EX-99 3 ex99b.htm FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF REGISTRANT

 

 

 

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BY-LAWS

OF

Advent Convertible and Income Fund

 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I Shareholder Meetings
 
Section 1.1   Chairman 3
Section 1.2   Proxies; Voting 3
Section 1.3   Fixing Record Dates 4
Section 1.4   Inspectors of Election 4
Section 1.5   Records at Shareholder Meetings 4
Section 1.6   Notice of Shareholder Business and Nominations 5
Section 1.7   Special Shareholders Meetings 16
Section 1.8   Conduct of Meetings. 17
Section 1.9   Adjourned Meeting 18
   
ARTICLE II Trustees
 
Section 2.1   Annual and Regular Meetings 19
Section 2.2   Chairman 19
Section 2.3   Qualifications 19
Section 2.4   Standard of Care 22
Section 2.5   Governance 22
Section 2.6   Records 22
   
ARTICLE III Officers
 
Section 3.1   Officers of the Trust 22
Section 3.2   Election and Tenure 22
Section 3.3   Removal of Officers 23
Section 3.4   Bonds and Surety 23
Section 3.5   President, and Vice Presidents 23
Section 3.6   Secretary 23
Section 3.7   Treasurer 24
Section 3.8   Other Officers and Duties 24

 

ARTICLE IV Miscellaneous
 
Section 4.1   Depositories 24
Section 4.2   Signatures 24
Section 4.3   Seal 24
Section 4.4   Disclosure of Holdings 25
Section 4.5   Governing Law 25
Section 4.6   Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations 25
   
ARTICLE V Stock Transfers
 
Section 5.1   Transfer Agents, Registrars and the Like 25
Section 5.2   Transfer of Shares 25
Section 5.3   Registered Shareholders 26
   
ARTICLE VI Amendment of By-Laws
 
Section 6.1   Amendment and Repeal of By-Laws 26
   
ARTICLE VII CHOICE OF FORUM PROVISION
 
Section 7.1   Forum for Adjudication of Certain Disputes 26

 

 
 

Advent Convertible and Income Fund

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS

These Fourth Amended and Restated By-Laws are made and adopted pursuant to Section 3.9 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust establishing Advent Convertible and Income Fund dated as of February 19, 2003, as from time to time amended (hereinafter called the “Declaration”).

 

All words and terms capitalized in these By-Laws and not defined herein shall have the meaning or meanings set forth for such words or terms in the Declaration.

 

As used in these By-Laws, the following term shall have the meanings ascribed to them:

 

“12(d) Holder” shall mean any investment fund (as defined herein) or any company or companies controlled by such investment fund which in the aggregate own beneficially or of record (A) more than three percent (3%) of the outstanding voting Shares of the Trust, (B) securities issued by the Trust having an aggregate value in excess of five percent (5%) of the total assets of such investment fund and any company or companies controlled by such investment fund, (C) securities issued by the Trust and by all other investment funds having an aggregate value in excess of ten percent (10%) of the total assets of the investment fund making such investment and any company or companies controlled by the investment fund making such investment, or (D) together with other investment funds having the same investment adviser and companies controlled by such investment funds, more than ten percent (10%) of the total outstanding Shares of the Trust (an investment fund making such investment(s) and any company or companies controlled by it in the aggregate owning securities in excess of the amounts set forth in (A), (B), (C) or (D), but excluding any investment fund managed by the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent or an investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent, being referred to as a “12(d) Holder”).

“5% Holder” shall mean an affiliated person of another person within the meaning of section 2(a)(3)(A) or section 2(a)(3)(B) of the 1940 Act.

“beneficial owner” of a security shall mean any Person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise (A) has or shares: (1) voting power which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security; and/or, (2) investment power which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition, of such security or (B) owns, controls or holds with power to vote such security. A Person shall be deemed to be the beneficial owner of shares if that Person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of such shares at any time, whether or not within sixty days of the date of such determination. “Beneficially own,” “own beneficially” and related terms shall have correlative meaning.

“control” shall mean the power to exercise a controlling influence over a Person, which in the case of a company means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of such company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with such company.

“control relationship” with respect to any Person shall mean control over such Person, being controlled by such Person or being under common control with such Person.

“director” shall mean any director of a corporation or any Person performing similar functions with respect to any organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, including any natural Person who is a member of a board of trustees of any organization that is a statutory or common-law trust.

“Disclosable Relationship” with respect to another Person means (A) the existence at any time during the current calendar year or at any time within the two most recently completed calendar years of any agreement, arrangement, understanding (whether written or oral) or practice, including the sharing of information, decisions or actions, of a Person with such other Person with respect to the Trust or Shares, (B) the beneficial ownership of securities of any Person known by such Person to beneficially own Shares and of which such Person knows such other Person also beneficially owns any securities, (C) sharing beneficial ownership of any securities with such other Person, (D) being an immediate family member of such other Person, (E) the existence at any time during the current calendar year or at any time within the two most recently completed calendar years of a material business or professional relationship with such other Person or with any Person of which such other Person is a 5% Holder, officer, director, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member or employee or (F) controlling, being controlled by or being under common control with such other Person.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“immediate family member” shall mean any parent, child, spouse, spouse of a parent, spouse of a child, brother or sister (including step and adoptive relationships).

“Independent Trustee” shall mean a Trustee that is not an “interested person,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, of the Trust.

“investment fund” shall mean any collective investment vehicle, including the Trust, primarily engaged in the business of investing in "investment securities" (as defined in the 1940 Act).

“nominated or seated” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 of these By-Laws.

“Proposed Nominee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.6(a)(iv)(c) of these By-Laws.

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“Proposed Nominee Associate” of any Proposed Nominee shall mean any Person who has a Disclosable Relationship with such Proposed Nominee.

“public announcement” shall include, but not be limited to, disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or other national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

“Questionnaire” shall mean the Trust’s form of annual trustee questionnaire, as supplemented from time to time, containing questions intended to, among other things, identify and evaluate potential conflicts of interest, obtain information needed to prepare regulatory filings, including registration statements, annual reports and proxy statements, determine whether a Trustee or a trustee nominee is an “interested person” of the Trust (as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act), update records, and otherwise comply with any applicable laws and regulations.

“Shareholder Associate” of any Shareholder or beneficial owner of Shares shall mean any Person who has a Disclosable Relationship with such Shareholder or beneficial owner.

“Special Meeting Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.7(b) of these By-Laws.

ARTICLE I

Shareholder Meetings

Section 1.1         Chairman. The Trustees may designate a chairman for a meeting of the Shareholders in advance of the meeting, or may delegate the determination of the chairman for the meeting to any one or more of the Trust’s officers. Absent any such designation or delegation, the Chairman, if any, shall act as chairman at all meetings of the Shareholders and in the Chairman’s absence, the Trustee or Trustees present at such meeting may elect a chairman for the meeting, who may be, but is not required to be, a Trustee. The chairman for the meeting, whether it be the Chairman or some other individual designated in accordance with this Section 1.1, may preside at the meeting via teleconference or videoconference.

Section 1.2         Proxies; Voting.

(a)       Shareholders may vote either in person or by duly executed proxy and each full share represented at the meeting shall have one vote, all as provided in Article 10 of the Declaration.

(b)       Subject to any provision of applicable law, the Declaration, these By-Laws or a resolution of the Trustees specifying a greater or a lesser vote requirement for the transaction of any item of business at any meeting of Shareholders, an affirmative Majority Shareholder Vote shall be the act of the Shareholders with respect to any proposal of business brought before a meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Section

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1.6(a)(i)(C) of these By-Laws or Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law).

Section 1.3         Fixing Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to notice of or to vote or act at any meeting, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, or who are entitled to participate in any dividends, or for any other proper purpose, the Trustees may from time to time, without closing the transfer books, fix a record date in the manner provided in Section 10.3 of the Declaration. If the Trustees do not prior to any meeting of Shareholders so fix a record date or close the transfer books, then the date on which mailing of notice of the meeting is commenced or the date upon which the dividend resolution is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date.

Section 1.4         Inspectors of Election. In advance of any meeting of Shareholders, the Trustees may appoint Inspectors of Election to act at the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. If Inspectors of Election are not so appointed, the chairman, if any, of any meeting of Shareholders may appoint Inspectors of Election of the meeting. The number of Inspectors of Election shall be either one or three. In case any person appointed as Inspector of Election fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment made by the Trustees in advance of the convening of the meeting or at the meeting by the chairman of the meeting. The Inspectors of Election shall determine the number of Shares outstanding, the Shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies, shall receive votes, ballots or consents, shall hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote, shall count and tabulate all votes or consents, determine the results, and do such other acts as may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all Shareholders. If there are three Inspectors of Election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. On request of the chairman, if any, of the meeting, the Inspectors of Election shall make a report in writing of any challenge or question or matter determined by them and shall execute a certificate of any facts found by them.

Section 1.5         Records at Shareholder Meetings. At each meeting of the Shareholders, there shall be made available for inspection at a convenient time and place during normal business hours, if requested by Shareholders for a purpose germane to the meeting, the minutes of the last previous Annual or Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Trust and a list of the Shareholders of the Trust, as of the record date of the meeting or the date of closing of transfer books, as the case may be. Such list of Shareholders shall contain the name and the address of each Shareholder in alphabetical order and the number of Shares owned by such Shareholder, and shall not be required to contain any other information. Any determination made by the Trustees, or by the Trust’s officers pursuant to delegated authority, as to the convenience of any such time and place, or as to whether any such request is for a purpose germane to the meeting, shall be deemed conclusive and any Shareholder challenging such determination shall have the burden of proving that the Trustees or the officers, as the case may be, acted in bad faith in making any such determination.

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Shareholders shall have such other rights of inspection of the books and records of the Trust as are granted to shareholders of a Delaware business corporation pursuant to section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (or any successor provision of law), subject to the procedures and requirements applicable to shareholders of a Delaware business corporation pursuant to section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (or any successor provision of law); provided, however, that (i) the Trustees or the officers may require any Person to whom access to the Trust’s books and records is granted to enter into a confidentiality agreement on terms acceptable to the Trustees or the officers in their sole discretion; (ii) the Trustees or the officers may require any Person to whom access to the Trust’s books and records is granted to pay the reasonable expenses associated with providing any such books and records for inspection; (iii) any such inspection shall be conducted during normal business hours at the Trust’s principal place of business or at such other location or during such other hours as the Trustees or the officers, in their sole discretion, may direct; and (iv) any determinations made by the Trustees or the officers related to a request to inspect the Trust’s books and records pursuant to the foregoing, including, but not limited to, whether such request is for a proper purpose, shall be conclusive and any Shareholder challenging such determination shall have the burden of proving that the Trustees or the officers, as the case may be, acted in bad faith in making any such determination.

Section 1.6         Notice of Shareholder Business and Nominations.

(a)            Annual Meetings of Shareholders.

(i)             Nominations of individuals for election as a Trustee of the Trust and the proposal of other business to be considered by the Shareholders may be made at an annual meeting of Shareholders only as set forth in this Section 1.6, and only:

(A)          pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof,

(B)          otherwise by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof,

(C)          by any one or more Shareholders of the Trust who (i) at the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 1.6(a)(i)(C), individually or in the aggregate, hold of record at least 3% of the Shares entitled to vote at the meeting on such election and have held such Shares continuously for at least one year, and continuously hold such Shares through and including the time of the annual meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), (ii) are each a Shareholder of the Trust at the time the notice provided for in this Section 1.6(a)(i)(C) is delivered to the Secretary of the Trust, on the record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such annual meeting of Shareholders, and through and including

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the time of the annual meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), (iii) are each entitled to make nominations or proposals and to vote at the meeting and (iv) comply with the notice procedures set forth in these By-Laws, or

(D)          with respect to business other than a nomination, by Shareholder that has notified the Trust of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at the annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law) and which proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Trust to solicit proxies for such annual meeting of shareholders.

(ii)           For any nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Shareholder pursuant to Section 1.6(a)(i)(C), the Shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Trust and any such proposed business (other than the nominations of individuals for election to the Trust) must constitute a proper matter for Shareholder action.

(iii)         To be timely:

(A)          except as provided in subsection (B), a Shareholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust (x) not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting and (y) not later than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting;

(B)          in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a Shareholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust (x) not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to the annual meeting, and (y) not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the annual meeting or (ii) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Trust.

In no event shall the public announcement or announcement at the meeting of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Shareholder’s notice as described above.

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(iv)          To be in proper written form, such Shareholder’s notice shall set forth:

(A)          as to any business that the Shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Shareholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and

(B)          as to the Shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made:

(1)           the name and address of such Shareholder, as they appear on the Trust’s books, and of such beneficial owner,

(2)           the class or series and number of Shares which are owned beneficially and of record by such Shareholder and such beneficial owner and their respective Shareholder Associates,

(3)           the name of each nominee holder of Shares owned beneficially but not of record by such Shareholder and such beneficial owner and their respective Shareholder Associates, and the number of such Shares held by each such nominee holder,

(4)           a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) with respect to the nomination or proposal between or among such Shareholder and such beneficial owner, any of their respective Shareholder Associates, and any others Person or Persons, including the Proposed Nominee (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business and any material interest of such Person or any Shareholder Associate of such Person, in such business, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to such Person, or any Shareholder Associate of such Person,

(5)           a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares), that has been entered into

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as of the date of the Shareholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such Shareholder and such beneficial owners or their respective Shareholder Associates, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Shareholder or such beneficial owner or their respective Shareholder Associates, with respect to Shares of the Trust,

(6)           a description of all commercial and professional relationships and transactions between or among such Shareholder and such beneficial owners or their respective Shareholder Associates, and any other Person or Persons known to such Shareholder and such beneficial owners or their respective Shareholders Associate to have a material interest in the matter that is the subject of such notice,

(7)           a representation that the Shareholder is a holder of record of Shares of the Trust entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination,

(8)           a representation whether the Shareholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Trust’s outstanding Shares required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from Shareholders in support of such proposal or nomination, and

(9)           any other information relating to such Shareholder and such beneficial owner that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies by such Person with respect to the proposed business to be brought by such Person before the Annual Meeting pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, whether or not the Shareholder submitting the notice intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies.

(C)          As to each individual whom the Shareholder proposes to nominate for election as a Trustee (a “Proposed Nominee”) and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee:

(1)           the name, age, business address and residence address of such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee,

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(2)           the principal occupation or employment of such Proposed Nominee during the past five years,

(3)           other directorships, trusteeships or comparable positions held during the past five years,

(4)           the class or series and number of Shares which are owned beneficially and of record by such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee,

(5)           the name of each nominee holder of Shares owned beneficially but not of record by such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, and the number of such Shares held by each such nominee holder,

(6)           a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares), that has been entered into as of the date of the Shareholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, with respect to Shares of the Trust,

(7)           a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings (whether written or oral) between such Proposed Nominee and any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee related to such nomination or any, and any material interest of such Proposed Nominee Associate in, such nomination, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to such Proposed Nominee Associate,

(8)           a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings (whether written or oral) between such Proposed Nominee or any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee and the nominating Shareholder or any Shareholder Associate of such nominating Shareholder related to such nomination, including with respect to the voting of any matters to come before the Board or any anticipated benefit therefrom to the Proposed Nominee of any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee,

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(9)           a description of all commercial and professional relationships and transactions between or among such Proposed Nominee or any Proposed Nominee Associate, and any other Person or Persons known to such Proposed Nominee or Proposed Nominee Associate to have a material interest in such nomination,

(10)        a representation as to whether such Proposed Nominee is an “interested person,” as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, together with information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, to examine such representation,

(11)        a representation as to whether such Proposed Nominee meets all applicable legal requirements relevant to service as a Trustee, including, but not limited to, the rules adopted by the principal listing exchange (if any) upon which Shares are listed, Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, Article 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act (17 C.F.R. § 210.2-01) (with respect to the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm) and any other criteria established by the 1940 Act related to service as a director/trustee of a management investment company or the permitted composition of the board of directors/trustees of a management investment company, together with information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, to examine such representation,

(12)        a representation that the Proposed Nominee satisfies the Trustee qualifications as set out in these By-Laws, together with information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, to examine such representation,

(13)        any other information relating to such Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of Trustees in a solicitation subject to Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act, whether or not the Shareholder submitting the notice intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies and whether or not an election contest is involved, and

(14)        such Proposed Nominee’s written consent to being named as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected.

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(D)          Any notice of a Shareholder’s intent to nominate a Proposed Nominee must be accompanied by a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee certifying that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) with any Person other than the Trust in connection with service or action as a Trustee of the Trust that has not been disclosed to the Trust, (b) will serve as a Trustee of the Trust if elected, and (c) satisfies the Trustee qualifications as set out in Section 2.3 of these By-Laws.

(E)           The Trust may require any Proposed Nominee and/or any Shareholder of record nominating such Proposed Nominee to furnish any such other information as it may reasonably request regarding any such Proposed Nominee and/or any such Shareholder of record nominating such Proposed Nominee, and such other information shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the first request by or on behalf of the Board of Trustees for such other information was sent to such Shareholder of record, group of Shareholders of record or Proposed Nominee. Any request for any such other information that is not answered in a reasonably complete, accurate, diligent and good faith manner, or that is not timely received by the Trust in accordance with this Section 1.6(a)(iv)(E), will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws. If the same request for such other information is sent to multiple Persons, then the earliest such date and time on which such request for information was sent shall apply for the purpose of determining compliance with this Section 1.6(a)(iv)(E).

(F)           The Trust may require any Proposed Nominee to complete and duly execute the Questionnaire; any Questionnaire that is not completed in a reasonably complete, diligent, accurate and good faith manner, or that is not duly executed and received by the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the Board of Trustees or its designee first sends the Questionnaire to such Proposed Nominee or any Shareholder(s) of record nominating such Proposed Nominee, will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws. If the Questionnaire is sent to multiple Persons, then the earliest such date and time on which the Questionnaire was sent shall apply for the purpose of determining compliance with this Section 1.6(a)(iv)(F).

(G)          The Trust may require any Proposed Nominee to consent to and cooperate with a background screening conducted by a background screening company selected by the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof.

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(H)          A Shareholder providing notice of any nomination or other business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of shareholders shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to Section 1.6(a)(iv) shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting of Shareholders and such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting of Shareholders.

(I)            If information submitted pursuant to this Section 1.6 by any Shareholder or Proposed Nominee shall be or become inaccurate in any way, such information shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.6. Any such Shareholder or Proposed Nominee shall notify the Trust in writing of any inaccuracy or change and update such information to cause it to be complete and accurate, within seven (7) calendar days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy. If a Shareholder or Proposed Nominee fails to provide such written notification and update within such period, the information that was or becomes inaccurate shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.6 and, accordingly, will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws. Upon written request by the Secretary of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, any such Shareholder or Proposed Nominee shall provide, within seven (7) calendar days of the sending of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any authorized officer of the Trust, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the Shareholder or Proposed Nominee pursuant to this Section 1.6, and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Trust, written confirmation by such Shareholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination) submitted by the Shareholder or the Proposed Nominee pursuant to this Section 1.6 as of an earlier date. If a Shareholder or Proposed Nominee fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.6 and, accordingly, will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws.

(J)            The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 1.6 shall be deemed satisfied by a Shareholder with respect to business other than a nomination if the Shareholder has notified the Trust of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at an annual or special meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange

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Act (or any successor provision of law) and such Shareholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Trust to solicit proxies for such annual or special meeting.

(b)           Special Meetings of Shareholders.

(i)             Special meetings of Shareholders shall be called only as contemplated by Section 10.1 of the Declaration.

(ii)           Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of Shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting.

(iii)         Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees may be made at a special meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting only as set forth in this Section 1.6, and only:

(A)          pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof,

(B)          otherwise by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof, or

(C)          provided that the Board of Trustees has determined that Trustees shall be elected at such special meeting, by one or more Shareholders of the Trust who (i) at the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 1.6(b)(iii)(C), individually or in the aggregate, hold of record at least 3% of the Shares entitled to vote at the meeting on such election and have held such Shares continuously for at least one year, and continuously hold such Shares through and including the time of the annual meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), (ii) are each a Shareholder of the Trust at the time the notice provided for in this Section 1.6(b)(iii)(C) is delivered to the Secretary of the Trust, on the record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such special meeting of Shareholders, and through and including the time of the annual meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), (iii) are each entitled to make nominations and to vote at the meeting and (iv) comply with the notice procedures set forth in these By-Laws.

(iv)          In the event a special meeting of Shareholders is called pursuant to Section 10.1 of the Declaration for the purpose of electing one or more Trustees to the Board of Trustees, for any nominations to be properly brought before such special meeting by a Shareholder pursuant to Section 1.6(b)(iii)(C), the Shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Trust.

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(v)           To be timely, a Shareholder’s notice of a nomination for election to the Board of Trustees at a special meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust (x) not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to such special meeting and (y) not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting or (ii) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Trustees to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement or announcement at the meeting of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Shareholder’s notice as described above.

(vi)          To be in proper written form, such Shareholder’s notice shall set forth all information required by Section 1.6(a)(iv).

(vii)        A Shareholder providing notice of any nomination to be brought before a special meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to Section 1.6(b)(vi) shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting of Shareholders and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting of Shareholders.

(c)            General.

(i)             Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of Shareholders of the Trust to serve as Trustees and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of Shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6.

(ii)           If the Shareholders of any class or series of Shares are entitled separately to elect one or more Trustees, only such Persons who are holders of record of such class or series of Shares at the time notice is provided pursuant to this Section 1.6 and on the record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such annual meeting or special meeting of Shareholders shall be entitled to nominate individuals for election as a Trustee by such class or series of Shares voting separately.

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(iii)         Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.6, unless otherwise required by law, if the Shareholder (or a qualified representative of the Shareholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of Shareholders of the Trust to present a nomination or proposed business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Trust. For purposes of this Section 1.6, to be considered a qualified representative of the Shareholder, a Person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such Shareholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such Shareholder delivered by such Shareholder to act for such Shareholder as proxy at the meeting of Shareholders and such Person must produce such writing at the meeting of Shareholders.

(iv)          Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.6, a Shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.6; provided however, that any references in these By-laws to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 1.6, and compliance with Sections 1.6(a) and 1.6(b) shall be the exclusive means for a Shareholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than, as provided in Section 1.6(a)(v), matters brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law)).

(v)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1.6 or otherwise in these By-laws, except with respect to nominations of individuals for election as a Trustee of the Trust or as required by federal law, no proposal of other business may be considered or brought at a meeting of Shareholders unless such matter has been approved for these purposes by a majority of the Trustees.

(vi)          A notice of one or more Shareholders making a nomination pursuant to Section 1.6(a)(i)(C)(i) or 1.6(b)(iii)(C)(i), as applicable, shall be accompanied by a:

(A)          signed statement of each Shareholder giving the notice certifying that (1) all information contained in the notice is true and complete in all respects, (2) the notice complies with this Section 1.6, and (3) such Shareholder will continue to hold all Shares referenced in Section 1.6(a)(i)(C)(i) or 1.6(b)(iii)(C)(i), as applicable, through and including the time of the annual meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof);

(B)          and a signed certificate of each Proposed Nominee (1) certifying that the information contained in the notice regarding such Proposed Nominee and any Proposed Nominee Associated

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Person is true and complete and complies with this Section 1.6 and (2) consenting to being named in the Shareholder’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected.

(vii)        All judgments and determinations made by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, as applicable, under this Section 1.6 (including, without limitation, judgments as to whether any matter or thing is satisfactory to the Board of Trustees and determinations as to the propriety of a proposed nomination or a proposal of other business for consideration by Shareholders) shall be final and binding unless determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been made in bad faith.

(viii)      Notwithstanding anything in these By-Laws to the contrary, no business, including nominations, shall be conducted at any annual or special meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6. The chairman of the annual or special meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.6, and, if the chairman should determine, the chairman shall so declare to the meeting that any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be considered or transacted.

Section 1.7         Special Shareholders Meetings.

(a)            Special meetings of Shareholders may be called only by the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee), except a special meeting shall be called by the Trustees upon the timely receipt by the Secretary of a request in proper written form from one or more Shareholders acting pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1 of the Declaration. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting as shall be specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto). In fixing a date for any special meeting, the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee thereof) may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting.

(b)           Any Shareholder(s) seeking to request a special meeting shall send written notice to the Secretary (the “Special Meeting Request”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, requesting the Secretary to call a special meeting. Proof of the requesting Shareholder’s ownership of Shares at the time of giving the Special Meeting Request must accompany the requesting Shareholder’s Special Meeting Request. The Special Meeting Request shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at the meeting, shall be signed by one or more Shareholders (or their duly authorized agents), shall bear the date of signature of each requesting Shareholder (or its duly authorized agent) signing the Special Meeting Request and shall set forth all information that each such Shareholder and, with respect to the beneficial

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owners of Shares on whose behalf such request is being made, each such beneficial owner of Shares would be required to disclose in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies with respect to the proposed business to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, whether or not such Person intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies, as well as all additional information required by Section 1.6(a)(iv) of these By-Laws. Upon receiving the Special Meeting Request, the Trustees may in their discretion fix a date for the special meeting, which need not be the same date as that requested in the Special Meeting Request.

(c)            The Shareholder(s) providing notice of business proposed to be brought before a special meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 1.7 shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than five (5) business days after the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting.

(d)           The Board of Trustees shall determine the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary.

(e)            No business shall be conducted at a special meeting of Shareholders except business brought before any such meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.7 and in compliance with Section 10.1 of the Declaration. If the chairman of a special meeting determines that business was not properly brought before such meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the chair shall declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the meeting and such business shall not be transacted.

(f)            Nothing contained in this Section 1.7 shall be deemed to affect any rights of Shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Trust’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law).

Section 1.8         Conduct of Meetings.

(a)            Every meeting of Shareholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the Board of Trustees, by one of the officers present at the meeting, and if no officer is present, by Shareholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by Shareholders present in person or by proxy. The Secretary, or, in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary of the meeting.

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(b)           Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of any meeting of Shareholders shall have the power and duty:

(i)             to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 1.6 (including whether the Shareholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies in support of such Shareholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with such Shareholder’s representation as required by Section 1.6(a)(iv)(B)(8)), and

(ii)           if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with Section 1.6, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted; provided, however, that such nomination or such proposed business shall not be presumed to be valid in the absence of such a declaration.

(c)            The Board of Trustees may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of any meeting of the Shareholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of Trustees, the chairman of any meeting of Shareholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chair, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Trustees or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) the determination of when the polls shall open and close for any given matter to be voted on at the meeting; (c) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (d) limitations on attendance at and participation in the meeting to Shareholders, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other Persons as the chair of the meeting shall determine; (e) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (f) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by Shareholders; and (g) the extent to which, if any, other participants are permitted to speak.

Section 1.9         Adjourned Meeting. Subject to the requirements of Section 10.3 of the Declaration, any meeting of Shareholders, whether or not a quorum is present, may be adjourned from time to time by: (a) the vote of the majority of the Shares represented at that meeting, either in person or by proxy; or (b) by the chairman of the meeting, in his or her discretion. At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

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ARTICLE II

Trustees

Section 2.1         Annual and Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice and shall generally be held quarterly. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, and no notice need be given of action proposed to be taken by unanimous written consent.

Section 2.2         Chairman. The Board of Trustees may elect from among its members a Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board, if any, shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Trustees. In absence of a Chairman, the Trustees present shall elect one of their number to act as temporary chairman. The Chairman shall have such other responsibilities in furthering the Board’s functions as may be prescribed from time to time by resolution of the Board. The Chairman of the Board, if any, shall be elected by the Board of Trustees to hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified, or until his death, or until he shall have resigned, or have been removed, as herein provided in these by-laws. The Chairman of the Board, if any, may resign at any time by giving written notice of resignation to the Board of Trustees. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective shall not be specified therein, immediately upon its receipt; and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. The Chairman of the Board, if any, may be removed by the Board of Trustees with or without cause at any time.

Section 2.3         Qualifications. After Shares have been publicly offered, only individuals satisfying the following qualification requirements applicable to all Trustees may be nominated, elected, appointed, qualified or seated (“nominated or seated”) to serve as a Trustee unless a majority of the Trustees then in office shall have determined by resolution that failure to satisfy a particular qualification requirement will not present undue conflicts or impede the ability of the individual to discharge the duties of a Trustee or the free flow of information among Trustees or between the Trust’s investment adviser, servicing agent and the Board of Trustees:

(a)            An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall be at least thirty-five (35) years of age and not older than sixty-five (65) years of age and not under legal disability,

(b)           An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall, at the time the individual is nominated or seated, serve as a director of no more than 5 companies having securities registered under the Exchange Act or treated as public reporting companies under any comparable regulatory regime (investment companies having the same investment adviser or investment advisers in a control relationship with each other shall all be counted as a single company for this purpose),

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(c)            An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be or have been within the last five full calendar years and the current year an employee, officer, partner, member, manager, managing member, trustee or director (or Person performing similar functions) of (A) any investment adviser or Person in a control relationship with such investment adviser (other than the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent or any investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent) or (B) any investment fund or Person in a control relationship with such investment fund (other than the Trust or any investment fund managed by the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent or an investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent),

(d)           An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not have been nominated or seated as a trustee, manager or director of an investment fund (other than the Trust or any investment fund managed by the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent or an investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trust’s investment adviser or servicing agent) within the last five full calendar years and the current year,

(e)            An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not have been charged (unless such charges were dismissed or the individual was otherwise exonerated) with a criminal offense involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or breach of trust, or have been convicted or have pled guilty or nolo contendere with respect to a felony under the laws of the United States or any state thereof,

(f)            An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not (A) be and shall not have been subject to any censure, order, consent decree (including consent decrees in which the respondent has neither admitted nor denied the findings) or adverse final action of any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority (including self-regulatory organizations), barring or suspending such individual from participation in or association with any investment-related business or restricting such individual’s activities with respect to any investment-related business, (B) be the subject of any investigation or proceeding that if decided adversely could reasonably be expected to result in an individual nominated or seated as a Trustee failing to satisfy the requirements of clause (A) of this paragraph, nor (C) be or have engaged in any conduct which has resulted in, or could have reasonably been expected or would reasonably be expected to result in, the Commission censuring, placing limitations on the activities, functions, or operations of, suspending, or revoking the registration of any investment adviser under Section 203(e) or (f) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,

(g)           An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be and shall not have been the subject of any of the ineligibility provisions contained in Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act that would result in, or could have reasonably been expected or would reasonably be expected to result in such individual or a company of which such individual is an affiliated person (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) being ineligible, in the absence of an exemptive order under Section 9(c) of the 1940 Act, to serve or act in the capacity of employee, officer, director, member of an advisory board, investment adviser, or depositor of any registered investment company, or principal

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underwriter for any registered investment company, registered unit investment trust, or registered face-amount certificate company,

(h)           An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be and shall not have been the subject of any of the ineligibility provisions contained in Section 9(b) of the 1940 Act that, in the absence of an exemptive order under Section 9(c) of the 1940 Act, would permit, or could reasonably have been expected or would reasonably be expected to permit the Commission by order to prohibit, conditionally or unconditionally, either permanently or for a period of time, such individual from serving or acting as an employee, officer, director, member of an advisory board, investment adviser or depositor of, or principal underwriter for, a registered investment company or affiliated person (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) of such investment adviser, depositor, or principal underwriter,

(i)             An individual nominated or seated as an Independent Trustee shall not be an “interested person,” as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, of the Trust,

(j)             An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not fail to comply with any other criteria established by the 1940 Act related to service as a director/trustee of a management investment company and shall not cause (in the case of a nomination, if seated) the Trust’s Board of Trustees to fail to comply with any criteria established by the 1940 Act governing the permitted composition of the board of directors/trustees of a management investment company,

(k)           An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any immediate family member of such nominee shall not, be employed or have been employed within the last five full calendar years and the current year by a 12(d) Holder, or by any Person who controls, is controlled by, under common control with or acts in concert with a 12(d) Holder,

(l)             An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any immediate family member of such nominee shall not, have accepted directly or indirectly, during the calendar year of the election for which such individual is nominated or seated, or during the immediately preceding five calendar years, any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from any 12(d) Holder or from any Person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or acts in concert with any 12(d) Holder,

(m)          An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any immediate family member of such nominee shall not, be, or have been within the last five full calendar years and the current year, an officer, trustee, director, partner, manager or managing member (or Person performing similar functions) of any 12(d) Holder or of any Person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or is acting in concert with a 12(d) Holder; and

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(n)           An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee, and any immediate family member of such nominee, shall not, and shall not have within the last five full calendar years and the current year, control or act in concert with any 12(d) Holder or any Person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or is acting in concert with a 12(d) Holder.

Section 2.4         Standard of Care. It shall be understood that each Trustee, including the Chairman of the Board or any chairman or member of any committee of the Board created herein or by the Board of Trustees shall have the same level of responsibility to the Trust required of his or her being a Trustee, regardless of (a) any other position held with the Trust, (b) the Trustee’s individual training or expertise and (c) the role performed by the Trustee on behalf of the Trust in his or her capacity as Trustee even if such role requires the Trustee to possess specific or unique qualifications under applicable binding law or regulation. The Chairman of the Board or any chairman or member of any committee of the Board created herein or by the Board of Trustees shall serve in such capacity for the Board of Trustees and does not serve in such capacity as an officer of the Trust.

Section 2.5         Governance. The Board of Trustees may from time to time require all its members and any Proposed Nominee to agree in writing as to matters of corporate governance, business ethics and confidentiality while such Persons serve as a Trustee, such agreement to be on the terms and in a form determined satisfactory by the Board of Trustees, as amended and supplemented from time to time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

Section 2.6         Records. The results of all actions taken at a meeting of the Trustees, or by the written consent of the number of Trustees required to take such action, shall be recorded by the person appointed by the Board of Trustees as the meeting secretary.

ARTICLE III

Officers

Section 3.1         Officers of the Trust. The officers of the Trust shall consist of a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers or assistant officers as may be elected or authorized by the Trustees. Any two or more of the offices may be held by the same Person, except that the same person may not be both President and Secretary. No officer of the Trust need be a Trustee.

Section 3.2         Election and Tenure. At the initial organization meeting, the Trustees shall elect the President, Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as the Trustees shall deem necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the business of the Trust. Such officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Trustees or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. The Trustees may fill any vacancy in office or add any additional officers at any time.

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Section 3.3         Removal of Officers. Any officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by action of a majority of the Trustees. This provision shall not prevent the making of a contract of employment for a definite term with any officer and shall have no effect upon any cause of action which any officer may have as a result of removal in breach of a contract of employment. Any officer may resign at any time by notice in writing signed by such officer and delivered or mailed to the President or Secretary, and such resignation shall take effect immediately upon receipt by the President or Secretary, or at a later date according to the terms of such notice in writing.

Section 3.4         Bonds and Surety. Any officer may be required by the Trustees to be bonded for the faithful performance of such officer’s duties in such amount and with such sureties as the Trustees may determine.

Section 3.5         President, and Vice Presidents. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Trustees to the Chairman, if any, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust and, subject to the control of the Trustees, shall have general supervision, direction and control of the business of the Trust and of its employees and shall exercise such general powers of management as are usually vested in the office of President of a corporation. Subject to direction of the Trustees, the President shall each have power in the name and on behalf of the Trust to execute any and all loans, documents, contracts, agreements, deeds, mortgages, registration statements, applications, requests, filings and other instruments in writing, and to employ and discharge employees and agents of the Trust. Unless otherwise directed by the Trustees, the President shall each have full authority and power, on behalf of all of the Trustees, to attend and to act and to vote, on behalf of the Trust at any meetings of business organizations in which the Trust holds an interest, or to confer such powers upon any other persons, by executing any proxies duly authorizing such persons. The President shall have such further authorities and duties as the Trustees shall from time to time determine. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice-Presidents in order of their rank as fixed by the Trustees or, if more than one and not ranked, the Vice-President designated by the Trustees, shall perform all of the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all of the restrictions upon the President. Subject to the direction of the Trustees, and of the President, each Vice-President shall have the power in the name and on behalf of the Trust to execute any and all instruments in writing, and, in addition, shall have such other duties and powers as shall be designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the President.

Section 3.6         Secretary. The Secretary shall maintain the minutes of all meetings of, and record all votes of, Shareholders, Trustees and the Executive Committee, if any. The Secretary shall be custodian of the seal of the Trust, if any, and the Secretary (and any other person so authorized by the Trustees) shall affix the seal, or if permitted, facsimile thereof, to any instrument executed by the Trust which would be sealed by a Delaware business corporation executing the same or a similar instrument and shall attest the seal and the signature or signatures of the officer or officers executing such instrument on behalf of the Trust. The Secretary shall also perform any other duties commonly incident to such office in a Delaware business corporation, and shall have such other authorities and duties as the Trustees shall from time to time determine.

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Section 3.7         Treasurer. Except as otherwise directed by the Trustees, the Treasurer shall have the general supervision of the monies, funds, securities, notes receivable and other valuable papers and documents of the Trust, and shall have and exercise under the supervision of the Trustees and of the President all powers and duties normally incident to the office. The Treasurer may endorse for deposit or collection all notes, checks and other instruments payable to the Trust or to its order. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the Trust in such depositories as the Trustees shall designate. The Treasurer shall be responsible for such disbursement of the funds of the Trust as may be ordered by the Trustees or the President. The Treasurer shall keep accurate account of the books of the Trust’s transactions which shall be the property of the Trust, and which together with all other property of the Trust in the Treasurer’s possession, shall be subject at all times to the inspection and control of the Trustees. Unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine, the Treasurer shall be the principal accounting officer of the Trust and shall also be the principal financial officer of the Trust. The Treasurer shall have such other duties and authorities as the Trustees shall from time to time determine.

Section 3.8         Other Officers and Duties. The Trustees may elect such other officers and assistant officers as they shall from time to time determine to be necessary or desirable in order to conduct the business of the Trust. Assistant officers shall act generally in the absence of the officer whom they assist and shall assist that officer in the duties of the office. Each officer, employee and agent of the Trust shall have such other duties and authority as may be conferred upon such person by the Trustees or delegated to such person by the President.

ARTICLE IV

Miscellaneous

Section 4.1         Depositories. In accordance with Section 7.1 of the Declaration, the funds of the Trust shall be deposited in such custodians as the Trustees shall designate and shall be drawn out on checks, drafts or other orders signed by such officer, officers, agent or agents (including the adviser, administrator or manager), as the Trustees may from time to time authorize.

Section 4.2         Signatures. All contracts and other instruments shall be executed on behalf of the Trust by its properly authorized officers, agent or agents, as provided in the Declaration or By-laws or as the Trustees may from time to time by resolution provide.

Section 4.3         Seal. The Trust is not required to have any seal, and the adoption or use of a seal shall be purely ornamental and be of no legal effect. The seal, if any, of the Trust may be affixed to any instrument, and the seal and its attestation may be lithographed, engraved or otherwise printed on any document with the same force and effect as if it had been imprinted and affixed manually in the same manner and with the same force and effect as if done by a Delaware business corporation. The presence or absence of a seal shall have no effect on the validity, enforceability or binding nature of any document or instrument that is otherwise duly authorized, executed and delivered.

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Section 4.4         Disclosure of Holdings. The holders of Shares or other securities of the Trust shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership, control over, holding with power to vote or other beneficial ownership of Shares or other securities of the Trust as the Trustees deem necessary or appropriate.

Section 4.5         Governing Law. These By-Laws and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the state of Delaware, although such law shall not be viewed as limiting the powers otherwise granted to the Trustees hereunder and any ambiguity shall be viewed in favor of such powers.

Section 4.6         Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.

(a)            The provisions of these By-Laws are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the Code or with other applicable binding laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of these By-Laws; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of these By-Laws or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.

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

ARTICLE V

Stock Transfers

Section 5.1         Transfer Agents, Registrars and the Like. As provided in Section 6.7 of the Declaration, the Trustees shall have authority to employ and compensate such transfer agents and registrars with respect to the Shares of the Trust as the Trustees shall deem necessary or desirable. In addition, the Trustees shall have power to employ and compensate such dividend disbursing agents, warrant agents and agents for the reinvestment of dividends as they shall deem necessary or desirable. Any of such agents shall have such power and authority as is delegated to any of them by the Trustees.

Section 5.2         Transfer of Shares. The Shares of the Trust shall be transferable on the books of the Trust only upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust of proper documentation as provided in Section 6.8 of the Declaration. The Trust, or its transfer agents, shall be authorized to refuse any transfer unless and until presentation of such evidence as may be reasonably required to show that the requested transfer is proper.

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Section 5.3         Registered Shareholders. The Trust may deem and treat the holder of record of any Shares as the absolute owner thereof for all purposes and shall not be required to take any notice of any right or claim of right of any other Person.

ARTICLE VI

Amendment of By-Laws

Section 6.1         Amendment and Repeal of By-Laws. In accordance with Section 3.9 of the Declaration, the Trustees shall have the power to amend or repeal the By-Laws or adopt new By-Laws at any time. Action by the Trustees with respect to the By-Laws shall be taken by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Trustees. The Trustees shall in no event adopt By-Laws which are in conflict with the Declaration, and any apparent inconsistency shall be construed in favor of the related provisions in the Declaration.

ARTICLE VII

CHOICE OF FORUM PROVISION

Section 7.1         Forum for Adjudication of Certain Disputes. Pursuant to Section 3804(e) of the Delaware Act, unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust to the Trust or its Shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act or the Trust’s Declaration or these By-Laws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the Trust irreparable harm and the Trust shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, to enforce the foregoing provisions. This Section 7.1 does not apply to any claim under the United States federal securities laws.

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