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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Dear Co-Chairs, Members, Participants and Staff,
<br>
<br>
We have reviewed the proposed language sent by ICANN Legal yesterday regarding a new indemnification bylaw designed at protecting certain participants in efforts to remove directors or recall the full Board from legal claims. We have also reviewed the sample
Guidelines for Due Diligence in Board Removal Discussions that ICANN Legal provided. We have the following concerns and observations: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">1. The indemnification language in the current ICANN bylaws (pasted below for your reference) largely tracks the statutory limits and standards for indemnification for
a California nonprofit public benefit corporation and is broader – and therefore more protective to the covered persons – than the proposed new additional provision. Under the new additional provision proposed by ICANN Legal covered persons would have
<i>less</i> protection with respect to claims resulting from efforts to remove directors and recall the full Board than would be provided under the current provision to protect covered persons from claims. In our view, the concerns raised by the CCWG-Accountability
about protection from claims brought by directors is better served by relying on the current bylaw provision (with some minor clarifications explained below). The current bylaw already provides significant indemnification from legal claims:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:center">
<i><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ARTICLE XIV: INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND OTHER AGENTS<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.5in">
<i><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ICANN shall, to maximum extent permitted by the CNPBCL, indemnify each of its agents against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with any proceeding arising by reason of the fact that any such person is or was an agent of ICANN, provided that the indemnified person's acts were done in good faith and in a manner that the indemnified person reasonably believed to be in ICANN's
best interests and not criminal. For purposes of this Article, an "agent" of ICANN includes any person who is or was a Director, Officer, employee, or any other agent of ICANN (including a member of any Supporting Organization, any Advisory Committee, the
Nominating Committee, any other ICANN committee, or the Technical Liaison Group) acting within the scope of his or her responsibility; or is or was serving at the request of ICANN as a Director, Officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust, or other enterprise. The Board may adopt a resolution authorizing the purchase and maintenance of insurance on behalf of any agent of ICANN against any liability asserted against or incurred by the agent in such capacity or arising out
of the agent's status as such, whether or not ICANN would have the power to indemnify the agent against that liability under the provisions of this Article.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">We recommend that, rather than adding the proposed new provision that would provide less protection for claims
<i> </i>relating to efforts to remove directors or recall the full Board, this current language be clarified to add in the list of covered persons / entities in the first parenthetical, “any person acting in his or her capacity as a representative of the
Empowered Community,” thereby clarifying that the Empowered Community and its representatives are indemnified agents. We also recommend clarifying that an indemnified agent includes any person who is or was serving as an appointed member of an ICANN body
(such as a member of a cross-community working group or a Review Team). </span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">2. If a new provision is added – which as indicated above would
<i><u>not</u></i> be our preference – we recommend broadening that new provision to include
<i><u>all</u></i> causes of action and removing the qualifications contained in paragraphs 2-5 (see the attached markup). The indemnification process in this section should be parallel to that applicable to ICANN officers and directors; for example, an SO/AC
chair who is sued for defaming a director should not have to jump through more hoops than an ICANN officer would if they were sued for defaming an SO/AC chair. Note also that if an agent has been successful on the merits in defending a suit brought by a
director, he or she would be entitled to indemnification related to the expenses associated with that defense pursuant to Section 5238(d) of the California Corporations Code regardless of the bylaw; any attempt to impose additional qualifications in the
Bylaws in that scenario would not be valid.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">3. We note that providing Guidelines for expected behavior of community participants may have positive benefits but care must be taken that they are not drafted to discourage
community participants from taking action in a specific area. To avoid any potential chill on efforts to seek removal of directors or recall the full Board – and in the interests of encouraging positive behavior from community participants generally – consider
whether it would be beneficial to have the Guidelines (as may be revised by CCWG-Accountability after due consideration) apply to <i><u>all</u></i> discussions within ICANN, not just a carved-out set of circumstances where the community is participating
in the director removal<b><i> </i></b>or Board recall processes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.5in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.5in"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.5in"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Holly and Rosemary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">HOLLY J. GREGORY</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><br>
Partner and Co-Chair<br>
Global Corporate Governance & Executive Compensation Practice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sidley Austin LLP</span></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">+1 212 839 5853<br>
<a href="mailto:holly.gregory@sidley.com" title="Click to send email to Gregory, Holly">holly.gregory@sidley.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Samantha Eisner [mailto:Samantha.Eisner@icann.org]
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February 03, 2016 7:06 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> accountability-cross-community@icann.org<br>
<b>Cc:</b> icann@adlercolvin.com; Sidley ICANN CCWG<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Recommendation 4 - Board Removal Liability - Proposed Indemnification Language<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Dear CCWG - <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">To further the discussion on Recommendation 4, Board Removal Liability, I am providing two documents on behalf of ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">First is a proposed addition to ICANN’s Bylaws that specifically allows for indemnification for statements made in the Board removal
process (in initiation of the Community Forum, during the Community Forum, or in written rationale) that were made in good faith and with due diligence as to veracity. This language reflects the CCWG’s suggestions made during the 26 January call that limiting
indemnification only to written rationale was probably not enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Second, we are providing some thoughts on how we can assist community members participating in a removal process in assessing the good
faith nature of their assertions as they are participating. We think that developing some guidelines will give participants confidence in working through the Board removal process.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Thanks, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Sam Eisner<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p></p>
<p class="12f8c011-ea17-4b13-91eb-a69af88e2d55"> </p>
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