XML 42 R25.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
(18) Commitments and Contingencies

Contractual

In the ordinary course of business, we issue performance bonds to secure our performance under certain contracts or state tax requirements. As of December 31, 2014, we had an immaterial amount of performance bonds outstanding. These bonds are issued on our behalf by a surety company on an unsecured basis; however, if the surety company is ever required to pay out under the bonds, we have contractually agreed to reimburse the surety company.

Employment Contracts and Severance Plans

We have employment contracts with, and plans covering, certain officers and management teammates under which severance payments would become payable in the event of specified terminations without cause or terminations under certain circumstances after a change in control. In addition, vesting of outstanding nonvested RSUs would accelerate following a change in control. If severance payments under the current employment agreements or plan payments were to become payable, the severance payments would generally range from three to twenty-four months of salary.

Indemnifications

From time to time, in the ordinary course of business, we enter into contractual arrangements under which we agree to indemnify either our clients or third-party service providers from certain losses incurred relating to services performed on our behalf or for losses arising from defined events, which may include litigation or claims relating to past performance. These arrangements include, but are not limited to, the indemnification of our clients for certain claims arising out of our performance under our sales contracts, the indemnification of our landlords for certain claims arising from our use of leased facilities and the indemnification of the lenders that provide our credit facilities for certain claims arising from their extension of credit to us. Such indemnification obligations may not be subject to maximum loss clauses.

Management believes that payments, if any, related to these indemnifications are not probable at December 31, 2014. Accordingly, we have not accrued any liabilities related to such indemnifications in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

We have entered into separate indemnification agreements with our executive officers and with each of our directors. These agreements require us, among other requirements, to indemnify such officers and directors against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments and settlements paid by such individual in connection with any action arising out of such individual’s status or service as our executive officer or director (subject to exceptions such as where the individual failed to act in good faith or in a manner the individual reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company) and to advance expenses incurred by such individual with respect to which such individual may be entitled to indemnification by us. There are no pending legal proceedings that involve the indemnification of any of the Company’s directors or officers.

 

Contingencies Related to Third-Party Review

From time to time, we are subject to potential claims and assessments from third parties. We are also subject to various governmental, client and vendor audits. We continually assess whether or not such claims have merit and warrant accrual. Where appropriate, we accrue estimates of anticipated liabilities in our consolidated financial statements. Such estimates are subject to change and may affect our results of operations and our cash flows.

Legal Proceedings

We are party to various legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, including preference payment claims asserted in client bankruptcy proceedings, indemnification claims, claims of alleged infringement of patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property rights, claims of alleged non-compliance with contract provisions and claims related to alleged violations of laws and regulations. Many of these proceeding are at preliminary stages, and many of these proceedings seek an indeterminate amount of damages. We regularly evaluate the status of the legal proceedings in which we are involved to assess whether a loss is probable or there is a reasonable possibility that a loss, or an additional loss, may have been incurred and determine if accruals are appropriate. If accruals are not appropriate, we further evaluate each legal proceeding to assess whether an estimate of possible loss or range of possible loss can be made for disclosure. Although litigation is inherently unpredictable, we believe that we have adequate provisions for any probable and estimable losses. It is possible, nevertheless, that our consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity could be materially and adversely affected in any particular period by the resolution of a legal proceeding. Legal expenses related to defense, negotiations, settlements, rulings and advice of outside legal counsel are expensed as incurred.

In August 2010, in connection with an investigation being conducted by the United States Department of Justice, our subsidiary, Calence, LLC (“Calence”), received a subpoena from the Office of the Inspector General of the Federal Communications Commission requesting documents and information related to the expenditure of funds under the E-Rate program, which provides schools and libraries with discounts to obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access and related hardware and software. The basis of the investigation was a qui tam lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas by a contractor who provided services to the former owners of Calence. The lawsuit, designated United States ex rel. Shupe v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Avnet, Inc. and Calence, LLC, alleged violations of the False Claims Act and sought various remedies including treble damages and civil penalties. An appeal from a District Court order denying motions to dismiss was filed with the Fifth Circuit, and in July 2014 the Fifth Circuit reversed the District Court’s decision and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings consistent with its decision regarding E-Rate claims under the False Claims Act. In August 2014, the District Court dismissed the case in its entirety. During the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2012, pursuant to the Company’s rights under the Calence acquisition agreements to indemnification for losses that arose out of or resulted from this matter, we recovered approximately $390,000 and $2,000,000, respectively, of legal costs incurred in previous periods. No amounts were recovered during the year ended December 31, 2013.

The Company is not involved in any pending or threatened legal proceedings that it believes could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.