Professional Documents
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PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS:
INTRODUCTION TO AUCTION SALES
Please note that this precedent is based on a standard precedent which has
been adapted for the Legal Practice Course. It therefore does not have any
practical use as a precedent and students wishing to find a complete version
are directed to the standard texts of precedents in the Library.
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LPC: PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS SGS 1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
[Date]
Dear Sirs
You [insert name of Bidder] (‘the Bidder’) have expressed an interest in the possible
acquisition of Eurolearn Limited. In consideration of us making Confidential
Information available to you, you hereby agree to the following:
1. INTERPRETATION
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LPC: PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS SGS 1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
1.4 This agreement shall be binding on, and enure to the benefit of, the parties to
this agreement and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and
references to any party shall include that party's successors and permitted
assigns.
1.5 A reference to writing or written includes fax but not email [(unless otherwise
expressly provided in this agreement)].
1.6 Any words following the terms including, include, in particular, for
example or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall
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LPC: PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS SGS 1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
not limit the sense of the words, description, definition, phrase or term
preceding those terms.
2. CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKINGS
2.1 The Bidder undertakes to the Seller that it shall [(and shall procure that each
member of its Group shall)]:
(a) keep the Confidential Information secret and confidential and shall
take [all necessary] steps to preserve its confidentiality;
(b) not disclose or make available any Confidential Information to any
person, except as permitted by this agreement; and
(c) not use or exploit the Confidential Information in any way, except for
the Permitted Purpose.
2.2 The Bidder shall only make such Copies as are strictly necessary for the
Permitted Purpose and shall:
(a) clearly mark all Copies as confidential;
(b) ensure that all Copies can be separately identified from its own
information; and
(c) ensure that all Copies within its control are protected against theft or
unauthorised access.
2.3 At the written request of the Seller, the Bidder shall promptly:
(a) destroy or return to the Seller all documents and materials
containing, reflecting, incorporating, or based on any Confidential
Information;
(b) erase all Confidential Information from its computer and
communications systems and devices used by it [(or any members of
its Group)], including such systems and data storage services
provided by third parties (to the extent technically and legally
practicable); and
(c) certify in writing to the Seller that it has complied with its obligations
under this clause [ ]
[provided that the Bidder may retain documents and materials containing,
reflecting, incorporating or based on the Confidential Information to the extent
required by law or any governmental or regulatory authority of competent
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LPC: PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS SGS 1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
2.4 The undertakings and obligations in this agreement do not apply to any
Confidential Information:
(a) that is, or becomes, generally available to the public other than as a
direct or indirect result of the information being disclosed in breach of
this agreement;
(b) if the Bidder can prove that the relevant Confidential Information:
(i) was available to the Bidder on a non-confidential basis before
it was disclosed by the Seller or its Representatives; or
(ii) was, is or has become available to the Bidder on a non-
confidential basis from a person who, to the Bidder's
knowledge, was not bound by a confidentiality agreement
with the Seller [(or any other member of its Group)] or
otherwise prohibited from disclosing the information to the
Bidder;
(c) where the Seller agrees in writing that such information is not
Confidential Information, or that it may be disclosed [(subject to any
limitations or other terms specified by the Seller regarding the
method or recipient or such disclosure)].
3.2 The Bidder may disclose Confidential Information to the extent it is required to
be disclosed by law, or by any regulatory or governmental authority of
competent jurisdiction (including any listing authority or stock exchange on
which the Bidder's shares [or those of any member of its Group] are listed or
traded), or by a court of competent jurisdiction provided that, to the extent it is
legally permitted to do so, the Bidder gives the Seller as much notice of such
disclosure as possible [, and takes into account the reasonable requests of
the Seller in relation to the content of the disclosure].
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LPC: PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS SGS 1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
4. DURATION
4.1 If the Proposed Transaction is completed with the Bidder, this agreement
shall terminate upon completion of the Proposed Transaction.
4.2 In any other circumstances, this agreement shall continue in full force and
effect for a period of [NUMBER] years from the date of this agreement. The
Bidder's obligations under this agreement shall not be affected by any
termination of the negotiations or discussions between the parties in relation
to the Proposed Transaction.
4.3 Termination of this agreement shall be not affect any accrued rights or
remedies to which a party is entitled.
5.1 Except as provided in clause 5.2, a person who is not a party to this
agreement shall not have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third
Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of this agreement.
5.2 The obligations and undertakings of the Bidder in this agreement are intended
to benefit the Company [and future buyers of the entire issued share capital of
the Company] and shall be enforceable by [it OR each of them] to the fullest
extent permitted by law as if [it OR they] were the Seller and a party to this
agreement.
5.3 The rights of the parties to terminate, rescind or agree any variation, waiver or
settlement under this agreement are not subject to the consent of any other
person.
6.1 This agreement and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it
or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or
claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of
England and Wales.
6.2 Each party irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall
have [exclusive OR non-exclusive] jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim
arising out of or in connection with this agreement or its subject matter or
formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims).
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LPC: PRIVATE ACQUISITIONS SGS 1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
Please acknowledge your entry into this agreement by signing, dating and returning
the enclosed copy of this agreement to us.
Yours faithfully
………………………………………
Director
for and on behalf of LTC
(HOLDINGS) PLC
……………………………………….
Director
for and on behalf of [NAME OF Date…………………..
BIDDER]