shall immediately pay to the Buyer a dollar amount equal to the amount that was for any reason (i) subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, or disgorged by the Buyer, or (ii) required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver, government entity, or any other person or entity under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action).

 

p. Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of the party hereto in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privileges. All rights and remedies of each party hereto existing hereunder are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.

 

q. Electronic Signature. This Agreement may be executed and delivered in one or more counterparts (including by facsimile or electronic mail or in .pdf or any other form of electronic delivery (including any electronic signature complying with U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000)) and by different parties in separate counterparts, with the same effect as if all parties hereto had signed the same document. All counterparts so executed and delivered shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Buyer and the Company have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

LA ROSA HOLDINGS CORP.

 

By:                          
  Name: JOSEPH LA ROSA  
  Title: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER  

 

BROWN STONE CAPITAL LTD.

 

By:                         
  Name: Nima Montazeri  
  Title: PRESIDENT  

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

PIGGY-BACK REGISTRATION RIGHTS

 

All of the Securities shall be deemed “Registrable Securities” as such term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement and subject to the provisions of this Exhibit A and the Registration Rights Agreement. All capitalized terms used but not defined in this Exhibit A shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Securities Purchase Agreement to which this Exhibit is attached.

 

1.Piggy-Back Registration.

 

1.1 Piggy-Back Rights. If at any time on or after the First Closing Date, the Company proposes to file any Registration Statement under the 1933 Act (a “Registration Statement”) with respect to any offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities, by the Company for its own account or for shareholders of the Company for their account (or by the Company and by shareholders of the Company), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan on Form S-8, (ii) for a dividend reinvestment plan or (iii) in connection with a merger or acquisition, then the Company shall (x) give written notice of such proposed filing to the holders of Registrable Securities appearing on the books and records of the Company as such a holder as soon as practicable but in no event less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of the Registration Statement, which notice shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration Statement, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, of the offering, and (y) offer to the holders of Registrable Securities in such notice the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such holders may request in writing within three (3) days following receipt of such notice (a “Piggy-Back Registration”). The Company shall cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such registration and shall cause the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested to be included in a Piggy-Back Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (with the understanding that the Company shall file the initial prospectus covering the Buyer’s sale of the Registrable Securities at prevailing market prices on the same date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC). In the event the number of shares available under the Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities, the Company shall amend the Registration Statement or file a new Registration Statement (a “New Registration Statement”), so as to cover all of such Registrable Securities. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment and/or New Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof. In the event that any of the Registrable Securities are not included in the Registration Statement, or have not been included in any New Registration Statement and the Company files any other registration statement under the Securities Act (“Other Registration Statement”), other than on Form S-4, Form S-8, or with respect to other employee related plans or rights offerings, then, if requested by the holder of the Registrable Securities, the Company shall include such remaining Registrable Securities in such Other Registration Statement.

 

1.2 Withdrawal. Any holder of Registrable Securities may elect to withdraw such holder’s request for inclusion of Registrable Securities in any Piggy-Back Registration by giving written notice to the Company of such request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Company (whether on its own determination or as the result of a withdrawal by persons making a demand pursuant to written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding any such withdrawal, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred by the holders of Registrable Securities in connection with such Piggy-Back Registration as provided in Section 1.5 below.

 

1.3 The Company shall notify the holders of Registrable Securities at any time when a prospectus relating to such holder’s Registrable Securities is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing. At the request of such holder, the Company shall also prepare, file and furnish to such holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing. The holders of Registrable Securities shall not to offer or sell any Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement after receipt of such notification until the receipt of such supplement or amendment.

 

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1.4 The Company may request a holder of Registrable Securities to furnish the Company such information with respect to such holder and such holder’s proposed distribution of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing or as shall be required by law or by the SEC in connection therewith, and such holders shall furnish the Company with such information.

 

1.5 All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Exhibit B by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the SEC, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any trading market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities) and (D) with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a holder of Registrable Securities intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with the FINRA, (ii) printing expenses, (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) 1933 Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, (vi) fees and expenses of all other persons or entities retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Exhibit B and (vii) reasonable fees and disbursements of a single special counsel for the holders of Registrable Securities (selected by holders of the majority of the Registrable Securities requesting such registration). In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any holder of Registrable Securities.

 

1.6 The Company and its successors and assigns shall indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer, each holder of Registrable Securities, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents and employees (and any other individuals or entities with a functionally equivalent role of a person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each individual or entity who controls the Buyer or any such holder of Registrable Securities (within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other individuals or entities with a functionally equivalent role of a person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling individual or entity (each, an “Indemnified Party”), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (1) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any related prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any such prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Exhibit B, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based upon information regarding the Buyer or such holder of Registrable Securities furnished to the Company by such party for use therein. The Company shall notify the Buyer and each holder of Registrable Securities promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Exhibit B of which the Company is aware.

 

1.7 If the indemnification under Section 1.6 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, the Company or the Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include any reasonable attorneys’ or other fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in Section 1.6 was available to such party in accordance with its terms. It is agreed that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 1.7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding sentence. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 1.7, neither the Buyer nor any holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such party from the sale of all of their Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement or related prospectus exceeds the amount of any damages that such party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

[End of Exhibit A]

 

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EXHIBIT B

 

ARBITRATION PROVISIONS

 

1. Dispute Resolution. Each party consents to and expressly agrees that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any dispute arising out of or relating to any of the Transaction Documents or the relationship of the parties or their affiliates shall be in the State of California, County of Los Angeles. For purposes of this Exhibit B, the term “Claims” means any disputes, claims, demands, causes of action, requests for injunctive relief, requests for specific performance, questions regarding severability of any provisions of the Transaction Documents, liabilities, damages, losses, or controversies whatsoever arising from, related to, or connected with the transactions contemplated in the Transaction Documents and any communications between the parties related thereto, including without limitation any claims of mutual mistake, mistake, fraud, misrepresentation, failure of formation, failure of consideration, promissory estoppel, unconscionability, failure of condition precedent, rescission, and any statutory claims, tort claims, contract claims, or claims to void, invalidate or terminate the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions (defined below)) or any of the other Transaction Documents. The parties to this Agreement (the “parties”) hereby agree that the Claims may be arbitrated in one or more Arbitrations pursuant to these Arbitration Provisions (one for an injunction or injunctions and a separate one for all other Claims). The parties hereby agree that the arbitration provisions set forth in this Exhibit B (“Arbitration Provisions”) are binding on each of them. As a result, any attempt to rescind the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions) or any other Transaction Document) or declare the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions) or any other Transaction Document invalid or unenforceable pursuant to Section 29 of the 1934 Act or for any other reason is subject to these Arbitration Provisions. These Arbitration Provisions shall also survive any termination or expiration of the Agreement. Any capitalized term not defined in these Arbitration Provisions shall have the meaning set forth in the Agreement.

 

2. Arbitration. Except as otherwise provided herein, all Claims must be submitted to arbitration (“Arbitration”) to be conducted exclusively in the State of California, County of Los Angeles, and pursuant to the terms set forth in these Arbitration Provisions. Subject to the arbitration appeal right provided for in Paragraph 5 below (the “Appeal Right”), the parties agree that the award of the arbitrator rendered pursuant to Paragraph 4 below (the “Arbitration Award”) shall be (a) final and binding upon the parties, (b) the sole and exclusive remedy between them regarding any Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded to the arbitrator, and (c) promptly payable in United States dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset (with respect to monetary awards). Subject to the Appeal Right, any costs or fees, including without limitation attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with or incident to enforcing the Arbitration Award shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be charged against the party resisting such enforcement. Judgment upon the Arbitration Award will be entered and enforced by any state or federal court sitting in the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

 

3. The Arbitration Act. The parties hereby incorporate herein the provisions and procedures set forth in the California Arbitration Act, Title 9 §§ 1280-1294.4 (as amended or superseded from time to time, the “Arbitration Act”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to, and to the maximum extent permitted by, the Arbitration Act, in the event of conflict or variation between the terms of these Arbitration Provisions and the provisions of the Arbitration Act, the terms of these Arbitration Provisions shall control and the parties hereby waive or otherwise agree to vary the effect of all requirements of the Arbitration Act that may conflict with or vary from these Arbitration Provisions.

 

4. Arbitration Proceedings. Arbitration between the parties will be subject to the following:

 

4.1 Initiation of Arbitration. Pursuant to the Arbitration Act, the parties agree that a party may initiate Arbitration by giving written notice to the other party (“Arbitration Notice”) in the same manner that notice is permitted under Section 8(f) of the Agreement; provided, however, that the Arbitration Notice may not be given by email or fax. Arbitration will be deemed initiated as of the date that the Arbitration Notice is deemed physically delivered to such other party under Section 8(f) of the Agreement (the “Service Date”). After the Service Date, information may be delivered, and notices may be given, by email or fax pursuant to Section 8(f) of the Agreement or any other method permitted thereunder. The Arbitration Notice must describe the nature of the controversy, the remedies sought, and the election to commence Arbitration proceedings. All Claims in the Arbitration Notice must be pleaded consistent with the California Rules of Civil Procedure.

 

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4.2 Selection and Payment of Arbitrator.

 

(a) Within ten (10) calendar days after the Service Date, Buyer shall select and submit to Company the names of three (3) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) (https://www.adr.org/) or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (such three (3) designated persons hereunder are referred to herein as the “Proposed Arbitrators”). For the avoidance of doubt, each Proposed Arbitrator must be qualified as a “neutral” with AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties. Within five (5) calendar days after Buyer has submitted to Company the names of the Proposed Arbitrators, Company must select, by written notice to Buyer, one (1) of the Proposed Arbitrators to act as the arbitrator for the parties under these Arbitration Provisions. If Company fails to select one of the Proposed Arbitrators in writing within such 5-day period, then Buyer may select the arbitrator from the Proposed Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to Company.

 

(b) If Buyer fails to submit to Company the Proposed Arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days after the Service Date pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, then Company may at any time prior to Buyer so designating the Proposed Arbitrators, identify the names of three (3) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties by written notice to Buyer. Buyer may then, within five (5) calendar days after Company has submitted notice of its Proposed Arbitrators to Buyer, select, by written notice to Company, one (1) of the Proposed Arbitrators to act as the arbitrator for the parties under these Arbitration Provisions. If Buyer fails to select in writing and within such 5-day period one (1) of the three (3) Proposed Arbitrators selected by Company, then Company may select the arbitrator from its three (3) previously selected Proposed Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to Buyer.

 

(c) If a Proposed Arbitrator chosen to serve as arbitrator declines or is otherwise unable to serve as arbitrator, then the party that selected such Proposed Arbitrator may select one (1) of the other three (3) Proposed Arbitrators within three (3) calendar days of the date the chosen Proposed Arbitrator declines or notifies the parties he or she is unable to serve as arbitrator. If all three (3) Proposed Arbitrators decline or are otherwise unable to serve as arbitrator, then the arbitrator selection process shall begin again in accordance with this Paragraph 4.2.

 

(d) The date that the Proposed Arbitrator selected pursuant to this Paragraph 4.2 agrees in writing (including via email) delivered to both parties to serve as the arbitrator hereunder is referred to herein as the “Arbitration Commencement Date”. If an arbitrator resigns or is unable to act during the Arbitration, a replacement arbitrator shall be chosen in accordance with this Paragraph 4.2 to continue the Arbitration. If AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties ceases to exist or to provide a list of neutrals and there is no successor thereto, then the arbitrator shall be selected under the then prevailing rules of the American Arbitration Association.

 

(e) Subject to Paragraph 4.10 below, the cost of the arbitrator must be paid equally by both parties. Subject to Paragraph 4.10 below, if one party refuses or fails to pay its portion of the arbitrator fee, then the other party can advance such unpaid amount, with such amount being added to or subtracted from, as applicable, the Arbitration Award.

 

4.3 Applicability of Certain California Rules. The parties agree that the Arbitration shall be conducted generally in accordance with the California Rules of Civil Procedure and the California Evidence Code. More specifically, the California Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply, without limitation, to the filing of any pleadings, motions or memoranda, the conducting of discovery, and the taking of any depositions. The California Evidence Code shall apply to any hearings, whether telephonic or in person, held by the arbitrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the parties’ intent that the incorporation of such rules will in no event supersede these Arbitration Provisions. In the event of any conflict between the California Rules of Civil Procedure or the California Evidence Code and these Arbitration Provisions, these Arbitration Provisions shall control.

 

4.4 Answer and Default. An answer and any counterclaims to the Arbitration Notice shall be required to be delivered to the party initiating the Arbitration within twenty (20) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date. If an answer is not delivered by the required deadline, the arbitrator must provide written notice to the defaulting party stating that the arbitrator will enter a default award against such party if such party does not file an answer within five (5) calendar days of receipt of such notice. If an answer is not filed within the five (5) day extension period, the arbitrator must render a default award, consistent with the relief requested in the Arbitration Notice, against a party that fails to submit an answer within such time period.

 

4.5 [Intentionally Omitted].

 

4.6 Discovery. The parties agree that discovery shall be conducted as follows:

 

(a) Written discovery will only be allowed if the likely benefits of the proposed written discovery outweigh the burden or expense thereof, and the written discovery sought is likely to reveal information that will satisfy a specific element of a claim or defense already pleaded in the Arbitration. The party seeking written discovery shall always have the burden of showing that all of the standards and limitations set forth in these Arbitration Provisions are satisfied. The scope of discovery in the Arbitration proceedings shall also be limited as follows:

 

(i) To facts directly connected with the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.

 

(ii) To facts and information that cannot be obtained from another source or in another manner that is more convenient, less burdensome or less expensive than in the manner requested.

 

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(b) No party shall be allowed (i) more than fifteen (15) interrogatories (including discrete subparts), (ii) more than fifteen (15) requests for admission (including discrete subparts), (iii) more than ten (10) document requests (including discrete subparts), or (iv) more than three (3) depositions (excluding expert depositions) for a maximum of seven (7) hours per deposition. The costs associated with depositions will be borne by the party taking the deposition. The party defending the deposition will submit a notice to the party taking the deposition of the estimated attorneys’ fees that such party expects to incur in connection with defending the deposition. If the party defending the deposition fails to submit an estimate of attorneys’ fees within five (5) calendar days of its receipt of a deposition notice, then such party shall be deemed to have waived its right to the estimated attorneys’ fees. The party taking the deposition must pay the party defending the deposition the estimated attorneys’ fees prior to taking the deposition, unless such obligation is deemed to be waived as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence. If the party taking the deposition believes that the estimated attorneys’ fees are unreasonable, such party may submit the issue to the arbitrator for a decision.

 

(c) All discovery requests (including document production requests included in deposition notices) must be submitted in writing to the arbitrator and the other party. The party submitting the written discovery requests must include with such discovery requests a detailed explanation of how the proposed discovery requests satisfy the requirements of these Arbitration Provisions and the California Rules of Civil Procedure. The receiving party will then be allowed, within five (5) calendar days of receiving the proposed discovery requests, to submit to the arbitrator an estimate of the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to such written discovery requests and a written challenge to each applicable discovery request. After receipt of an estimate of attorneys’ fees and costs and/or challenge(s) to one or more discovery requests, consistent with subparagraph (c) above, the arbitrator will within three (3) calendar days make a finding as to the likely attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to the discovery requests and issue an order that (i) requires the requesting party to prepay the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to the discovery requests, and (ii) requires the responding party to respond to the discovery requests as limited by the arbitrator within twenty-five (25) calendar days of the arbitrator’s finding with respect to such discovery requests. If a party entitled to submit an estimate of attorneys’ fees and costs and/or a challenge to discovery requests fails to do so within such 5-day period, the arbitrator will make a finding that (A) there are no attorneys’ fees or costs associated with responding to such discovery requests, and (B) the responding party must respond to such discovery requests (as may be limited by the arbitrator) within twenty-five (25) calendar days of the arbitrator’s finding with respect to such discovery requests. Any party submitting any written discovery requests, including without limitation interrogatories, requests for production subpoenas to a party or a third party, or requests for admissions, must prepay the estimated attorneys’ fees and costs, before the responding party has any obligation to produce or respond to the same, unless such obligation is deemed waived as set forth above.

 

(d) In order to allow a written discovery request, the arbitrator must find that the discovery request satisfies the standards set forth in these Arbitration Provisions and the California Rules of Civil Procedure. The arbitrator must strictly enforce these standards. If a discovery request does not satisfy any of the standards set forth in these Arbitration Provisions or the California Rules of Civil Procedure, the arbitrator may modify such discovery request to satisfy the applicable standards, or strike such discovery request in whole or in part.

 

(e) Each party may submit expert reports (and rebuttals thereto), provided that such reports must be submitted within sixty (60) days of the Arbitration Commencement Date. Each party will be allowed a maximum of two (2) experts. Expert reports must contain the following: (i) a complete statement of all opinions the expert will offer at trial and the basis and reasons for them; (ii) the expert’s name and qualifications, including a list of all the expert’s publications within the preceding ten (10) years, and a list of any other cases in which the expert has testified at trial or in a deposition or prepared a report within the preceding ten (10) years; and (iii) the compensation to be paid for the expert’s report and testimony. The parties are entitled to depose any other party’s expert witness one (1) time for no more than four (4) hours. An expert may not testify in a party’s case-in-chief concerning any matter not fairly disclosed in the expert report.

 

4.6 Dispositive Motions. Each party shall have the right to submit dispositive motions pursuant to the California Rules of Civil Procedure (a “Dispositive Motion”). The party submitting the Dispositive Motion may, but is not required to, deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a memorandum in support (the “Memorandum in Support”) of the Dispositive Motion. Within seven (7) calendar days of delivery of the Memorandum in Support, the other party shall deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a memorandum in opposition to the Memorandum in Support (the “Memorandum in Opposition”). Within seven (7) calendar days of delivery of the Memorandum in Opposition, as applicable, the party that submitted the Memorandum in Support shall deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a reply memorandum to the Memorandum in Opposition (“Reply Memorandum”). If the applicable party shall fail to deliver the Memorandum in Opposition as required above, or if the other party fails to deliver the Reply Memorandum as required above, then the applicable party shall lose its right to so deliver the same, and the Dispositive Motion shall proceed regardless.

 

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4.7 Confidentiality. All information disclosed by either party (or such party’s agents) during the Arbitration process (including without limitation information disclosed during the discovery process or any Appeal (defined below)) shall be considered confidential in nature. Each party agrees not to disclose any confidential information received from the other party (or its agents) during the Arbitration process (including without limitation during the discovery process or any Appeal) unless (a) prior to or after the time of disclosure such information becomes public knowledge or part of the public domain, not as a result of any inaction or action of the receiving party or its agents, (b) such information is required by a court order, subpoena or similar legal duress to be disclosed if such receiving party has notified the other party thereof in writing and given it a reasonable opportunity to obtain a protective order from a court of competent jurisdiction prior to disclosure, or (c) such information is disclosed to the receiving party’s agents, representatives and legal counsel on a need to know basis who each agree in writing not to disclose such information to any third party. The arbitrator is hereby authorized and directed to issue a protective order to prevent the disclosure of privileged information and confidential information upon the written request of either party.

 

4.8 Authorization; Timing; Scheduling Order. Subject to all other portions of these Arbitration Provisions, the parties hereby authorize and direct the arbitrator to take such actions and make such rulings as may be necessary to carry out the parties’ intent for the Arbitration proceedings to be efficient and expeditious. The parties hereby agree that an Arbitration Award must be made within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date. The arbitrator is hereby authorized and directed to hold a scheduling conference within ten (10) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date in order to establish a scheduling order with various binding deadlines for discovery, expert testimony, and the submission of documents by the parties to enable the arbitrator to render a decision prior to the end of such 120-day period.

 

4.9 Relief. The arbitrator shall have the right to award or include in the Arbitration Award (or in a preliminary ruling) any relief which the arbitrator deems proper under the circumstances, including, without limitation, specific performance and injunctive relief, provided that the arbitrator may not award exemplary or punitive damages.

 

4.10 Fees and Costs. As part of the Arbitration Award, the arbitrator is hereby directed to require the losing party (the party being awarded the least amount of money by the arbitrator, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any party) to (a) pay the full amount of any unpaid costs and fees of the Arbitration, and (b) reimburse the prevailing party for all reasonable attorneys’ fees, arbitrator costs and fees, deposition costs, other discovery costs, and other expenses, costs or fees paid or otherwise incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the Arbitration.

 

5. Arbitration Appeal.

 

5.1 Initiation of Appeal. Following the entry of the Arbitration Award, either party (the “Appellant”) shall have a period of thirty (30) calendar days in which to notify the other party (the “Appellee”), in writing, that the Appellant elects to appeal (the “Appeal”) the Arbitration Award (such notice, an “Appeal Notice”) to a panel of arbitrators as provided in Paragraph 5.2 below. The date the Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee is referred to herein as the “Appeal Date”. The Appeal Notice must be delivered to the Appellee in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4.1 above with respect to delivery of an Arbitration Notice. In addition, together with delivery of the Appeal Notice to the Appellee, the Appellant must also pay for (and provide proof of such payment to the Appellee together with delivery of the Appeal Notice) a bond in the amount of 110% of the sum the Appellant owes to the Appellee as a result of the Arbitration Award the Appellant is appealing. In the event an Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee (together with proof of payment of the applicable bond) in compliance with the provisions of this Paragraph 5.1, the Appeal will occur as a matter of right and, except as specifically set forth herein, will not be further conditioned. In the event a party does not deliver an Appeal Notice (along with proof of payment of the applicable bond) to the other party within the deadline prescribed in this Paragraph 5.1, such party shall lose its right to appeal the Arbitration Award. If no party delivers an Appeal Notice (along with proof of payment of the applicable bond) to the other party within the deadline described in this Paragraph 5.1, the Arbitration Award shall be final. The parties acknowledge and agree that any Appeal shall be deemed part of the parties’ agreement to arbitrate for purposes of these Arbitration Provisions and the Arbitration Act.

 

5.2 Selection and Payment of Appeal Panel. In the event an Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee (together with proof of payment of the applicable bond) in compliance with the provisions of Paragraph 5.1 above, the Appeal will be heard by a three (3) person arbitration panel (the “Appeal Panel”).

 

(a) Within ten (10) calendar days after the Appeal Date, the Appellee shall select and submit to the Appellant the names of five (5) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA (https://www.adr.org/) or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (such five (5) designated persons hereunder are referred to herein as the “Proposed Appeal Arbitrators”). For the avoidance of doubt, each Proposed Appeal Arbitrator must be qualified as a “neutral” with AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties, and shall not be the arbitrator who rendered the Arbitration Award being appealed (the “Original Arbitrator”). Within five (5) calendar days after the Appellee has submitted to the Appellant the names of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators, the Appellant must select, by written notice to the Appellee, three (3) of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators to act as the members of the Appeal Panel. If the Appellant fails to select three (3) of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators in writing within such 5-day period, then the Appellee may select such three (3) arbitrators from the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to the Appellant.

 

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(b) If the Appellee fails to submit to the Appellant the names of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days after the Appeal Date pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, then the Appellant may at any time prior to the Appellee so designating the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators, identify the names of five (5) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (none of whom may be the Original Arbitrator) by written notice to the Appellee. The Appellee may then, within five (5) calendar days after the Appellant has submitted notice of its selected arbitrators to the Appellee, select, by written notice to the Appellant, three (3) of such selected arbitrators to serve on the Appeal Panel. If the Appellee fails to select in writing within such 5-day period three (3) of the arbitrators selected by the Appellant to serve as the members of the Appeal Panel, then the Appellant may select the three (3) members of the Appeal Panel from the Appellant’s list of five (5) arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to the Appellee.

 

(c) If a selected Proposed Appeal Arbitrator declines or is otherwise unable to serve, then the party that selected such Proposed Appeal Arbitrator may select one (1) of the other five (5) designated Proposed Appeal Arbitrators within three (3) calendar days of the date a chosen Proposed Appeal Arbitrator declines or notifies the parties he or she is unable to serve as an arbitrator. If at least three (3) of the five (5) designated Proposed Appeal Arbitrators decline or are otherwise unable to serve, then the Proposed Appeal Arbitrator selection process shall begin again in accordance with this Paragraph 5.2; provided, however, that any Proposed Appeal Arbitrators who have already agreed to serve shall remain on the Appeal Panel.

 

(d) The date that all three (3) Proposed Appeal Arbitrators selected pursuant to this Paragraph 5.2 agree in writing (including via email) delivered to both the Appellant and the Appellee to serve as members of the Appeal Panel hereunder is referred to herein as the “Appeal Commencement Date”. No later than five (5) calendar days after the Appeal Commencement Date, the Appellee shall designate in writing (including via email) to the Appellant and the Appeal Panel the name of one (1) of the three (3) members of the Appeal Panel to serve as the lead arbitrator in the Appeal proceedings. Each member of the Appeal Panel shall be deemed an arbitrator for purposes of these Arbitration Provisions and the Arbitration Act, provided that, in conducting the Appeal, the Appeal Panel may only act or make determinations upon the approval or vote of no less than the majority vote of its members, as announced or communicated by the lead arbitrator on the Appeal Panel. If an arbitrator on the Appeal Panel ceases or is unable to act during the Appeal proceedings, a replacement arbitrator shall be chosen in accordance with Paragraph 5.2 above to continue the Appeal as a member of the Appeal Panel. If AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties ceases to exist or to provide a list of neutrals, then the arbitrators for the Appeal Panel shall be selected under the then prevailing rules of the American Arbitration Association.

 

(d) Subject to Paragraph 5.7 below, the cost of the Appeal Panel must be paid entirely by the Appellant.

 

5.3 Appeal Procedure. The Appeal will be deemed an appeal of the entire Arbitration Award. In conducting the Appeal, the Appeal Panel shall conduct a de novo review of all Claims described or otherwise set forth in the Arbitration Notice. Subject to the foregoing and all other provisions of this Paragraph 5, the Appeal Panel shall conduct the Appeal in a manner the Appeal Panel considers appropriate for a fair and expeditious disposition of the Appeal, may hold one or more hearings and permit oral argument, and may review all previous evidence and discovery, together with all briefs, pleadings and other documents filed with the Original Arbitrator (as well as any documents filed with the Appeal Panel pursuant to Paragraph 5.4(a) below). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the Appeal, the Appeal Panel shall not permit the parties to conduct any additional discovery or raise any new Claims to be arbitrated, shall not permit new witnesses or affidavits, and shall not base any of its findings or determinations on the Original Arbitrator’s findings or the Arbitration Award.

 

5.4 Timing.

 

(a) Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appeal Commencement Date, the Appellant (i) shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Appeal Panel copies of the Appeal Notice, all discovery conducted in connection with the Arbitration, and all briefs, pleadings and other documents filed with the Original Arbitrator (which material Appellee shall have the right to review and supplement if necessary), and (ii) may, but is not required to, deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellee a Memorandum in Support of the Appellant’s arguments concerning or position with respect to all Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded in the Arbitration. Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appellant’s delivery of the Memorandum in Support, as applicable, the Appellee shall deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellant a Memorandum in Opposition to the Memorandum in Support. Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appellee’s delivery of the Memorandum in Opposition, as applicable, the Appellant shall deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellee a Reply Memorandum to the Memorandum in Opposition. If the Appellant shall fail to substantially comply with the requirements of clause (i) of this subparagraph (a), the Appellant shall lose its right to appeal the Arbitration Award, and the Arbitration Award shall be final. If the Appellee shall fail to deliver the Memorandum in Opposition as required above, or if the Appellant shall fail to deliver the Reply Memorandum as required above, then the Appellee or the Appellant, as the case may be, shall lose its right to so deliver the same, and the Appeal shall proceed regardless.

 

(b)  Subject to subparagraph (a) above, the parties hereby agree that the Appeal must be heard by the Appeal Panel within thirty (30) calendar days of the Appeal Commencement Date, and that the Appeal Panel must render its decision within thirty (30) calendar days after the Appeal is heard (and in no event later than sixty (60) calendar days after the Appeal Commencement Date).

 

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5.5 Appeal Panel Award. The Appeal Panel shall issue its decision (the “Appeal Panel Award”) through the lead arbitrator on the Appeal Panel. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, the Appeal Panel Award shall (a) supersede in its entirety and make of no further force or effect the Arbitration Award (provided that any protective orders issued by the Original Arbitrator shall remain in full force and effect), (b) be final and binding upon the parties, with no further rights of appeal, (c) be the sole and exclusive remedy between the parties regarding any Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded in the Arbitration, and (d) be promptly payable in United States dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset (with respect to monetary awards). Any costs or fees, including without limitation attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with or incident to enforcing the Appeal Panel Award shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be charged against the party resisting such enforcement. Judgment upon the Appeal Panel Award will be entered and enforced by a state or federal court sitting in the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

 

5.6 Relief. The Appeal Panel shall have the right to award or include in the Appeal Panel Award any relief which the Appeal Panel deems proper under the circumstances, including, without limitation, specific performance and injunctive relief, provided that the Appeal Panel may not award exemplary or punitive damages.

 

5.7 Fees and Costs. As part of the Appeal Panel Award, the Appeal Panel is hereby directed to require the losing party (the party being awarded the least amount of money by the arbitrator, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any party) to (a) pay the full amount of any unpaid costs and fees of the Arbitration and the Appeal Panel, and (b) reimburse the prevailing party (the party being awarded the most amount of money by the Appeal Panel, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any part) the reasonable attorneys’ fees, arbitrator and Appeal Panel costs and fees, deposition costs, other discovery costs, and other expenses, costs or fees paid or otherwise incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the Arbitration (including without limitation in connection with the Appeal).

 

6.  Miscellaneous.

 

6.1 Severability. If any part of these Arbitration Provisions is found to violate or be illegal under applicable law, then such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make such provision enforceable under applicable law, and the remainder of the Arbitration Provisions shall remain unaffected and in full force and effect.

 

6.2 Governing Law. These Arbitration Provisions shall be governed by the laws of the State of Nevada without regard to the conflict of laws principles therein.

 

6.3 Interpretation. The headings of these Arbitration Provisions are for convenience of reference only and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, these Arbitration Provisions.

 

6.4 Waiver. No waiver of any provision of these Arbitration Provisions shall be effective unless it is in the form of a writing signed by the party granting the waiver.

 

6.5 Time is of the Essence. Time is expressly made of the essence with respect to each and every provision of these Arbitration Provisions.

 

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EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

(see attached)

 

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EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

(see attached)

 

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EXHIBIT E

 

Account Name: La Rosa Holdings Corp.
 
Routing Number: [*]
 
Account Number: [*]
 
Beneficiary Address:   1420 Celebration Blvd., Suite 200, Celebration, FL 34747
 
Bank Name: [*]
 
Bank Address: [*]

 

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