COURSE DESCRIPTION
Indemnity agreements are central to the risk allocation and limitation of liability system built into most transactionalarrangements. The indemnitor agrees to indemnify the indemnitee on the occurrence of certain events. The scope of liability in these agreements is very carefully defined, often including actual costs but excluding consequential damages or any damages arising from third-party claims. All of the pieces of the indemnity puzzle – scope, measure of damages, exclusions and procedures for cost recovery – must be very carefully considered, negotiated and drafted. This program will provide you with a practical guide to drafting key provisions of indemnity agreements in transactional agreements.
- Scope of indemnity – indemnity v. hold harmless, damages v. liabilities, direct v. third-party claims
- Types of losses subject to indemnity – breaches of reps and warranties, covenants, losses, specific circumstances
- Determining recoverable damages and costs, including attorneys’ fees
- Implied or equitable indemnity – and use of disclaimers to limit liability
- Difference between the duty to defend v. indemnification
- Procedure for claiming and obtaining indemnification reimbursements
Speakers:
Joel R. Buckberg is a shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. and chair of the firm’s commercial transactions and business consulting group. He has more than 45 years’ experience structuring and drafting commercial, corporate and business transactions. He also counsels clients on strategic planning, financing, mergers and acquisitions, system policy and practice development, regulatory compliance and contract system drafting. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, he was executive vice president and deputy general counsel of Cendant Corporation.
William J. Kelly, III is a founding member of Kelly Law Partners, LLC, and has more than 30 years’ experience in the areas of employment and commercial litigation. In the area of employment law, he litigates trade secret, non-compete, infringement and discrimination claims in federal and state courts nationwide and has advised Fortune 50 companies on workplace policies and practices. In the area of commercial litigation, his experience includes class action litigation, breach of contract and indemnity, mass-claim complex insurance litigation, construction litigation and trade secrets. Earlier in career, he founded 15 Minutes Music, an independent music production company.