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Assignment Agreement Template

Use our assignment agreement to transfer contractual obligations.

Updated February 1, 2024 Written by Josh Sainsbury | Reviewed by Brooke Davis

An assignment agreement is a legal document that transfers rights, responsibilities, and benefits from one party (the “assignor”) to another (the “assignee”). You can use it to reassign debt, real estate, intellectual property, leases, insurance policies, and government contracts.

What Is an Assignment Agreement?

What to include in an assignment agreement, how to assign a contract, how to write an assignment agreement, assignment agreement sample.

Partnership Interest

An assignment agreement effectively transfers the rights and obligations of a person or entity under an initial contract to another. The original party is the assignor, and the assignee takes on the contract’s duties and benefits.

It’s often a requirement to let the other party in the original deal know the contract is being transferred. It’s essential to create this form thoughtfully, as a poorly written assignment agreement may leave the assignor obligated to certain aspects of the deal.

The most common use of an assignment agreement occurs when the assignor no longer can or wants to continue with a contract. Instead of leaving the initial party or breaking the agreement, the assignor can transfer the contract to another individual or entity.

For example, imagine a small residential trash collection service plans to close its operations. Before it closes, the business brokers a deal to send its accounts to a curbside pickup company providing similar services. After notifying account holders, the latter company continues the service while receiving payment.

Create a thorough assignment agreement by including the following information:

• Effective Date:  The document must indicate when the transfer of rights and obligations occurs.
• Parties:  Include the full name and address of the assignor, assignee, and obligor (if required).
• Assignment:  Provide details that identify the original contract being assigned.
• Third-Party Approval: If the initial contract requires the approval of the obligor, note the date the approval was received.
• Signatures:  Both parties must sign and date the printed assignment contract template once completed. If a notary is required, wait until you are in the presence of the official and present identification before signing. Failure to do so may result in having to redo the assignment contract.

Review the Contract Terms

Carefully review the terms of the existing contract. Some contracts may have specific provisions regarding assignment. Check for any restrictions or requirements related to assigning the contract.

Check for Anti-Assignment Clauses

Some contracts include anti-assignment clauses that prohibit or restrict the ability to assign the contract without the consent of the other party. If there’s such a clause, you may need the consent of the original parties to proceed.

Determine Assignability

Ensure that the contract is assignable. Some contracts, especially those involving personal services or unique skills, may not be assignable without the other party’s agreement.

Get Consent from the Other Party (if Required)

If the contract includes an anti-assignment clause or requires consent for assignment, seek written consent from the other party. This can often be done through a formal amendment to the contract.

Prepare an Assignment Agreement

Draft an assignment agreement that clearly outlines the transfer of rights and obligations from the assignor (the party assigning the contract) to the assignee (the party receiving the assignment). Include details such as the names of the parties, the effective date of the assignment, and the specific rights and obligations being transferred.

Include Original Contract Information

Attach a copy of the original contract or reference its key terms in the assignment agreement. This helps in clearly identifying the contract being assigned.

Execution of the Assignment Agreement

Both the assignor and assignee should sign the assignment agreement. Signatures should be notarized if required by the contract or local laws.

Notice to the Other Party

Provide notice of the assignment to the non-assigning party. This can be done formally through a letter or as specified in the contract.

File the Assignment

File the assignment agreement with the appropriate parties or entities as required. This may include filing with the original contracting party or relevant government authorities.

Communicate with Third Parties

Inform any relevant third parties, such as suppliers, customers, or service providers, about the assignment to ensure a smooth transition.

Keep Copies for Records

Keep copies of the assignment agreement, original contract, and any related communications for your records.

Here’s a list of steps on how to write an assignment agreement:

Step 1 – List the Assignor’s and Assignee’s Details

List all of the pertinent information regarding the parties involved in the transfer. This information includes their full names, addresses, phone numbers, and other relevant contact information.

This step clarifies who’s transferring the initial contract and who will take on its responsibilities.

Step 2 – Provide Original Contract Information

Describing and identifying the contract that is effectively being reassigned is essential. This step avoids any confusion after the transfer has been completed.

Step 3 – State the Consideration

Provide accurate information regarding the amount the assignee pays to assume the contract. This figure should include taxes and any relevant peripheral expenses. If the assignee will pay the consideration over a period, indicate the method and installments.

Step 4 – Provide Any Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions of any agreement are crucial to a smooth transaction. You must cover issues such as dispute resolution, governing law, obligor approval, and any relevant clauses.

Step 5 – Obtain Signatures

Both parties must sign the agreement to ensure it is legally binding and that they have read and understood the contract. If a notary is required, wait to sign off in their presence.

Related Documents

• Sales and Purchase Agreement : Outlines the terms and conditions of an item sale.
• Business Contract : An agreement in which each party agrees to an exchange, typically involving money, goods, or services.
• Lease/Rental Agreement : A lease agreement is a written document that officially recognizes a legally binding relationship between two parties -- a landlord and a tenant.
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The document above is a sample. Please note that the language you see here may change depending on your answers to the document questionnaire.

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Anatomy of an Asset Purchase Agreement

Like the classic game Operation, ® asset purchase transactions  require parties to take great care in extracting just what they want. However, successful asset sales require quite a bit more than a pair of tweezers and steady hands. Among other things, they require a well-crafted Asset Purchase Agreement (APA). These agreements, at their most basic level, provide for the sale of tangible and intangible assets and liabilities of a seller to a buyer in return for cash or some other form of consideration ( i.e. , something of value). However, M&A transactions are anything but basic. They’re riddled with substantial risk and potential rewards for both parties, and APAs often become even more complex than Stock Purchase Agreements  (SPAs), which govern stock sales , as asset purchase transactions lack the relative simplicity afforded by a transfer of all of the shares of a distinct legal entity.

I discussed SPAs in a prior post . Today, I’ll turn my focus to Asset Purchase Agreements. I’ll introduce you to the key provisions of an APA and explain their purposes. You may notice that much of my discussion below is substantively identical to my SPA post. That is because, as you would expect, the terms of each type of agreement are in many cases the same.  However, they do differ in many material respects.  For example:

• In APAs, acquired assets, assumed liabilities and retained liabilities and assets are all specifically enumerated, while in SPAs the contract simply references the shares being transferred.
• APAs provide for use of legal instruments necessary to transfer ownership, such as bills of sale (for personal property), assignment and assumption agreements (for contracts and permits), intellectual property assignments, real property transfer documents and so on.  SPAs don’t require these because assets and liabilities generally transfer indirectly by operation of law along with ownership of the target’s stock.
• APA representations and warranties obviously don’t describe any acquired shares. Instead, they include a special representation that the assets being acquired are sufficient to operate the acquired business after closing, and you’ll often encounter a provision designed to ensure compliance with any bulk transfer and fraudulent conveyance rules, which may be relevant if the seller is, or could become, insolvent.
• Because asset transactions often involve the extraction of one business from another, there will more likely be assets that are used in both the business of the seller and the acquired business. These are usually referred to as “Shared Assets,” and they require special provisions for their treatment in the deal.

In later posts, I’ll also examine each of the sections of an APA more closely and provide a more detailed and nuanced discussion of their contents.

If you’d like to compare my discussion below with a sample Asset Purchase Agreement, here ‘s the APA that governed the 2013 acquisition by MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. of Barnes Group Inc.’s distribution services business assets in the U.S. and Canada for $550 million. You’ll notice some discrepancies between my references to Articles of the APA and the Articles of the MSC / Barnes Group agreement. Although agreements like these do conform to customary standards and structure, variations do exist. Please keep that in mind as you read on.

Want to buy an asset purchase agreement?

Preamble and Recitals

The first paragraph of an APA is known as the Preamble. It usually names the agreement, introduces the parties and sets forth the effective date of the contract. More often than not, it will also create defined terms for each of these, such as the “Seller” and the “Purchaser.”

Immediately after the Preamble, the Asset Purchase Agreement often contains a series of statements beginning with the word “WHEREAS”. These are known as the Recitals. Unlike most of the rest of the agreement, the Recitals are not generally meant to be binding on the parties. Instead, they lay out the intentions of the transacting parties and provide context to anyone later attempting to interpret the APA.

Article 1: Definitions

Article 1 of most APAs provides an alphabetical list of definitions of important (usually capitalized) terms used throughout the agreement.  These definitions do not function as stand-alone terms and conditions but are instead incorporated into other operative provisions throughout the contract.  For example, Article I might provide definitions for the terms “Affiliate,” “Law” and “Person.”

Although you may be tempted to gloss over these definitions thinking they are immaterial boilerplate or difficult to make sense of devoid of context, they are critically important and may substantially alter the effect of the provisions in which they are used. Some, such as “Liabilities,” “Material Adverse Effect” or “Seller’s Knowledge” (or their equivalents) are used throughout the contract and may be the subject of extensive negotiations.  Others, such as “Acquired Assets,” “Acquired Business,” “Assumed Liabilities,” “Retained Assets” and “Retained Liabilities”  are central to the terms of the transaction, as they determine exactly what each party is and is not getting in the deal.

In addition to the list of definitions, this Article will frequently also contain cross-references to terms that are defined elsewhere in the Asset Purchase Agreement and a section devoted to rules of construction applicable to the contract.

Article 2: The Transaction

Article 2 of a standard APA usually provides the specific terms of the sale. It contains language to the effect of:

“In accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and except as set forth in Section 2.2 [governing Excluded Assets], at the Closing, the Seller will sell, convey, assign, transfer and deliver to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser will purchase and acquire from the Seller, free and clear of all Encumbrances other than Permitted Encumbrances, all of the Seller’s right, title and interest in and to all of the Seller’s properties and assets of every kind and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, and wherever located, used [exclusively] in the Acquired Business.”

There will be similar provisions relating to Excluded Assets to be retained by the seller, Assumed Liabilities to be taken by the buyer and Excluded Liabilities, which remain with the seller. In addition, Article 2 sets forth the purchase price, any purchase price adjustments (such as an adjustment to account for variations in target net working capital at closing ) and documents and other things that must be exchanged between the parties at closing. These will include the purchase price, of course, and bills of sale , assignment and assumption agreements , intellectual property assignments, real property transfer documents and so on, as well as any  legal opinions , employment agreements, escrow agreement and other ancillary documents.

Article 3: Seller Representations and Warranties

Article 3 of most Asset Purchase Agreements contains representations and warranties from the seller about the target business. As discussed in a prior post , representations and warranties are statements of past or present fact relating to the business, assets, liabilities, properties, condition, operating results, operations and prospects of the acquired assets made by one party to an M&A transaction to another. Inaccurate representations and warranties may result in the incurrence of liability by the party that made the statements.

Here’s a long list of subjects that may be addressed by seller representations and warranties:

• organization and good standing
• authority and enforceability
• absence of conflicts
• capitalization and ownership
• financial statements
• books and records
• accounts receivable and accounts payable
• inventories
• absence of undisclosed liabilities
• absence of certain changes and events
• assets (including sufficiency of assets)
• real property
• intellectual property
• material contracts
• tax matters
• employee benefits
• employment and labor
• environmental, health and safety
• compliance with law
• legal proceedings
• customers and suppliers
• product warranties
• product liability
• related-party transactions
• brokers and finders fees
• solvency and
• full disclosure.

Few, if any, transactions will include all of these representations and warranties, and many of them overlap at least in part.

Article 4: Buyer Representations and Warranties

Article 4 usually contains reciprocal representations and warranties from the buyer to the seller. (Occasionally, these are included within another section of Article 3 along with the seller representations and warranties.)  If the buyer is issuing shares as all or part of the purchase price, then its representations and warranties will mirror those of the seller fairly closely. More often, though, the buyer is paying cash and its representations and warranties are consequently significantly more limited in scope. After all, cash is cash.

Buyer representations and warranties frequently cover some combination of the following topics:

• governmental consents
• brokers and finders fees and
• independent investigation.

Article 5: Covenants

Assuming your deal has a gap period between signing and closing, as most do, Article 5 of the APA will contain covenants ( i.e. , promises to do or refrain from doing something) from the parties governing their activities during this time as well as after closing.

There’s usually an “Access and Investigation” covenant through which the seller promises to permit the buyer to access the acquired business and its books and records prior to closing.  Among other things, this enables the buyer to continue planning for and implementing its integration of the acquired business during the gap period.

This Article will also require the seller to operate the acquired business prior to closing in the ordinary course consistent with past practices. Such provisions sometimes include long lists of specific actions required to be taken (or prohibited from being taken) by the seller. Generally speaking, the more comprehensive and specific the list, the more favorable it is to the buyer. These conduct of business provisions help preserve the business in the form expected by the buyer and maintain it in a condition that is similar to what it investigated through due diligence.

In addition, Article 5 usually requires the seller to notify the buyer of certain material developments impacting the acquired business or the transaction. The goal here is not only to ensure real-time information flow to the buyer about its soon-to-be-owned business, but, depending on how the provision is written, to enable the buyer to declare a material breach of the APA or failure of a closing condition if it has been notified of a breach or failed condition.

Article 5 will generally also contain a covenant requiring the parties to exercise certain efforts to consummate the transaction, including obtaining regulatory approvals and securing third part consents . Such approvals and consents are particularly important in asset transactions, given the requirement to convey ownership of each asset individually from one entity to another, which is significantly more likely to be prohibited by, or require approval under, applicable law and contracts than an indirect transfer via sale of stock.

Other covenants you may encounter in Article 5 include provisions governing:

• confidentiality
• public announcements
• preparation of interim financial statements
• seller cooperation with financing
• customer communications
• employee matters
• fraudulent conveyance law and satisfaction of seller obligations to creditors
• indemnification and insurance
• non-competition
• non-solicitation
• treatment of shared assets and intercompany arrangements
• use of the seller’s retained names and marks
• handling of mail and other communications and
• production of witnesses and attorney-client privilege.

Article 6: Closing Conditions

Again assuming the deal has a gap period between signing and closing, the Asset Purchase Agreement will include conditions precedent that must be satisfied or waived before each party will be required to consummate the transaction. Among other things, these will generally require that the other party’s representations and warranties will have been true when made and remain true at closing, and they will require that the other party will have complied with its pre-closing covenants. As you might expect, all required regulatory approvals and third party consents will need to have been secured, as well. Frequently, a buyer will also require as a condition precedent that the acquired business will not have experienced a material adverse change—an adverse change in the acquired business that is consequential to its long-term earnings power. Occasionally, a buyer may be able to negotiate for a requirement that it will have secured financing or satisfactorily completed its due diligence examination of the target, too.

Article 7: Indemnification

Another APA Article will provide for indemnification rights, which entitle each party to be compensated by the other for losses suffered on account of a breach of any of the other party’s representations, warranties and covenants. Indemnification may also be extended to losses arising from specific causes, such as an identified environmental condition. The seller will usually provide indemnity for losses incurred by the buyer as a result of “Retained Liabilities,” as well, and the buyer will offer a reciprocal indemnity with respect to “Assumed Liabilities.”

This Article will not only outline each party’s basic rights to indemnity. It also typically:

• establishes a survival period for representations and warranties after which claims for breach cannot be brought,
• sets limits on indemnification, including a threshold or deductible and a cap,
• if applicable, outlines the use of any funds deposited in escrow for indemnification,
• lays out procedures to be followed to make indemnification claims and to handle third party claims,
• indicates the extent to which indemnification is a party’s exclusive remedy for breaches and
• clarifies how losses should be calculated for purposes of any recovery.

Article 8: Termination

The conditions to closing contained in Article 6 would be pointless without an associated right to terminate the APA and the transaction if any of those conditions aren’t satisfied or waived. Every APA thus contains an Article describing each party’s termination rights, which often include not only termination due to failure of a condition but also termination by mutual consent, termination by the buyer if the acquired business has suffered a material adverse effect, termination by either party if the transaction is enjoined or fails to obtain necessary governmental or third party consents or termination by either party if the deal hasn’t closed by a specified deadline.

In addition, this Article explains the effect of termination, usually that some provisions of the APA will survive termination ( e.g. , governing confidentiality and miscellaneous provisions), that one party may owe a termination fee or expense reimbursement to the other and that the parties will remain responsible for any pre-termination breaches.

Article 9: General Provisions

Finally, virtually every APA will contain an Article dedicated to miscellaneous provisions governing a variety of subjects, including expenses, governing law, notice, dispute resolution, expenses, severability, counterparts, assignment, amendment and more.

Other Articles

Aside from the more common sections described above, many Asset Purchase Agreements contain Articles devoted exclusively to other topics, including taxes, employment and labor and environmental matters. Such additional Articles will usually only appear in an APA if their subject matter is particularly important and requires a more fulsome approach than it would otherwise receive.

*               *               *

Erik Lopez is the M&A lawyer responsible for this blog. Feel free to contact Erik at [email protected] or +1-214-601-1887 .

Partner at Jasso Lopez PLLC

Erik is an M&A lawyer with over 23 years of domestic and cross-border, public and private M&A experience. He has successfully closed hundreds of deals totaling tens of billions of dollars in value for a global client-base. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and New York University School of Law. You can reach Erik at [email protected].

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Assignment and Assumption Agreement | Practical Law

Assignment and Assumption Agreement

Practical law standard document 0-381-9984  (approx. 10 pages).

This assignment and assumption of agreement is between , an individual a(n) (the " Assignor ") and , an individual a(n) (the " Assignee ").

The Assignor and , an individual a(n) (the " Other Party "), entered an agreement dated (the " Agreement "), a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A .

Under section of the Agreement relating to assignments, the Assignor may assign the Agreement to the Assignee and the Other Party wants to permit this assignment.

The parties therefore agree as follows:

1. ASSIGNMENT.

The Assignor assigns to the Assignee of all its rights in, and delegates to the Assignee all of its obligations under, the Agreement. This transfer will become effective on (the " Effective Date "), and will continue until the current term of the Agreement ends.

2. ASSUMPTION OF RIGHTS AND   DUTIES.  

After the Effective Date, the Assignee shall assume all rights and duties under the Agreement. The Assignor will have no further obligations under the Agreement The Assignor will remain bound to the Other Party under the Agreement for the following purposes: . However, the Assignor remains responsible for obligations accruing before the Effective Date.

3. INCONSISTENCY.

If there is a conflict between this assignment and the Agreement, the terms of this assignment will govern.

4. AGREEMENT CONTINUANCE.

Except as expressly modified and supplemented by this assignment, all other terms in the Agreement remain in full effect and continue to bind the parties, including the prohibition against further assignments without the Other Party's express written consent.

5. ASSIGNOR'S REPRESENTATIONS .

The Assignor represents that:

• (a)  it is the lawful and sole owner of the interests assigned under this assignment;
• (b)  it has not previously assigned its rights under the Agreement;
• (c) the interests assigned under this assignment are free from all encumbrances; and
• (d)  it has performed all obligations under the Agreement.

6. INDEMNIFICATION.

• (a) Of Other Party by Assignee. The Assignee shall indemnify the Other Party against all claims, actions, judgments, liabilities, proceedings, and costs, including reasonable attorney's fees and other costs of defense, resulting from the Assignee's performance under the Agreement after the Effective Date.
• (b) Of Other Party by Assignor. The Assignor shall indemnify the Other Party against all claims, actions, judgments, liabilities, proceedings, and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs of defense, resulting from the Assignor's performance under the Agreement before the Effective Date. With respect to claims, actions, judgments, liabilities, proceedings, and costs resulting from the Assignee's performance under the Agreement after the Effective Date, the Other Party shall look first to the Assignee to satisfy those claims, actions, judgments, liabilities, proceedings and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs of defense.
• (c) Of Assignee by Assignor. The Assignor shall indemnify the Assignee against all claims, actions, judgments, liabilities, proceedings, and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs of defense, that may after the Effective Date be suffered by or asserted against the Assignee because of the Assignor's failure to have performed, before the Effective Date, all of the Assignor's obligations under the Agreement or because of any other claims accruing before the Effective Date that may be asserted with respect to the Agreement.
• (d) Of Assignor by Assignee. The Assignee shall indemnify the Assignor against all claims, actions, judgments, liabilities, proceedings, and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs of defense, that may after the Effective Date be suffered by or asserted against the Assignor because of the Assignee's failure to have performed, after the Effective Date, all of the Assignor's obligations under the Agreement or because of any other claims accruing after the Effective Date that may be asserted with respect to the Agreement.

7. COUNTERPARTS; ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.

• (a) Counterparts. The parties may execute this assignment in any number of counterparts, each of which is an original but all of which constitute one and the same instrument.
• (b) Electronic Signatures. This assignment, agreements ancillary to this assignment, and related documents entered into in connection with this assignment are signed when a party's signature is delivered by facsimile, email, or other electronic medium. These signatures must be treated in all respects as having the same force and effect as original signatures.

8. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision contained in this assignment is, for any reason, held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, that invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability will not affect any other provisions of this assignment, but this assignment will be construed as if the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provisions had never been contained in it, unless the deletion of those provisions would result in such a material change so as to cause completion of the transactions contemplated by this assignment to be unreasonable.

No waiver of a breach, failure of any condition, or any right or remedy contained in or granted by the provisions of this assignment will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party waiving the breach, failure, right, or remedy. No waiver of any breach, failure, right, or remedy will be deemed a waiver of any other breach, failure, right, or remedy, whether or not similar, and no waiver will constitute a continuing waiver, unless the writing so specifies.

10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This assignment, together with the Agreement, constitutes the final agreement of the parties. It is the complete and exclusive expression of the parties' agreement with respect to its subject matter. All prior and contemporaneous communications, negotiations, and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this assignment are expressly merged into and superseded by this assignment. The provisions of this assignment may not be explained, supplemented, or qualified by evidence of trade usage or a prior course of dealings. No party was induced to enter this assignment by, and no party is relying on, any statement, representation, warranty, or agreement of any other party except those set forth expressly in this assignment. Except as set forth expressly in this assignment, there are no conditions precedent to this assignment's effectiveness.

11. HEADINGS.

The descriptive headings of the sections and subsections of this assignment are for convenience only, and do not affect this assignment's construction or interpretation.

12. EFFECTIVENESS.

This assignment will become effective when all parties have signed it. The date this assignment is signed by the last party to sign it (as indicated by the date associated with that party's signature) will be deemed the date of this assignment.

13. NECESSARY ACTS; FURTHER ASSURANCES.

Each party shall use all reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary or desirable to consummate and make effective the transactions this assignment contemplates or to evidence or carry out the intent and purposes of this assignment.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

Each party is signing this assignment on the date stated opposite that party's signature.

The Other Party hereby acknowledges and consents to the above assignment and assumption, and as of its effective date, releases the Assignor from all future obligation and liability under the Agreement. In executing its consent to this assignment, the Other Party does not release the Assignor from any claims or remedies it may have against the Assignor under the Agreement.

In executing its consent to this assignment, the Other Party does not release the Assignor from any claims or remedies it may have against the Assignor under the Agreement.

[PAGE BREAK HERE]

EXHIBIT A Attach copy of original agreement

Free Assignment of Agreement Template

How-to guides, articles, and any other content appearing on this page are for informational purposes only, do not constitute legal advice, and are no substitute for the advice of an attorney.

Assignment of agreement: How-to guide

Assignment agreements are foundational documents in legal transactions that enable the transfer of contractual rights and responsibilities from one party to another. Understanding the complexities of assignment agreements is critical for individuals and corporations alike. In this detailed article, we will look at the specifics of assignment agreements, from their concept to practical uses.

What is an assignment of agreement?

An assignment agreement is a legal procedure that transfers contractual rights and duties from the original party (the assignor) to a third party (the assignee). This transfer includes substituting one party for another, with the assignee taking over the rights and contractual obligations indicated in the original contract. Assignment agreements are critical in many legal transactions, facilitating the smooth transfer of interests while maintaining the integrity of contractual relationships.

When do you need an assignment agreement?

You may need an assignment agreement in various scenarios where the transfer of contractual rights and obligations is required. Some common situations include:

• Business acquisitions : When acquiring a business, you may need to assign existing contracts to ensure the smooth transition of rights and responsibilities to the new owner.
• Real estate transactions : Assignment agreements are often used in real estate deals to transfer leases, mortgages, or other property interests from one party to another.
• Intellectual property transfers : Assignments play a crucial role in transferring intellectual property rights, such as patents ( patent assignment ), trademarks ( trademark assignment ), and copyrights ( copyright assignment ), from one entity to another.
• Employment arrangements : Assignment agreements may be necessary to transfer employment contracts from one employer to another in mergers, acquisitions, or corporate restructuring.
• Contractual agreements : Any situation where one party wishes to delegate its rights or obligations under a contract to another party may necessitate an assignment agreement.

By utilizing assignment agreements in these scenarios, parties can ensure the seamless transfer of rights and obligations, protect their interests, and mitigate potential disputes.

What are the elements of an assignment agreement?

The primary element in an assignment agreement is the transfer of rights and contractual obligations from the assignor to the assignee. This transfer ensures that the assignee assumes the same rights and obligations originally outlined in the contract.

Assumption of rights and duties

Upon accepting the assignment, the assignee takes over all the rights and duties specified in the original contract. This includes responsibilities, privileges, and obligations previously held by the assignor.

Inconsistencies

To address any discrepancies between the terms of the assignment and the existing contract, it's essential to include provisions outlining how to resolve such differences or disputes. Clarity in addressing inconsistencies helps ensure the enforceability of the agreement.

Agreement continuance

Despite changes in the parties involved, the terms and conditions of the existing contract typically continue to govern the relationship between the parties. This continuity ensures that the contractual obligations remain in effect following the assignment.

Assignor's representations

The assignor asserts the legality of the assignment and the rights being transferred. These representations assure the assignee of the transaction's legitimacy and legality.

Indemnification

Indemnity provisions must be added to protect the assignee from any liabilities that result from the assignment. These provisions safeguard the assignee from losses, damages, or obligations arising from the assignor's actions or omissions.

Proper execution of the assignment agreement requires the signatures of all parties concerned. Obtaining signatures assures formal recognition and approval of the conditions of the agreement.

Including clear and detailed headings in the assignment agreement will help organize the document and guide the parties through its content. These titles improve reading and understanding, decreasing uncertainty and ambiguity while interpreting the agreement.

Effectiveness

Add the clauses addressing the effectiveness of the assignment agreement. Establish the date or conditions under which the assignment takes effect, providing clarity and certainty to the parties concerned.

Necessary acts

To enable a smooth and efficient transfer of interests, include provisions requiring the parties to perform specified activities or meet specific responsibilities to complete the assignment, such as obtaining third-party approval or signing supplementary agreements.

Severability

Severability clauses are added to guarantee that the assignment agreement remains enforceable even if a court declares specific terms or sections unlawful or unenforceable. By incorporating severability clauses, parties ensure the agreement's overall enforceability, as the other sections will stay in effect.

Waiver provisions allow any party to voluntarily surrender rights or duties in an assignment agreement. These provisions allow parties to waive particular rights or responsibilities mentioned in the agreement, allowing flexibility and mutual consent to change certain aspects as needed.

Entire agreement

This phrase indicates that the assignment agreement is the complete understanding of the parties concerned. By incorporating an entire agreement language, the parties certify that the terms and conditions of the assignment agreement override any earlier agreements, conversations, or understandings, whether oral or written. This provision helps avoid conflicts arising from misunderstandings or competing provisions outside of the written agreement.

Together, these components create the structure of an assignment agreement, assuring clarity, enforceability, and legal compliance.

What are the governing laws guiding assignment agreements?

In the United States, the assignment of agreements is controlled by both federal government and state legislation, as well as common law principles. Federal laws, such as the  Uniform Commercial Code  (UCC), may apply to some components of assignment agreements, particularly those involving the transfer of goods and commercial transactions.

Contract law legislation and regulations differ by state, and each state may have its procedures for enforcing and interpreting assignment agreements. In addition, courts may use  common law concepts  and precedents established via  case law  to address problems involving assignment agreements.

Ensure that the assignment complies with the terms of the original contract, get any necessary consents from relevant parties, and adhere to any statutory or contractual limits on assignment. A violation of public policy or legislative prohibitions could make an assignment unlawful or unenforceable.

What are the best practices for drafting assignment agreements?

Assignment agreements must be drafted with great attention to detail and by best practices to guarantee clarity, enforceability, and protection of the parties' interests. Here are some significant points to keep in mind.

Writing simple and comprehensible language

Avoid using vague or ambiguous language that could lead to misunderstandings or disputes. Instead, use clear and precise language to outline the rights, duties, and obligations of each party. Define terms explicitly to avoid interpretation issues.

Including “consideration”

Include consideration, such as monetary compensation or services rendered, to validate the agreement. Failing to do so can invalidate the agreement, so ensure that valuable consideration is exchanged between the parties.

Obtaining consent

Before assigning rights, obtain written consent from all relevant parties involved. Assigning rights without necessary consent may render the assignment unenforceable, so verify consent requirements and obtain written consent to ensure validity and enforceability.

Including indemnification clause

Include indemnification clauses to protect parties from liabilities arising from the assignment. Specify the scope and limitations of indemnification to avoid disputes and safeguard against losses, damages, or liabilities resulting from actions or omissions.

Identifying applicable laws and regulations

Conduct thorough research to identify federal, state, and local laws governing assignment agreements. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations is essential to avoid non-compliance and legal challenges.

Adding severability clause

Include severability clauses to guarantee that the entire agreement is enforceable. If any term is invalid, severability clauses require that the remaining sections stay in effect, ensuring the agreement's overall enforceability.

Specifying the governing law

Designate the governing law of the assignment agreement to avoid uncertainty in case of disputes. Specify the jurisdiction whose laws will govern the interpretation and enforcement of the agreement.

Seeking legal counsel

Engage qualified legal counsel experienced in contract law to assist in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating assignment agreements. Legal professionals can provide invaluable expertise and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

For individuals and businesses seeking a convenient and reliable resource to draft assignment agreements, LegalZoom offers a free assignment agreement template. This template provides a structured framework for creating comprehensive assignment agreements, incorporating key provisions to protect the interests of all parties involved.

In conclusion, assignment agreements are critical tools in legal transactions because they allow for the clear and precise transfer of contractual rights and duties. Understanding the aspects of assignment agreements, recognizing their practical uses, and adhering to legal concerns allows parties to confidently traverse complicated contractual relationships and preserve the integrity of their transactions.

Frequently asked questions

What does an assignment of agreement mean.

An assignment agreement allows a party to transfer their contract's obligations and rights to another party, provided it's permitted under the original agreement. This can be beneficial for various reasons, such as changes in business circumstances, local laws, or market conditions. Here's what you'll need to complete your assignment agreement:

• Assignor information : Gather the name and contact details of the party transferring their rights and duties
• Assignee information : Obtain the information of the party who will assume the responsibilities under the agreement
• Other party information : Know the details of the other party involved in the original agreement

What is the purpose of the assignment agreement?

The purpose of the assignment contract is to allow a party to transfer their contractual rights and obligations to another party, with consent, under the terms of the original agreement.

How do you assign an agreement?

To assign an agreement, you typically need to obtain consent from all relevant parties involved in the original contract and then draft an assignment agreement outlining the transfer of rights and obligations to the new party.

Related categories

Related templates.

Assignment of Residential Lease

Simplify lease transfers with an assignment of residential lease agreement. With the landlord's approval, smoothly transfer your lease responsibilities to a new tenant while documenting the arrangement comprehensively.

Consulting Services Agreement

Establish clear terms of service for successful engagements with consultants. Define the working relationship, including scope of work, compensation, and duration.

General Agreement

Establish all the required terms and conditions of business relationships with the other party. Define crucial details, including the scope of work, expected outcomes, and governing laws.

Management Services Agreement

Protect your business and outline the responsibilities when working with an outside management firm. A management services agreement helps define work terms, responsibilities, payment, and reporting expectations.

Trademark Assignment

Simplify the buying and selling of trademarks with a trademark assignment agreement. Transfer intellectual property rights and ensure a fair and smooth transaction.

Trademark License Agreement

Ensure fair use of intellectual property with a trademark license agreement. Outline the terms of usage and compensation.

Assignment clause samples

Assignment . Assignor assigns to Assignee all of Assignor’s right, title, and interest in and to the Purchase Agreement, as amended.

03/25/2020 (Lodging Fund REIT III, Inc.)

to the contrary (a) Manager shall not be obligated to return or refund to Lender any Management Fee or other fee, commission or other amount already received by Manager prior to the occurrence of the Event of Default, and to which Manager was entitled under this Assignment and (b) in the event Operating Lessee loses possession of the Property in connection with exercise by Lender of its rights or remedies pursuant to this Assignment , the Note, the Security Instrument, the Loan Agreement or the other Loan Documents, Manager shall be entitled to collect any Management Fee or other fee, commission or other amount accrued but unpaid prior to the occurrence of the Event of Default, and to which Manager was entitled under this Assignment .Nothing in this Assignment shall prohibit Manager from terminating the Management Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof for failure to receive the management fee due thereunder.

Duplicate Originals, Counterparts.This Assignment may be executed in any number of duplicate originals and each duplicate original shall be deemed to be an original.This Assignment may be executed in several counterparts, each of which counterparts shall be deemed an original instrument and all of which together shall constitute a single Assignment .The failure of any party hereto to execute this Assignment , or any counterpart hereof, shall not relieve the other signatories from their obligations hereunder.

Section 6.6 Parties Bound; Assignment . This Guarantyshall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, permitted assigns, heirs and legal representatives. Lender shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights under this Guaranty in connection with any assignment of the Loan and the Loan Documents. Any assignee or transferee of Lender shall be entitled to all the benefits afforded to Lender under this Guaranty. No Guarantor shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights or obligations under this Guaranty without the prior written consent of Lender, and any attempted assignment without such consent shall be null and void.

(a)the failure of Lender to comply with any request of Borrower or any other party to take any action to enforce any of the provisions hereof or of the Loan Agreement, the Note or the other Loan Documents, (b) the release, regardless of consideration, of the whole or any part of the Property, or (c) any agreement or stipulation by Lender extending the time of payment or otherwise modifying or supplementing the terms of this Assignment , the Loan Agreement, the Note or the other Loan Documents. Lender may resort for the payment and performance of the Obligations to any other security held by Lender in such order and manner as Lender, in its sole discretion, may elect. Lender may take any action to recover the Obligations, or any portion thereof, or to enforce any covenant hereof without prejudice to the right of Lender thereafter to enforce its rights under this Assignment . The rights of Lender under this Assignment shall be separate, distinct and cumulative and none shall be given effect to the exclusion of the others. No act of Lender shall be construed as an election to proceed under any one provision herein to the exclusion of any other provision.

Section 5.6 Terminationof Assignment . Upon paymentand performanceinfull of the Obligations, this Assignment shall become and be void and of no effect.

7.02 Assignment by Operator. Operator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to assign this Agreement to any Affiliate of Operator or to any successor or assignee of Operator resulting from any merger, consolidation or reorganization, or to another corporation which shall acquire all or substantially all of the business and assets of Operator. Operator will give prompt notice to Owner of any such assignment . Operator may, with the consent of Owner not to be unreasonable delayed or withheld, assign this Agreement to any non- Affiliate. Except in the case of an assignment to an Affiliate of Operator, Operator shall be released of all of its covenants and liabilities hereunder, other than liabilities that have accrued prior to the date of the delivery of notice to Owner.

The names of all Grantors (sometimes "Grantor") can be found on page 1 of this Assignment . The names of all Grantees (sometimes "Lender") can be found on page 1 of this Assignment . The property address can be found on page 1 of this Assignment . The legal description can be found on page 1 of this Assignment .The parcel identification number can be found on page 1 of this Assignment .

BORROWER'S WAIVERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Lender need not tell Borrower about any action or inaction Lender takes in connection with this Assignment . Borrower assumes the responsibility for being and keeping informed about the Property.Borrower waives any defenses that may arise because of any action or inaction of Lender, including without limitation any failure of Lender to realize upon the Property, or any delay by Lender in realizing upon the Property. Borrower agrees to remain liable under the Note with Lender no matter what action Lender takes or fails to take under this Assignment .

PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE. Except as otherwise provided in this Assignment or any Related Documents, Grantor shall pay to Lender all amounts secured by this Assignment as they become due, and shall strictly perform all of Grantor's obligations under this Assignment . Unless and until Lender exercises its right to collect the Rents as provided below and so long as there is no default under this Assignment , Grantor may remain in possession and control of and operate and manage the Property and collect the Rents, provided that the granting of the right to collect the Rents shall not constitute Lender's consent to the use of cash collateral in a bankruptcy proceeding.

No Prior Assignment . Grantor has not previously assigned or conveyed the Rents to any other person by any instrument now in force.

Amendments. This Assignment , together with any RelatedDocuments, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties as to the matters set forth in this Assignment . No alteration of or amendment to this Assignment shall be effective unless given in writing and signed by the party or parties sought to be charged or bound by the alteration or amendment.

Joint and Several Liability. All obligations of Borrower and Grantor under this Assignment shall be joint and several, and all references to Grantor shall mean each and every Grantor, andall references to Borrower shall mean each and every Borrower. This means that each Grantor signing below is responsible for all obligations in this Assignment .Where any one or more of the parties is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or similar entity, it is not necessary for Lender to inquire into the powers of any of the officers, directors, partners, members, or other agents acting or purporting to act on the entity's behalf, and any obligations made or created in reliance upon the professed exercise of such powers shall be guaranteed under this Assignment .

No Waiver by Lender. Lender shall not be deemed to have waived any rights under this Assignment unless such waiver is given in writing and signed by Lender. No delay or omission on the part of Lender in exercising any right shall operate as a waiver of such right or any other right. A waiver by Lender of a provision of this Assignment shall not prejudice or constitute a waiver of Lender's right otherwise to demand strict compliance with that provision or any other provision of this Assignment . No prior waiver by Lender, nor any course of dealing between Lender and Grantor, shall constitute a waiver of any of Lender's rights or of any of Grantor's obligations as to any future transactions. Whenever the consent of Lender is required under this Assignment , the granting of such consent by Lender in any instance shall not constitute continuing consent to subsequent instances where such consent is required and in all cases such consent may be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of Lender.

Notices. Any notice required to be given under this Assignment shall be given in writing, and shall be effective when actually delivered, when actually received by telefacsimile (unless otherwise required by law), when deposited with a nationally recognized overnight courier, or, if mailed, when deposited in the United States mail, as first class, certified or registered mail postage prepaid, directed to the addresses shown near the beginning of this Assignment . Any party may change its address for notices under this Assignment by giving formal written notice to the other parties, specifying that the purpose of the notice is to change the party's address. For notice purposes, Grantor agrees to keep Lender informed at all times of Grantor's current address. Unless otherwise provided or required by law, if there is more than one Grantor, any notice given by Lender to any Grantor is deemed to be notice given to all Grantors.

Severability. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of this Assignment to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable as to any circumstance, that finding shall not make the offending provision illegal, invalid, or unenforceable as to any other circumstance. If feasible, the offending provision shall be considered modified so that it becomes legal, valid and enforceable. If the offending provision cannot be so modified, it shall be considered deleted from this Assignment . Unless otherwise required by law, the illegality, invalidity, or unenforceability of any provision of this Assignment shall not affect the legality, validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Assignment .

Assignment . The word " Assignment " means this ASSIGNMENT OF RENTS, as this ASSIGNMENT OF RENTS may be amended or modified from time to time, together with all exhibits and schedules attached to this ASSIGNMENT OF RENTS from time to time.

Indebtedness. The word "Indebtedness" means all principal, interest and late fees, and other amounts, costs and expenses payable under the Note or Related Documents, together with all renewals of, extensions of, modifications of, consolidations of and substitutions for the Note or Related Documents and any amounts expended or advanced by Lender to discharge Grantor's obligations or expenses incurred by Lender to enforce Grantor's obligations under this Assignment , together with interest on such amounts as provided in this Assignment . Specifically,without limitation, Indebtedness includes the future advances set forth in the Future Advances provision of this Assignment , together with all interest thereon.

SECTION 14.7. Assignment . This Agreement may not be assigned by Buyer without the prior written consent of Seller, other than to Affiliates of Buyer. Buyer may designate an Affiliate to which the Agreement will be assigned at the Closing, provided that Buyer provides Seller with a draft assignment for this Agreement at least five (5) days prior to Closing and provided that Buyer will continue to remain liable under this Agreement notwithstanding any such designation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, including, without limitation, Section 9.1(a), in the event Buyer assigns its rights under this Agreement, Buyer shall be solely responsible for any additional transfer taxes assessed as a result thereof, and shall pay such additional taxes at settlement and recording of the Deed. Seller shall have no liability for any realty transfer taxes, interest and penalties assessed based on any consideration greater than the Purchase Price set forth herein, and Buyer shall indemnify, defend and hold Seller harmless from any costs, liability or expense incurred by Seller in connection with an assignment of this Agreement by Buyer, including, without limitation, any transfer taxes and legal fees incurred by Seller in connection therewith.

Rights of Lender.Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Lender may, at any time without notice (except if required by any Applicable Law), either in person, by agent or by a court-appointed receiver (with such receiver to have all powers and duties set forth for receivers in this Deed of Trust and as prescribed by Applicable Law), regardless of the adequacy of Lender’s security, and at Lender’s sole election (without any obligation to do so), to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, enter upon and take possession and control of the Trust Estate to perform all acts necessary and appropriate to operate and maintain the Trust Estate, including to execute, cancel or modify the Leases, make repairs to the Trust Estate, execute or terminate contracts providing for the management or maintenance of the Trust Estate, all on such terms as are deemed best to protect the security of this assignment .Lender or the receiver, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, shall have access to the books and records used in the operation and maintenance of the Trust Estate and shall be liable to account only for those Rents actually received.Lender shall not be liable to Trustor, anyone claiming under or through Trustor or anyone having an interest in the Trust Estate by reason of anything done or left undone by Lender hereunder, except to the extent of Lender’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.Any entering upon and taking possession and control of the Trust Estate by Lender or the receiver and any application of Rents as provided herein shall not cure or waive any Default or invalidate any other right or remedy of Lender.

Section 15.1. Assignment by Owner.Owner shall not assign or transfer or permit the assignment or transfer of this Agreement or any of Owner's rights and obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of Manager, on the conditions that (i)Owner may assign this Agreement without Manager's consent to any Affiliate of Owner or to any successor or assign that may result from the merger, consolidation or reorganization of Owner or its Affiliate provided that any such assignee shall assume and agree in writing to be bound by all of the terms and subject to all of the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and (ii)Owner shall not be released from its obligations hereunder without Manager's prior written consent which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.Owner shall deliver to Manager a copy of any instrument of assignment .No assignment by Owner shall be binding on Manager until written notice thereof is furnished Manager, together with a copy of the applicable assignment and assumption document and evidence of such assignee's compliance with the insurance obligation of Owner imposed by this Agreement.

16. Assignment . This Agreement may be assigned by the Advisor to an Affiliate with the approval of the Board. The Advisor may assign any rights to receive fees or other payments under this Agreement without obtaining the approval of the Board. This Agreement shall not be assigned by the Company without the consent of the Advisor, except in the case of an assignment by the Company to a corporation or other organization which is a successor to all of the assets, rights and obligations of the Company, in which case such successor organization shall be bound hereunder and by the terms of said assignment in the same manner as the Company are bound by this Agreement.

08/08/2019 (Lodging Fund REIT III, Inc.)

The names of all Grantors (sometimes “Grantor”) can be found on page1 of this Assignment . The names of all Grantees (sometimes “Lender”) can be found on page1 of this Assignment . The property address can be found on page1 of this Assignment . The legal description can be found on page1 of this Assignment . The parcel identification number can be found on page1 of this Assignment .

5. Assignment . Original Borrower hereby grants, transfers, sets over and assigns to the Assumptor, all of Original Borrower’s right, title and interest in and to the Assumed Loan Documents, and Noteholder hereby consents to such assignment ; provided that such consent shall not be deemed to release Original Borrower from any of its obligations except as expressly provided in this Assumption Agreement.

1. Assignment . Subject to the partial assignment and assumption of section 9.3(b)and 18.10 Asset Purchase Agreement pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption of Ninth Amendment to Asset Purchase Agreement (“9thAmendment”), Assignor assigns to Assignee all of Assignor’s remaining right, title, and interest in and to the Asset Purchase Agreement, as amended. For the avoidance of doubt, as of the Effective Date of this Assignment , section 9.3(b)and 18.10 of the Asset Purchase Agreement shall be the obligation of LODGING FUND REIT III OP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership as assigned by Assignor and assumed by LODGING FUND REIT III OP, LP pursuant to the 9thAmendment.

p. Assignment . Purchaser may assign its interest under this Agreement at any time upon notice to Seller; provided, however, that no such assignment shall release Purchaser from any of its duties or obligations hereunder except as otherwise approved in writing by Seller.

1. Assignment . Assignor assigns to Assignee all of Assignor’s right, title, and interest in and to the Hotel Purchase and Sale Agreement, as amended.

Apollonia’s principal asset at this time is the right to receive payments under the Assignment . There is the possibility that a buyer exists that would pay to acquire the right to receive those payments. Given the uncertainty that currently exists, it would be difficult to establish an appropriate price for such rights independently from a sale of St. Renatus.

02/12/2019 (ST RENATUS LLC)

As more fully explained in Note 5, St. Renatus, LLC was assigned the patent for a needle-free system that delivers dental anesthesia as a nasal spray by Apollonia, LLC, an unrelated company at the time of assignment . Subsequently, Apollonia, LLC became a company with common members but separate control, and it is now considered a related party ("Related Company") under generally accepted accounting principles, the determination of which is not related to determining common ownership as defined by the IRS.

(g) Assignment . Neither party may assign this Third Assignment Agreement, or any right or obligation hereunder, without the prior written consent of the other; provided, however, that either party may assign this Third Assignment Agreement to any of its Affiliates, or, subject to Section 3(c) regarding the assumption of payment obligations hereunder, to a purchaser of all or substantially all of its assets to which this Third Assignment Agreement relates (including an acquisition by merger or the purchase of equity interests in a party), in each case with prior written notice to the other party. This Third Assignment Agreement shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

Assignment . Clay hereby transfers, grants, conveys, assigns, and relinquishes exclusively to Gill all of Clay's right, title, and interest in and to the Patents, the inventions claimed therein, and all accrued causes of action for damages for infringement thereof (the “ Assignment ”).

The Assignor waives any right it may have of first requiring the Security Agent to proceed against or enforce any other rights or security or claim payment from any person before claiming from the Assignor under this Assignment . This waiver applies irrespective of any law or any provision of this Assignment to the contrary.

09/27/2019 (Brooge Holdings Ltd)

1. Assignment . Subject to Bluerock (as defined in the Operating Agreement of Assignee) funding its share of the earnest money and loan assumption costs as provided in Section 5.8 of the Operating Agreement of Assignee, Assignor hereby assigns, transfers and conveys to Assignee all of its right, title and interest in, to and under (i) the Agreement; (ii) the earnest money previously deposited by Assignor; and (iii) to the extent assignable and without any representation or warranty whatsoever, including, but not limited to any representation or warranty as to the accuracy, contents or completeness thereof, all property condition and inspection reports relating to the Property and received by Assignor in connection with the investigation and acquisition of the Property pursuant to the Agreement and either prepared by third parties or provided by the Seller and all representations and warranties made to Assignor in connection therewith (collectively, together with the Agreement and the earnest money, the “Transferred Assets”). For purposes of clarification, the parties agree that Transferred Assets shall not include any proprietary or confidential information, internal analyses, attorney work product or attorney-client privileged documents.

08/09/2017 (Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc.)

Borrower hereby transfers, assigns and sets over to Lender, its successors and assigns, all right, title and interest of Borrower in and to the Management Agreement. Manager hereby consents to the foregoing assignment . The foregoing assignment is being made by Borrower to Lender as collateral security for the full payment and performance by Borrower of all of its obligations under the Loan Documents. Although it is the intention of the parties that the assignment hereunder is a present assignment , until the occurrence of any default or failure to perform or observe any obligation, condition, covenant, term, agreement or provision required to be performed or observed by Borrower or any other party under any of the Loan Documents beyond any applicable grace or cure period provided for therein (an “Event of Default”), Borrower may exercise all rights as owner of the Mortgaged Property under the Management Agreement, except as otherwise provided in this Assignment . The foregoing assignment shall remain in effect as long as the Mortgage Loan, or any part thereof, remains unpaid, but shall automatically terminate upon the release of the Security Instrument as a lien on the Mortgaged Property.

Borrower, Manager and Lender shall not refuse or reject delivery of any notice given in accordance with this Assignment . Each party is required to acknowledge, in writing, the receipt of any notice upon request by the other party.

Any controversy arising under or in relation to this Assignment shall be litigated exclusively in the Property Jurisdiction without regard to conflicts of laws principles. The state and federal courts and authorities with jurisdiction in the Property Jurisdiction shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all controversies which shall arise under or in relation to this Assignment . Borrower irrevocably consents to service, jurisdiction and venue of such courts for any such litigation and waives any other venue to which it might be entitled by virtue of domicile, habitual residence or otherwise.

The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Assignment shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Assignment , all of which shall remain in full force and effect. This Assignment contains the complete and entire agreement among the parties as to the matters covered, rights granted and the obligations assumed in this Assignment . This Assignment may not be amended or modified except by written agreement signed by the parties hereto.

(b)Any reference in this Assignment to an “Exhibit” or “Schedule” or a “Section” or an “Article” shall, unless otherwise explicitly provided, be construed as referring, respectively, to an exhibit or schedule attached to this Assignment or to a Section or Article of this Assignment . All exhibits and schedules attached to or referred to in this Assignment , if any, are incorporated by reference into this Assignment .

18. Assignment . Assignee shall not have the right to assign this Assignment Agreement or any interest therein without Assignor’s prior written consent, which consent may be given or withheld in Assignor’s sole and absolute discretion; provided, however, that Assignee shall be permitted, without obtaining Assignor’s consent, to assign this Assignment Agreement to an entity which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Assignee or any other entity affiliated with Assignee. For purposes of this Agreement, an affiliate of Assignee shall include (a)any entity that is owned, controlled by or is under common control with Assignee (an “Assignee Control Entity”), (b)any entity in which one or more Assignee Controlled Entities directly or indirectly is the general partner (or similar managing partner, member or manager) or owns more than 50% of the economic interests of such entity, or (c)any entity (or subsidiary thereof) that is advised by an affiliate of BCIIV Advisors LLC. Assignee shall in no event be released from any of its obligations or liabilities hereunder as a result of any such assignment .

04/18/2018 (BLACK CREEK INDUSTRIAL REIT IV Inc.)

(b) Bill of Sale and General Assignment . Seller shall deliver two duly executed originals of a bill of sale and general assignment (and other instruments of conveyance, including, by way of example only, articles of transfer, as may be required to convey personal property), in the form attached hereto as ExhibitB (the “Bill of Sale”), conveying good and marketable title to such Personal Property, Permits, Plans and Records and Intangible Property to Buyer, free and clear of all Liens caused by Seller or based on the acts or agreements of Seller but subject to the Permitted Exceptions or those expressly permitted by this Agreement.

(b) Bill of Sale and General Assignment . Buyer shall deliver two duly executed counterparts of the Bill of Sale.

15.16 Assignment . Buyer may assign all or any portion of this Agreement or its rights hereunder, or delegate all or any portion of its duties or obligations to an affiliate without Seller’s written consent, provided that Buyer gives Seller notice of the assignment or delegation and that such assignment or delegation does not relieve Buyer of its obligations hereunder. Seller shall not assign this Agreement or any rights hereunder, or delegate any of its obligations, without the prior written approval of Buyer. Subject to the provisions of this section, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective heirs, personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns. Except as specifically set forth or referred to herein, nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give to any person or entity, other than the parties hereto and their successors or permitted assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement. For purposes of this Section15.16, an affiliate of Buyer shall include (a)any entity that is owned, controlled by or is under common control with Buyer (a “Buyer Control Entity”), and (b)any entity in which one or more Buyer Controlled Entities directly or indirectly is the general partner (or similar managing partner, member or manager) or owns more than 50% of the economic interests of such entity, or (c)any entity (or subsidiary thereof) that is advised by an affiliate of Black Creek Industrial Acquisitions, LLC.

6.04 No Assignment . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Deed of Trust shall not constitute an assignment of the Ground Lease within the meaning of any provision thereof prohibiting its assignment and Beneficiary shall have no liability or obligation thereunder by reason of its acceptance of this Deed of Trust. Beneficiary shall be liable for the obligations of the lessee arising out of the Ground Lease for only that period of time for which Beneficiary is in possession of the Leased Premises or has acquired, by foreclosure or otherwise, and is holding all of Trustor’s right, title and interest therein.

07/30/2019 (Desert Hawk Gold Corp.)

13.15 Assignment . Desert Hawk may not assign, sublease or otherwise transfer its interest in this Agreement without Clifton’s prior written consent (as to that portion of the Leased Premises owned by Clifton) and Woodman’s prior written consent (as to that portion of the Leased Premises owned by Woodman) in each instance, which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld. This paragraph shall not prevent Desert Hawk from, without Lessors’ consent, mortgaging or otherwise pledging this Agreement for financing purposes in accordance with Section 4.3(g) to the Leasehold Mortgagee. The Leasehold Mortgagee (and anyone whose title derives directly or indirectly from the Leasehold Mortgagee, including a purchaser at any foreclosure sale held under a leasehold mortgage) may, without Lessors’ consent, hold a foreclosure sale, take title to Desert Hawk’s interest under this Agreement, and transfer or assign Desert Hawk’s interest under this Agreement to an entity that has the financial capacity to perform Desert Hawk’s obligations under this Agreement, either in its own name or through a nominee; provided, however, that any transfer or assignment of this Agreement by any party that is not the Leasehold Mortgagee or an affiliate of the Leasehold Mortgagee shall be subject to the first sentence of this Section 13.15. No assignment , sublease or transfer shall be effective against Lessors until Lessors receive written notice of the transfer in accordance with Section 13.1.

2.1Representations and Warranties of Tate: 2.1.1Authorization. This Assignment and all other agreements contemplated by this Assignment , when executed and delivered by the parties thereto, shall constitute legal, valid, and binding obligations of Tate, enforceable against Tate in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally or judicial limits on equitable remedies. 2.1.2No Adverse Consequences. The execution, delivery and performance of this Assignment by Tate will not: i) result in the creation of imposition of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance on the Assets; ii) violate any law, judgment, order, injunction, decree, rule, regulation or ruling of any governmental authority applicable to Tate; or iii) conflict with, constitute grounds for termination or acceleration of, result in the breach of the terms, conditions, or provisions of, result in the loss of any benefit to Tate under, or constitute a default under (whether by virtue of the application of a “change of control” provision or otherwise) any agreement, instrument, license or permit to which either Tate is a party or by which Tate is bound. 2.1.3Clear Title. Tate represents and warrants that Tate has good and marketable title to all of the Assets, in each case free and clear of all options, warrants, mortgages, liens, security interests, pledges, charges or encumbrances of any nature whatsoever other than as disclosed in this Assignment . 2.1.4Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, orders, investigations, or claims pending or, to Tate’s knowledge, threatened against the Assets, at law or in equity. 2.1.5Accuracy of Representations and Warranties. None of the representations and warranties of Tate contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit any material fact concerning the statements contained in this Agreement not misleading.

02/16/2017 (American Gas & Technology LP)

4.1Waiver. The failure of either party to comply with any obligation, covenant, agreement or condition in this Assignment may be waived in writing by the party entitled to the performance of such obligation, covenant or agreement or by the party who has the benefit of such condition, but such waiver or failure to insist on strict compliance with such obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as a waiver of, or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure. 4.2Amendment. This Assignment may not be amended unless consented to in writing by the parties hereto. 4.3 Assignment . This Assignment may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party hereto. 4.4Notice. Any notice or communication required or permitted to be given under this Assignment shall be given in writing and shall be considered to have been given if delivered by hand, transmitted by facsimile transmission or mailed by prepaid registered post in the United States, to the last known address of the other party. Either party may designate in writing at any time the latest address to which notice may be given to that party. 4.5Currency. Any references to currency in this Assignment or any attachment thereof are to be un U.S. Dollars unless otherwise stated. 4.6Time of the Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Assignment . 4.7Invalidity. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Assignment shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision and any such invalid or unenforceable provision shall be deemed to be severable. 4.8Entire Agreement. The provisions of this Assignment constitute the entire agreement between the parties and supersede all previous communications, representations and agreements, whether oral or written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Assignment . 4.9Inurement. This Assignment shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and, except as otherwise provided or as would be inconsistent with the provisions of this Assignment , their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.

4.10Independent Legal Advice. Each of the parties to this Assignment confirms and acknowledges that it has been provided with an opportunity to seek independent legal advice with respect to its rights, entitlements, liabilities and obligations hereunder and understands that it has been recommended that such advice be sought prior to entering into this Assignment . 4.11Counterparts. This Assignment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. In the event that this Assignment is signed by one party and faxed or emailed to another, the parties agree that a faxed or emailed signature shall be binding upon the parties as though the signature was an original. IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Assignment has been executed by the parties, and is effective as of the Effective Date.

a.His assignor has stated such intention in the instrument of assignment ; b.The assignee has executed an instrument reasonably satisfactory to the General Partner accepting and adopting the terms and provisions of this Agreement; and c.The assignor or assignee has paid any reasonable expense in connection with the admission of the assignee as a Partner. d.The General Partner affirms in writing the substitution. 11.4. a.Transferor - Transferee Allocations. As between a Partner and his transferee, profits and losses for any month shall be apportioned to the person who is the holder of the Limited Partnership Interest transferred on the last day of such month, without regard to the results of the Partnership's operations during the period before and after such transfer. b.Distributions and Allocations Subsequent to Transfer. A transferee of, or substitute Partner for, a Partner's Limited Partnership Interest shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Partnership with respect to such Limited Partnership Interest only after the effective date of such assignment . 11.5. Limited Partnership Interest Transferred to the General Partners. If any General Partner should acquire an Interest as a Limited Partner, including but not limited to an acquisition by purchase pursuant to Section 7.13 hereof, such General Partner shall, with respect to such Interest, enjoy all of the rights and be subject to all of the obligations and duties of a Limited Partner to the extent of such Interest.

This global assignment is subject to the business requirements of LS&Co. and your performance during the period of the assignment . Throughout the entire period of this assignment , you agree that you will not engage, directly or indirectly, either on your own or through the agency of another person, firm or corporation, in any other employment, profession, occupation, service or business whatsoever. Violation of this provision may result in the termination of your employment.

12/06/2018 (LEVI STRAUSS & CO)

• Tax Preparation Services provided through a designated vendor during your assignment and the year following the end of your assignment . Currently, Ernst& Young provides tax services to LS&Co.’s global assignees.

• Tax Equalization is provided to ensure that you realize neither a significant tax detriment nor a benefit as a result of the assignment . LS&Co. has contracted with Ernst& Young to prepare your home and host country tax returns, to administer the tax equalization program, and to provide tax orientation to you before your departure on assignment .

• Income you receive during your global assignment is taxable under the laws of your host county and the US. In order to avoid a double taxation burden, LS&Co. pays the taxes assessed on host country income. In addition, LS&Co. pays the tax assessed on certain allowances you receive while in your host country which represents payments you would not receive but for your global assignment . You remain fully responsible for the tax liability for all taxable income earned in a given year that represents your base salary, any incentive payments, tax on personal investments, and any other income not specifically related to your global assignment . This tax liability is referred to as Stay at Home Tax.

The Company, through Ernst& Young (“EY”), provides and directly pays for tax consultation and tax preparation services while you are on assignment . The consultation includes a required pre- assignment tax consultation to review the tax implications of your international assignment and the Company’s Tax Equalization Policy. The tax consultation can take place in your current country or in your host country as soon as practical upon arrival.

11.3Sharing of Profits on Subletting and Assignment . If Lessee sublets any portion of the Premises or assigns this lease (except as permitted in either case by paragraph 11.2), Lessor and Lessee shall share the net profits, if any, calculated as follows. “Net profits” on subleases shall be deter-mined annually on an aggregate basis for all subleases of the Premises (except those permitted by paragraph 11.2) in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Net profits on an assignment (except as permitted by paragraph 11.2) shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Lessee shall pay Lessor 25% of the net profits so determined (i)on subletting, either monthly or annually at the option of Lessee, and (ii)on an assignment , as received by Lessee. If Lessee pays such share monthly, the amount thereof shall be subject to annual adjustment. Nothing herein contained shall abrogate the requirement of Lessor’s consent to an assignment of this lease or any interest therein or subletting of the whole or any part of the Premises as set forth in paragraph 11.1.

10.3 Governance Meetings. Supplier shall implement a governance structure and governance procedures as specified in Exhibit 5. Supplier shall attend governance meetings as specified in Exhibit 5. LS&Co. may replace or reassign its governance committee members upon notice to Supplier. Supplier shall not replace or reassign its governance committee members unless LS&Co. consents to such replacement or re assignment . Before assigning an individual to a governance committee, Supplier shall notify LS&Co. of the proposed assignment , introduce the individual to appropriate LS&Co. personnel, provide LS&Co. with any information regarding the individual that may be reasonably requested by LS&Co., and obtain LS&Co.’s approval for such assignment .

pursuant to a Change in Control of LS&Co., a reorganization of LS&Co., or a transfer or sale of any business unit, line of business, product line, or substantial portion of its assets, without such consent. Upon LS&Co.’s assignment of this Agreement, LS&Co. shall be released from any obligation or liability under this Agreement. The consent of a Party to any assignment of this Agreement shall not constitute such Party’s consent to further assignment . This Agreement shall be binding on the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Any assignment in contravention of this Section29.1 shall be void.

• LS&Co. reserves the right to interview/screen tech leads in each discipline prior to assignment . It is expected that tech leads will then sign off on remaining/additional resources to ensure they meet expected standards.

Following the completion of the Split-Off, Splitco will be entitled to vote the Expedia Common Shares subject to the Diller Proxy (representing 52.4% of the outstanding voting power of the Expedia Common Shares) as a result of the assignment of the Diller Proxy to Splitco until the Proxy Arrangement Termination Date pursuant to the Diller Assignment . Following the assignment of the Diller Proxy to Splitco, based on publicly available information, other than the Expedia Common Shares that are subject to the terms of the Diller Proxy and the Diller Assignment of which Diller and Splitco will continue to share beneficial ownership, Diller is expected to beneficially own approximately 5,777,586 shares of EXPE (based upon Expedia's Annual Report on Form10-K/A (Amendment No.1) for the fiscal year ended December31, 2015, filed with the SEC on April29, 2016), representing approximately 2.2% of the outstanding voting power of the Expedia Common Shares. Following the completion of the Split-Off, the voting of the Expedia Common Shares beneficially owned by Diller which Diller will be entitled to vote will be subject to certain terms contained in the Stockholders Agreement Amendment and the voting of the Expedia Common Shares beneficially owned by Splitco which Splitco will be entitled to vote, and as to which Splitco and Diller will continue to share beneficial ownership, will be subject to certain terms contained in Splitco's restated charter, its bylaws, the Stockholders Agreement Amendment, the Diller Assignment and the Transaction Agreement. The below table sets forth a summary of the voting arrangements following the completion of the Split-Off until the Proxy Arrangement Termination Date with respect to the Expedia Common Shares of which Diller and Splitco will share beneficial ownership. The Expedia Common Shares subject to the terms of the Diller Proxy and the Diller Assignment are referred to in the chart as Splitco's Expedia Common Shares and the remaining Expedia Common Shares of which Diller and Splitco share beneficial ownership are referred to in the chart as Diller's Expedia Common Shares.

09/23/2016 (Liberty Expedia Holdings, Inc.)

7.5 Binding Effect; Assignment . This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Except with respect to a merger of a party, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other parties; provided, however, that LIC and Splitco may assign their respective rights, interests, duties, liabilities and obligations under this Agreement to any of their respective wholly-owned Subsidiaries, but such assignment shall not relieve LIC or Splitco, as the assignor, of its obligations hereunder.

8.8 Binding Effect; Assignment . This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Except with respect to a merger of a party, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that each of Distributing and Splitco may assign its respective rights, interests, duties, liabilities and obligations under this Agreement to any other member of their Group, but such assignment shall not relieve Distributing or Splitco, as the assignor, of its liabilities or obligations hereunder.

12. Liberty Consent. To the extent this Agreement or the Diller Assignment constitutes a prohibited assignment of the Liberty Proxy pursuant to Section3.3(d)of the Stockholders Agreement, Liberty hereby consents to the assignment of the Liberty Proxy upon the execution of and pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Diller Assignment . For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing consent does not affect any other provision of the Stockholders Agreement, which shall continue in full force and effect.

6.7Binding Effect; Assignment . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement shall create or be deemed to create any third party beneficiary rights in any person or entity not a Party to this Agreement. No assignment of this Agreement or of any rights or obligations hereunder may be made by any Party hereto (by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other Party and any attempted assignment without the required consent shall be void; provided that prior to the Closing, the Purchaser may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to its Affiliates without the prior written consent of the Seller.

10/28/2020 (China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc.)

2. Assignment . Subject to and with effect from the SPA Closing, the Assignor hereby absolutely and irrevocably assigns all the rights, obligations and covenants of the Assignor with respect to and in connection with the Sale Shares under the IRA (as amended by this Assignment ) to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby accepts the foregoing assignment and fully assumes the rights, obligations and covenants of the Assignor with respect to and in connection with the Sale Shares under the IRA (as amended by this Assignment ). The assignment of the IRA pursuant to the foregoing sentence of this Section 2 is referred to as the “IRA Assignment .” The Company hereby consents to the IRA Assignment pursuant to Section 8.5 (Successors and Assigns) of the IRA.

7.Binding Effect; Assignment . This Assignment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Assignment shall create or be deemed to create any third party beneficiary rights in any person or entity not a party to this Assignment . No assignment of this Assignment or of any rights or obligations hereunder may be made by any party hereto (by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other party (which consent, in each case, shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) and any attempted assignment without the required consent shall be void.

(b)Acknowledgment of the PWM IRA Assignment . The Parties acknowledge and agree that with effect from the effective date of the latest PWM IRA Assignment (the “Effective Time”), the PWM IRA shall be of no further force and effect with respect to PWM, and PWM shall have no further liability or obligation with respect thereto or any of the transactions contemplated thereby.

8.Amendment; Assignment . This Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented in any manner, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, except by an instrument in writing specifically designated as an amendment hereto, signed on behalf of each of the Parties. No Party may assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other Party. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

11.6 Binding Effect and Assignment . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any Person other than the Parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns, any rights, benefits or obligations hereunder, except as set forth in ARTICLE IX and Section11.1. No Party hereto may assign, transfer, dispose of or otherwise alienate this Agreement or any of its rights, interests or obligations under this Agreement (whether by operation of Law or otherwise) except that each of the Company and the Remora Holdings may transfer their respective rights and obligations hereunder to any Affiliate. Any attempted assignment , transfer, disposition or alienation in violation of this Agreement shall be null, void and ineffective.

08/30/2018 (Remora Royalties, Inc.)

(a) The division of this Assignment into articles, sections and other portions and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation hereof. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to an “Article” or “Section” followed by a number or a letter refer to the specified Article or Section of this Assignment . Unless otherwise indicated, all references to an “Exhibit” followed by a number or a letter refer to the specified Exhibit to this Assignment . The terms “this Assignment ,” “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and similar expressions refer to this Assignment , including the exhibits and schedules hereto, and not to any particular Article, Section or other portion hereof. The words “shall” and “will” are used interchangeably throughout this Assignment and shall accordingly be given the same meaning, regardless of which word is used.

(c) The Parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Assignment . No provision of this Assignment will be interpreted in favor of, or against, any of the Parties by reason of the extent to which any such Party or its counsel participated in the drafting thereof or by reason of the extent to which any such provision is inconsistent with any prior draft of this Assignment , and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any Party hereto. This Assignment will not be interpreted or construed to require any person to take any action, or fail to take any action, if to do so would violate any applicable Law.

SECTION 5.03 Assignment . This Assignment shall inure to the benefit of and be binding on the Parties and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

10. Assignment . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. In addition, and regardless of whether any express assignment shall have been made, the provisions of this Agreement which are for the benefit of the parties hereto other than the Company shall also be for the benefit of and enforceable by any subsequent holder of any Registrable Securities, subject to the provisions respecting the minimum numbers or percentages of Registrable Securities required in order to be entitled to certain rights, or take certain actions, contained herein.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption, and the assignee(s) and/or assignor(s) party thereto shall deliver a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, in each case to Administrative Agent; provided that Administrative Agent may, in its discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment . The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

Congratulations on your assignment . Global Mobility is an important part of Teva’s growth, globalization,and talent initiatives. We believe that international assignment s help Teva achieve worldwide business targets while simultaneously developing employee’s capabilities and international business experience. We hope that you will benefit both personally and professionally from your experience. This letter summarizes the general terms and conditions of your assignment with Teva.

02/12/2018 (TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LTD)

* Your actual effective date of assignment will be determined following receipt of your authorization to work and reside in the Host country. This letter does not create a contract of employment, but simply seeks to confirm the conditions which pertain to your temporary international assignment . Should the nature of your position change or if this assignment extends beyond its initial duration the terms may be subject to change at that time. Teva reserves the right to modify the global assignment policies and procedures at any time in whole or in part, with or without notice.

Teva does not compensate for the loss of spousal/partner income as a result of the assignment , but rather recognizes that the financial impact exists. To ease the transition, Teva reimburses for job placement and related services if your spouse accompanies you full time on assignment . The maximum reimbursement is equivalent to 2000 USD. Reimbursement must be claimed within 12 months of the effective date of your assignment and Teva is responsible for any applicable taxes. Reimbursement will be processed by Teva’s dedicated relocation provider.

You will be provided one home leave every 12 months on assignment between your home country and your host country for you and your spouse. Teva covers round trip airfare, based on economy fare booked at least 30 days in advance and via the most direct route. Any ground transportation and/or lodging costs are your responsibility. You must use your vacation time for your home leave visits. To allow for unmarried dependent children enrolled in university outside the host location to visit you in the host location, the Company reimburses one round trip, economy airfare per child per the full duration of the assignment . Travel must be booked at least 30 days in advance via the most direct route.

In the event Teva, in its sole discretion, ends your international assignment before its scheduled end date, Teva will provide return trip airfare for you and your spouse back to the point of origin, and will ship household goods back to the point of origin or to some other mutually agreed upon location. Unless otherwise agreed to by regional management and Human Resources, the return must be completed within 60 days after the effective date of the termination of the international assignment . By failing to relocate within 60 days, you forfeit Teva’s offer to pay for repatriation transportation costs.

17. Assignment . This Agreement may be assigned, without the consent of the Executive, by Teva USA to any person, partnership, corporation or other entity that has purchased all or substantially all the assets of Teva USA; provided, that such assignee assumes any and all of the obligations of the Company hereunder. The Company shall cause any person, firm or corporation acquiring all or substantially all of the assets of Teva USA to execute a written instrument agreeing to assume any and all of the obligations of the Company hereunder as a condition to acquiring such assets.

19. No Assignment . The Parties agree that they have not, and will not, sell, transfer or assign, or purport to sell, transfer or assign, any Claim or interest in any claim that is the subject of the releases in this Agreement.

(d)Dispute Resolution. Except with respect to claims for breach of the obligations under Section 2 of this Agreement, for which the Company may seek enforcement in any court having competent jurisdiction at its election, any dispute arising between the Company and Employee with respect to the validity, performance or interpretation of this Agreement shall be submitted to and determined in binding arbitration in Hartford, Connecticut, for resolution in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, modified to provide that the decision of the arbitrator shall be binding on the parties; shall be furnished in writing, separately and specifically stating the findings of fact and conclusions of law on which the decision is based; shall be kept confidential by the arbitrator and the parties; and shall be rendered within sixty (60) days following the arbitrator being impaneled. Costs and expenses of the arbitration shall be borne by the Company regardless of the outcome. The arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. (e) Assignment . Without the prior written consent of Employee, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Employee’s heirs and legal representatives. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.

02/07/2020 (Otis Worldwide Corp)

The terms and conditions of your employment, other than as set out in this letter, remain unchanged throughout the temporary assignment . During your temporary assignment your employment will remain with Huntsman P&A Americas LLC (The Home Company) and shall continue to be governed by Texas and U.S. law. This letter sets out the details of your temporary assignment to Huntsman P&A UK Ltd (The Host Company) which continues until you are no longer employed with The Home Company or this temporary assignment ends.

07/14/2017 (Venator Materials PLC)

Although you will be working with The Host Company, your contract of employment with The Home Company will continue in existence during your assignment , except as herein provided. In particular, the provision regarding termination of employment will remain in full force and operation throughout the period of your assignment . However, notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the terms of Huntsman Corporation’s Executive Severance Plan (as attached) will apply to any termination of your employment. The following terms shall be in operation throughout the duration of your assignment .

As an equity participant, the taxation basis for your equity may change as a result of your assignment . Please consult with your Stock Partner for further information.

The Company-designated accounting firm will prepare your Home Country income tax return(s)for the duration of this assignment , and any subsequent years that are impacted by this assignment . Citizens or permanent residents must file a tax return each year, even when living abroad.

At the end of your assignment , the Company will assist with transferring your personal effects back to a location of your choice in your Home Country or on to a consecutive international assignment . The same limitations apply for repatriation of your HHG.

(f) Assignment . Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by the Company without the prior written consent of BBH; provided, however, that BBH may assign or transfer its duties or interests hereunder to any of its affiliates at the sole discretion of BBH and may otherwise assign, on a “shared basis”, its rights under Section4 to any affiliated private equity fund to the extent necessary to maintain venture capital operating company status. Subject to the foregoing, the provisions of this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Subject to the next sentence, no person or party other than the parties hereto and their respective successors or permitted assigns is intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement. The parties acknowledge and agree that BBH and its affiliates and their respective partners (both general and limited), members (both managing and otherwise), officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives as well as any assignees pursuant to this Section7(f) are intended to be third-party beneficiaries under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 hereof, as applicable.

01/15/2021 (Bumble Inc.)

(h) Assignment . This Agreement, and all of Executive’s rights and duties hereunder, shall not be assignable or delegable by Executive. Any purported assignment or delegation by Executive in violation of the foregoing shall be null and void ab initio and of no force and effect. This Agreement shall be assigned by the Company to a person or entity which is a successor in interest (“Successor”) to all or substantially all of the then-business operations of the Company; provided, that such Successor undertakes to be bound by the terms hereunder. Upon such assignment , the rights and obligations of the Company hereunder shall become the rights and obligations of such Successor.

SECTION1. Assignment . Assignor hereby sells, assigns, transfers, conveys, and delivers to Assignee all of Assignor’s worldwide right, title, and interest in, to, and under the trademark MAKE THE FIRST MOVE, the Application, any other worldwide registrations and applications for such trademark, and the goodwill of the business embodied therein and symbolized thereto, and all common-law rights related thereto (collectively, the “Mark”), free and clear of any liens or encumbrances of any kind, together with the right to bring an action or proceeding at law or in equity for any infringement, dilution or violation of the foregoing prior to the Effective Date, and the right to retain all monies, proceeds and damages therefrom.

SECTION3. Further Assurances. Each Party will, upon the other Party’s reasonable request, without further consideration but at the requesting Party’s expense, provide or execute all other documents and take all further actions as may be necessary to effectuate the purpose of this Assignment . Without limiting the foregoing, at Assignee’s request and expense, Assignor shall execute a short-form assignment to record the assignment herein at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

5. Assignment . Neither Maker nor Holders may assign any of its rights or obligations under this Note except with the prior written consent of the other. Subject to the first sentence of this Section 5, this Note is binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs, legal representatives, and permitted assigns.

05/01/2019 (Golden Developing Solutions, Inc.)

1. Assignment . In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, Seller does hereby sell, transfer, convey, assign and deliver unto Purchaser, its successors and assigns, all of the Assets, as such term is defined in the Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, all of the assets set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto, free and clear of any and all options, liens, security interests, encumbrances, mortgages, deeds of trust, liabilities, financing statements, pledges, charges, conditions, equitable claims, covenants, title defects, restrictions or claims of any kind, nature or description whatsoever (collectively, “Liens”), to have and to hold said Assets unto Purchaser, its successors and assigns, to and for its and/or their use forever.

6.Independent Covenants. This Assignment is subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement. Nothing contained in this Assignment shall be deemed to diminish any of the obligations, agreements, covenants, representations or warranties of the parties contained in the Purchase Agreement. 7.Counterparts. This Assignment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which when affixed together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Manual signatures exchanged electronically by facsimile or email shall be deemed original signatures for all purposes. 8.Recitals. The recitals above are incorporated by reference into this Assignment . 9.Amendment and Governing Law. This Assignment shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the state of Colorado (without regards to the conflict of law principles thereof). No change in or amendment to this Assignment shall be valid unless set forth in a writing signed by both parties to this Assignment . THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT (A) COLORADO HAS PASSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND ENACTED CERTAIN LEGISLATION TO GOVERN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY AND (B) THE POSSESSION, SALE, MANUFACTURE, AND CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS IS ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW. THE PARTIES WAIVE ANY DEFENSES BASED UPON INVALIDITY OF CONTRACTS FOR PUBLIC POLICY REASONS AND/OR THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CONTRACT VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW.

1. Assignment and Assumption. Seller hereby assigns the Material Contracts to Purchaser, and Purchaser hereby assumes and agrees to perform or otherwise carry out all of Seller’s obligations with respect to the Material Contracts. Seller agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Purchaser from any liability accruing from such Material Contracts before the date of this Assignment and Purchaser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Seller from any liability accruing from such Material Contracts following the date of this Assignment . Notwithstanding the foregoing, Purchaser shall not assume, or become liable to pay, perform or discharge any liability for any Material Contract (unless Purchaser affirmatively elects otherwise in writing): (i) where Seller is in default prior to the date of this Assignment ; (ii) where the consent or approval of any person is required for Seller to assign or Purchaser to assume such Material Contract and such consent or approval is not obtained or waived in writing by Purchaser before the date of this Assignment ; or (iii) where any notice to any person is required for Seller to assign or Purchaser to assume such Material Contract and such notice is not provided to such person or waived in writing by Purchaser before the date hereof.

9. Amendment and Governing Law. This Assignment shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the state of Colorado (without regards to the conflict of law principles thereof). No change in or amendment to this Assignment shall be valid unless set forth in a writing signed by both parties to this Assignment . THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT (A) COLORADO HAS PASSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND ENACTED CERTAIN LEGISLATION TO GOVERN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY AND (B) THE POSSESSION, SALE, MANUFACTURE, AND CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS IS ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW. THE PARTIES WAIVE ANY DEFENSES BASED UPON INVALIDITY OF CONTRACTS FOR PUBLIC POLICY REASONS AND/OR THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CONTRACT VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW.

9 If to the Company: If to Executive: Tyler Bartholomew (c) Assignment . This Agreement will be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors, personal representatives, heirs and assigns. Neither Party may assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement except with the prior written consent of other Party.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment . The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an administrative questionnaire in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

05/02/2018 (AMERICAN TOWER CORP /MA/)

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c)of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 10.2, 10.3 and 10.5 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment . Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d)of this Section.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 22.3, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including any collateral security, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of ARTICLE 17 and ARTICLE 21, and shall continue to be liable for any breach of this Agreement by such Lender, with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment . Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this section shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 22.4. Any payment by an assignee to an assigning Lender in connection with an assignment or transfer shall not be or be deemed to be a repayment by the Borrower or a new Loan to the Borrower.

02/26/2021 (GFL Environmental Inc.)

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, which shall include, inter alia, a representation by the assignee that it is an Eligible Assignee, any tax forms required by Section 3.01 (unless such assignee is already a Lender), together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive or reduce such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment . The Eligible Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. All assignment s shall be by novation.

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Don’t Confuse Change of Control and Assignment Terms

• David Tollen
• September 11, 2020

An assignment clause governs whether and when a party can transfer the contract to someone else. Often, it covers what happens in a change of control: whether a party can assign the contract to its buyer if it gets merged into a company or completely bought out. But that doesn’t make it a change of control clause. Change of control terms don’t address assignment. They say whether a party can terminate if the other party goes through a merger or other change of control. And they sometimes address other change of control consequences.

Don’t confuse the two. In a contract about software or other IT, you should think through the issues raised by each. (Also, don’t confuse assignment of contracts with assignment of IP .)

Here’s an assignment clause:

Assignment. Neither party may assign this Agreement or any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the other’s express written consent, except that either party may assign this Agreement to the surviving party in a merger of that party into another entity or in an acquisition of all or substantially all its assets. No assignment becomes effective unless and until the assignee agrees in writing to be bound by all the assigning party’s obligations in this Agreement. Except to the extent forbidden in this Section __, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties’ respective successors and assigns.

As you can see, that clause says no assignment is allowed, with one exception:

• Assignment to Surviving Entity in M&A: Under the clause above, a party can assign the contract to its buyer — the “surviving entity” — if it gets merged into another company or otherwise bought — in other words, if it ceases to exist through an M&A deal (or becomes an irrelevant shell company).

Consider the following additional issues for assignment clauses:

• Assignment to Affiliates: Can a party assign the contract to its sister companies, parents, and/or subs — a.k.a. its “Affiliates”?
• Assignment to Divested Entities: If a party spins off its key department or other business unit involved in the contract, can it assign the contract to that spun-off company — a.k.a. the “divested entity”? That’s particularly important in technology outsourcing deals and similar contracts. They often leave a customer department highly dependent on the provider’s services. If the customer can’t assign the contract to the divested entity, the spin-off won’t work; the new/divested company won’t be viable.
• Assignment to Competitors: If a party does get any assignment rights, can it assign to the other party’s competitors ? (If so, you’ve got to define “Competitor,” since the word alone can refer to almost any company.)
• All Assignments or None: The contract should usually say something about assignments. Otherwise, the law might allow all assignments. (Check your jurisdiction.) If so, your contracting partner could assign your agreement to someone totally unacceptable. (Most likely, though, your contracting partner would remain liable.) If none of the assignments suggested above fits, forbid all assignments.

Change of Control

Here’s a change of control clause:

Change of Control. If a party undergoes a Change of Control, the other party may terminate this Agreement on 30 days’ written notice. (“Change of Control” means a transaction or series of transactions by which more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the target company or beneficial ownership thereof are acquired within a 1-year period, other than by a person or entity that owned or had beneficial ownership of more than 50% of such outstanding shares before the close of such transactions(s).)

• Termination on Change of Control: A party can terminate if controlling ownership of the other party changes hands.

Change of control and assignment terms actually address opposite ownership changes. If an assignment clause addresses change of control, it says what happens if a party goes through an M&A deal and no longer exists (or becomes a shell company). A change of control clause, on the other hand, matters when the party subject to M&A does still exist . That party just has new owners (shareholders, etc.).

Consider the following additional issues for change of control clauses:

• Smaller Change of Ownership: The clause above defines “Change of Control” as any 50%-plus ownership shift. Does that set the bar too high? Should a 25% change authorize termination by the other party, or even less? In public companies and some private ones, new bosses can take control by acquiring far less than half the stock.
• No Right to Terminate: Should a change of control give any right to terminate, and if so, why? (Keep in mind, all that’s changed is the party’s owners — possibly irrelevant shareholders.)
• Divested Entity Rights: What if, again, a party spins off the department or business until involved in the deal? If that party can’t assign the contract to the divested entity, per the above, can it at least “sublicense” its rights to products or service, if it’s the customer? Or can it subcontract its performance obligations to the divested entity, if it’s the provider? Or maybe the contract should require that the other party sign an identical contract with the divested entity, at least for a short term.

Some of this text comes from the 3rd edition of The Tech Contracts Handbook , available to order (and review) from Amazon  here , or purchase directly from its publisher, the American Bar Association, here.

Want to do tech contracts better, faster, and with more confidence? Check out our training offerings here: https://www.techcontracts.com/training/ . Tech Contracts Academy has  options to fit every need and schedule: Comprehensive Tech Contracts M aster Classes™ (four on-line classes, two hours each), topical webinars (typically about an hour), customized in-house training (for just your team).   David Tollen is the founder of Tech Contracts Academy and our primary trainer. An attorney and also the founder of Sycamore Legal, P.C. , a boutique IT, IP, and privacy law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, he also serves as an expert witness in litigation about software licenses, cloud computing agreements, and other IT contracts.

© 2020, 2022 by Tech Contracts Academy, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Asset Purchase Agreement: A Basic Guide

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ContractsCounsel has assisted 447 clients with asset purchase agreements and maintains a network of 154 business lawyers available daily. These lawyers collectively have 77 reviews to help you choose the best lawyer for your needs. Customers rate lawyers for asset purchase agreement matters 4.95.

What Is an Asset Purchase Agreement?

An asset purchase agreement, also known as an asset sale agreement, business purchase agreement , or APA, is a written legal instrument that formalizes the purchase of a business or significant business asset. It details the structure of the deal, price, limitations, and warranties.

Due to the legal and financial implications associated with an asset purchase agreement, hire corporate lawyers to help you draft this critical document, or negotiate your deal. They will ensure that your agreement is fair and enforceable under the law.

What Is an Asset Purchase Deal?

An asset purchase is when a buyer agrees to purchase certain assets - and sometimes liabilities - from a company. While a buyer in an asset purchase is typically more focused on the assets they are buying, they can also acquire the liabilities of the business in some circumstances. Because of this, the buyer inherits the benefits and risks associated with the acquired assets or business.

Asset purchases can include the buying of:

• Intellectual property

Upon completion of an asset purchase, the ownership is transferred from the old entity to the new one. In general, there are protocols and formalities that surround asset purchases.

Asset Purchase Agreement Templates

When Would You Use an Asset Purchase Agreement?

You would use an asset purchase agreement for a variety of situations. These contracts are advantageous when buyers and sellers want flexibility over the transaction. Additionally, the APA may be a component of a more significant transaction, such as a joint venture (JV) or the sale of a business entity .

How Does an Asset Purchase Work?

When a business wishes to purchase assets from another, it notifies the selling company of its intent to buy. This notification is also known as a letter of intent . A letter of intent signifies the start point of the transaction during negotiation whereby both parties agree on a price, terms, deal structure, and other details of the transaction.

The following considerations should be included in a Letter of Intent:

• Value exchanged for the asset purchase
• Anticipated timeline for negotiations and deal structuring
• Escrow account requirements if any
• Exclusivity to the buyer
• Scope of key warranties and guarantees
• Prohibited buyer and seller activities
• Termination or modification clauses
• Other pertinent details

Your letter of intent can be however long or short it needs to be and according to parties involved. However, seek out advice from a lawyer with experience in this area to help you draft this document since it carries specific legal and financial implications. They can also help you work out your asset purchase agreement’s details when the transaction moves forward.

Parts of an Asset Purchase Agreement

Whether you wish to buy or sell an existing business or its assets, you will want to govern the transaction with an asset purchase agreement. Depending upon the details of the transaction, the length of your document will vary. However, the basic structure of an asset purchase agreement is similar regardless of the specifics.

Here are parts of an asset purchase agreement that you may want to include in your document.

1. Recitals

The opening paragraph of an asset purchase agreement includes the buyer and seller’s name and address as well as the date of signing. You should also add an acknowledgment of the agreement on behalf of both parties.

2. Definitions

Identify keywords that your document will use several times and define them. For example, rather than having to describe the terms of the sale repeatedly, you can collectively refer to it as the “Sale” uniformly throughout the APA. Definitions of specific words will help avoid confusion in the future.

3. Purchase Price and Allocation

In this provision, you should describe what the seller is selling to the buyer as well as any exclusions that apply. Detail the structure of the deal, including price, payment terms, and liabilities the buyer assumes. Since this section may be lengthy, it is not uncommon to shift long lists to an attachment.

4. Closing Terms

Closing is when the transaction is formalized. The closing terms should define what is required to complete the business or business asset’s purchase or sell, including any terms and contingencies.

5. Warranties

There are promises that both parties will likely make to each other. Warranties are the representations associated with the purchase. If the seller makes unfounded guarantees, this section is critical for the buyer to pursue legal redress.

6. Covenants

Covenants are sub-agreements under the asset purchase agreement. For instance, the seller may promise to not compete with the buyer for a specific period in a geographic location. Depending upon the transaction, the covenants will vary widely.

7. Indemnification

Indemnification protects buyers and sellers in the event of a legal dispute. It describes the financial damages that one party pays to the prevailing party and under what circumstances, including attorneys’ fees, court costs, and more.

8. Governance

There are numerous bodies of law that may apply to contracts. Your asset purchase agreement should indicate which state, country, or international laws govern your contract for legality purposes or in case a dispute arises.

9. Dated Signatures

No contract is complete without dated signatures from both parties. Ensure that you leave a dateline for each signature since the asset purchase agreement could be signed on different dates. You do not need to get the document notarized.

Your asset purchase agreement will be unique to your situation. Since these transactions tend to be complicated and work in conjunction with other existing contracts, such as partnership agreements , hire transactional lawyers to assist you in this process.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Asset Purchase Agreement

If you are considering an asset purchase agreement to formalize the sale of a business or asset, you should consider the pros and cons before deciding to use this type of document. Review the advantages and disadvantages below.

While there are downsides to an asset purchase agreement, there are several distinct advantages, including:

• You can define how you want the transaction to be structured
• Ownership over specified assets is only transferred, which can mitigate legal issues
• You avoid problems with minority shareholders
• Assets can be sold at fair market value (FMV)

The advantages of an asset purchase agreement are critical for some businesses. Ultimately, the most significant advantage is that it provides reassurance and an understanding among the parties involved while protecting their legal rights.

Disadvantages

Although the positive aspects of an asset purchase agreement are numerous, there are a few disadvantages associated with asset purchase agreements, including:

• You will need to engage in the retitling process, which can be costly
• Employment contracts may need review and renewal
• Specific permits and licenses may not transfer to the buyer without reapplication
• Assets sold well below FMV may result in insufficient capital for the seller

The decision to use an asset purchase agreement vs. other legal instruments, such as a stock purchase agreement , should be made in conjunction with a legal professional with experience in this area. Otherwise, you could make legal mistakes that affect you later on.

Who Drafts an Asset Purchase Agreement?

Corporate lawyers are the legal professionals who are best-suited to draft an asset purchase agreement. When licensed to practice in your state, they can offer legal advice, help, and guidance with regard to making decisions, structuring agreements, and protecting your legal rights during the transaction.

Ensure that you speak with corporate lawyers as early on in the process as possible. They can do an intake of your objectives, provide recommendations, and draft all documents that are in accordance with local, state, and federal contract laws.

See Asset Purchase Agreement Pricing by State

• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire

North Carolina

• North Dakota
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• West Virginia

What Needs to Happen Before an Asset Purchase Closing?

The conditions for a transaction’s completion vary according to the terms. However, those terms typically include conditions, such as payment, approval, and any necessary changes or repairs before the sale. Determine whether you require closing price adjustments as well.

You can engage in these adjustments in response to changes in interest rates, balance sheet differences, working capital, amortization, and the value of net assets. Decide who’s in charge of taxation and how they will classify the transaction. Take care of as many of the legal and financial aspects as possible.

Asset Purchase Agreement Sample

ASSET PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made effective this [DATE] by and between [SELLER], (the “Seller”) and [BUYER] (the “Buyer”), referred to collectively as “the Parties.”

The Parties have reached an agreement regarding the Buyer’s purchase of the [ASSET]. The Parties agree as follows:

• Seller . [SELLER], an individual residing in [STATE] with the following address:

_______________________________

• Buyer . [BUYER], is individual residing in [STATE] with the following address:
• Purchase and Sale . Subject to the terms, covenants, and conditions contained in this Agreement, and based on the Seller’s representations and warranties contained herein, on the Closing Date (as defined below), the Seller shall sell, transfer, convey, assign, and deliver to Buyer, and the Buyer shall purchase, acquire, and accept from the Seller:

[ASSET] including, without limitation, all of the assets listed on Exhibit A attached and incorporated by reference (collectively, the “Purchased Assets”), all as the same shall exist at 12:01 A.M. on the Closing Date.

• Consideration . The total purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) for the Purchased Assets shall be [PURCHASE PRICE]. Buyer will deliver the Purchase Price, to [ESCROW] prior to the Closing Date.
• Closing . The closing (the “Closing”) within [CLOSING DAYS] days of the Effective Date of this Agreement (the “Closing Date”), or at such other time as the Parties may agree upon in writing, whereupon the documents, instruments, and other items referred to herein will be delivered by the Parties.
• Contingency . The Buyer’s obligations to close shall be contingent upon:
• Seller’s ability to deliver, at the Closing, clean title to the Purchased Assets and all of the documents and instruments described herein, in accordance with the terms and conditions contained herein;
• Seller’s representations and warranties contained herein being complete, true, and accurate as of the Closing Date;
• Satisfaction of all Due Diligence by Buyer. Such Due Diligence will include Buyer’s opportunity to review the business, properties, affairs, prospects, books, and records related to the Purchased Assets, and to obtain information that it deems relevant from the management, bankers, lawyers, accountants, and other consultants of Seller. Buyer and their representatives shall also have full access to all personnel, computers, books, and records related to the Purchased Assets, and Seller shall furnish to Buyer such financial and other data and information as is requested for the completion of the Buyer’s investigation of the Purchased Assets. In the event the transactions herein contemplated do not take place, Buyer agrees to keep confidential and not to use for any purpose any proprietary confidential information provided to Buyer by Seller, excluding any information which is otherwise known by or becomes known to Buyer outside of its due diligence investigation of the Purchased Assets, or is made public.
• Deliveries by Buyers . Buyer shall: a. Instruct the escrow agent to disburse the funds held in escrow to Seller; and b. Such other documents, instruments, and items as shall be reasonably required to consummate the transactions contemplated herein, consistent with the terms of this Agreement.
• Deliveries by Seller . At Closing, Seller shall deliver to Buyer the following: a. All logins, documents, instruments, and transfer paperwork necessary to transfer the Purchased Assets; and b. Such other documents, instruments, and things as shall be reasonably requested by Buyer consistent with the terms of this Agreement.
• Migration Process . At Closing, Seller shall begin the process to transfer possession of the Assets to Buyer (the “Migration Process”). Seller shall use all commercially reasonable best efforts to complete the Migration Process as quickly as possible. From the Closing, and throughout the Migration Process, Seller shall: (a) maintain the Purchased Assets in the ordinary course, consistent with past practice, and not take any action outside of normal business practices without Buyer’s prior written consent; and (b) maintain the Purchased 3 Assets in good working condition and up-to-date (including but not limited to maintaining third-party links, marketing, advertising, and referral sources).
• Performance of Transition Services . For a period of [MONTHS] months following the Closing, Seller agrees to provide such services as may be necessary to transition the Purchased Assets to Buyer. Such services may include, but are not be limited to (a) communicating with customers regarding the transition; (b) answering questions and queries from Buyer regarding the Purchased Assets; (c) forwarding correspondence, telephone calls, and payment, if any, received in connection with the Purchased Assets to Buyers; (d) assisting with vendors; (e) assisting with any questions concerning the Purchased Assets; and (f) such other services as reasonably requested by Buyer from time to time during the Transition Period. Consideration for such services rendered by Seller during the Transition Period is included as part of the Purchase Price.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER

As an inducement to Buyer to enter into and perform this Agreement, Seller represents and warrants to Buyer as follows:

• Authorization . Seller has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement, all exhibits and schedules hereto, and all agreements contemplated herein (this Agreement and all such exhibits, schedules, and other agreements are collectively referred to herein as the “Acquisition Documents”) to perform his obligations hereunder and thereunder, to transfer the Purchased Assets, and to carry out the transactions contemplated. The Seller has taken all actions required by law or otherwise to authorize the performance of Seller’s obligations hereunder. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Seller, and upon the execution and delivery of the remaining Acquisition Documents, the remaining Acquisition Documents will have been duly executed and delivered by Seller, and this Agreement and the other Acquisition Documents will be the legal, valid, and binding obligations of Seller enforceable according to their terms.
• Title . Seller owns and has good and marketable title to the Purchased Assets, free and clear of all liens , encumbrances, or restrictions (e.g., restrictions on transfers or otherwise). The Acquisition Documents are sufficient to transfer to Buyer all of Seller’s right, title, and interest in and to the Purchased Assets, free and clear of any liens and encumbrances (except as expressly permitted herein).
• Financial Records . Seller has delivered to Buyer true and complete copies of Seller’s financial records relating to the Purchased Assets and the operation of the Purchased Assets for year [YEAR] through the Effective Date; and such financial records are true and correct in all respects and fairly represent Seller’s actual revenues and expenses associated with the operation of the Purchased Assets.
• Litigation . There are no actions, claims, proceedings, or investigations (“Actions”), including, without limitation, Actions for personal injuries, products liability, or breach of warranty arising from the operation of the Purchased Assets, whether pending or threatened against Seller or any properties or rights of Seller, or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Acquisition Document before any court, arbitrator, or administrative or governmental body. No state of facts exists or has existed that would constitute grounds for the institution of any Action against Seller or against any properties or rights of Seller or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Acquisition Document. Seller is not subject to any judgment, order, or decree entered in any lawsuit or proceeding that has materially adversely affected the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
• Insurance . Seller has maintained in full force and effect policies of insurance owned or held by or for the benefit of Seller related to the Purchased Assets, including general liability insurance related to the Purchased Assets (collectively, the “Insurance Policies”). All such Insurance Policies are and will remain in full force and effect through the Closing Date, and there is no notice of or basis for any modification, suspension, termination, or cancellation of any Insurance Policy.
• Compliance with Laws . Seller has not been charged with any violation of, and is not in violation of, and is not under any investigation with respect to any charge concerning any 6 violation of, any federal, state, local, or foreign law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, or court or administrative order or process, or arbitrator’s award or process (collectively, “Requirements of Law”), in which such violation either singly or in the aggregate with other violations would have a material adverse effect upon the Purchased Assets. Seller is not in default with respect to any order, writ, injunction , or decree of any court, agency, or instrumentality.
• Disclosure . Seller has disclosed to Buyer all information concerning the Purchased Assets and has not failed to disclose any information known to Seller concerning the Purchased Assets which, if known to a reasonable purchaser, would materially affect or alter the decisions of such purchaser with respect to the transactions contemplated herein. No representation or warranty by Seller in this Agreement or any of the other Acquisition Documents contains or will contain any untrue statement of any material fact, or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements herein or therein not misleading. There is no fact known to Seller that materially adversely affects, or that might in the future materially adversely affect, the Buyer’s use of the Purchased Assets, that has not been set forth in this Agreement or the schedules hereto.
• Brokerage . Seller shall be solely responsible for and shall pay from funds held by www.escrow.com a “success fee” to flippa.com pursuant to the terms of a separate agreement. Seller represents and warrants that except as provided in the preceding sentence, no broker or finder has acted directly or indirectly for Seller in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated.
• Indemnification; Post-Closing Obligations .
• The Seller shall hold harmless, indemnify, and defend the Buyer and their successors and assigns, against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including, without limitation, settlement costs and legal, accounting, and other expenses in connection therewith) (collectively, the “Damages”) incurred by Buyer and their successors and assigns in connection with any breach of any representation, warranty, or covenant made by the Sellers.
• The Buyer shall hold harmless, indemnify, and defend the Seller and their successors and assigns, against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including, without limitation, settlement costs and legal, accounting, and other expenses in connection therewith) (collectively, the “Damages”) incurred by Seller and their successors and assigns in connection with any breach of any representation, warranty, or covenant made by the Buyer herein.
• All representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements contained herein and all related rights to indemnification shall survive the Closing until the applicable statute of limitations.
• Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Exhibits, constitutes the entire agreement between Buyer and Seller with respect to the subject matter hereof and may be altered, amended, or repealed only by a duly executed written agreement.
• Severability . If any part of this Agreement shall be held to be unenforceable for any reason, the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
• Controlling Law . This Agreement shall be governed and enforced in all respects by the laws of the State of [STATE].

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement this [DATE].

SELLER: ________________

BUYER: ________________

Seek Professional Advice from a Lawyer

For large transactions, it is always recommended to seek advice from a legal professional to make sure you are protected. Corporate lawyers routinely work on Asset Purchases with their clients, and it is recommended getting in touch to discuss your project.

ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.

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Asset Purchase Agreement

I'm looking for an attorney to review and advise on an Asset Purchase Agreement

In the process of making a cash offer on a small commercial pest company. My business broker sent over his generic Asset Purchase Agreement. I am looking for an attorney to review the contract to make sure I'm protected. It's a small transaction (not very complicated). Approximately $265K. The agreement is only 7 pages. Have no problem paying a fee for good advice.

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Is confidentiality required in an asset purchase agreement?

I am considering purchasing a business asset and the seller has presented me with an Asset Purchase Agreement. I understand that these agreements typically contain confidential information, but I am not sure if confidentiality is required in this particular agreement. I would like to know whether confidentiality is necessary and what the consequences might be if the agreement is not kept confidential.

There is no requirement for confidentiality in ANY type of contract; this is a negotiated term, like all other terms in any contract (except that in some instances, such as WA State Residential Landlord/Tenant contracts, state law may supercede terms in a lease that would violate the law). As far as breach of a confidentiality term (or any other term) in a contract, often the contract itself will state what the consequences may be for a breach - however, if this is not specified, the other party could sue for breach of contract - what a court may decide to award would generally be based on the amount of damages the Plaintiff incurred by having the breach occur. If you are considering buying a business, I urge you to have all paperwork, your business plan, your finances, and all other important documents and information reviewed by a business attorney prior to signing anything at all.

How are employee benefits managed in an asset purchase agreement?

I am a business owner who is looking to purchase a company. This company has many employees, and I want to make sure I am making a well-informed decision about how employee benefits will be managed in the asset purchase agreement. I am looking for advice on the best way to protect both the interests of my business and the interests of the employees in this agreement.

In an asset purchase agreement (APA), careful consideration is given to managing employee benefits. The agreement outlines whether the buyer assumes responsibility for continuing specific benefits post-closing, addresses accrued employee benefits, and establishes a clear process for notifying employees of changes. Legal compliance with employment laws, due diligence on existing benefit plans, and provisions for the transfer of benefits are crucial. The APA also covers communication strategies, severance agreements, and adjustments to employee handbooks, ensuring a comprehensive approach to employee benefit management during the transition.

How to handle disputes in an asset purchase agreement?

I am in the process of purchasing a business and the seller and I have agreed on all the major terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement. However, we are having difficulty agreeing on the terms of dispute resolution. We both want to ensure that any disputes arising from the agreement are handled in a timely and cost-effective manner. As such, I am looking for advice from a lawyer on how best to handle disputes in an asset purchase agreement.

N'kia N.

The 4 main options for dispute resolution in North Carolina are negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation. The best option(s) for dispute resolution will differ depending on such factors as types of claims and amount in controversy. Although clauses requiring private arbitration have become commonplace in business-related contracts, with the exception of small claims, private arbitration through organizations like the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") and the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service ("JAMS") often costs the parties as much time and money as litigation. Therefore, it is important to choose your dispute resolution option(s) carefully and not enter into an agreement blindly. A knowledgeable corporate attorney can help evaluate your best option(s) for dispute resolution related to your business purchase agreement and can even draft the relevant contract term(s). Good luck!

Are there tax implications in an asset purchase agreement?

I am in the process of purchasing a business and have been presented with an asset purchase agreement. Before signing the agreement, I am interested in understanding the potential tax implications related to the transaction. I want to make sure that I understand the full scope of the financial obligations I am committing to and any potential future liabilities I may face.

An asset purchase agreement is generally considered a taxable transaction for the buyer. However, there are sometimes ways for the buyer to reduce its tax liability. If you are considering entering into an asset purchase agreement, you should also consider consulting with a tax professional.

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Assignment provisions in contracts

Author’s note, Nov. 22, 2014: For a much-improved update of this page, see the Common Draft general provisions article .

(For more real-world stories like the ones below, see my PDF e-book, Signing a Business Contract? A Quick Checklist for Greater Peace of Mind , a compendium of tips and true stories to help you steer clear of various possible minefields. Learn more …. )

Table of Contents

Legal background: Contracts generally are freely assignable

When a party to a contract “ assigns ” the contract to someone else, it means that party, known as the assignor , has transferred its rights under the contract to someone else, known as the assignee , and also has delegated its obligations to the assignee.

Under U.S. law, most contract rights are freely assignable , and most contract duties are freely delegable, absent some special character of the duty, unless the agreement says otherwise. In some situations, however, the parties will not want their opposite numbers to be able to assign the agreement freely; contracts often include language to this effect.

Intellectual-property licenses are an exception to the general rule of assignability. Under U.S. law, an IP licensee may not assign its license rights, nor delegate its license obligations, without the licensor’s consent, even when the license agreement is silent. See, for example, In re XMH Corp. , 647 F.3d 690 (7th Cir. 2011) (Posner, J; trademark licenses); Cincom Sys., Inc. v. Novelis Corp. , 581 F.3d 431 (6th Cir. 2009) (copyright licenses); Rhone-Poulenc Agro, S.A. v. DeKalb Genetics Corp. , 284 F.3d 1323 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (patent licenses). For additional information, see this article by John Paul, Brian Kacedon, and Douglas W. Meier of the Finnegan Henderson firm.

Assignment consent requirements

Model language

[Party name] may not assign this Agreement to any other person without the express prior written consent of the other party or its successor in interest, as applicable, except as expressly provided otherwise in this Agreement. A putative assignment made without such required consent will have no effect.

Optional: Nor may [Party name] assign any right or interest arising out of this Agreement, in whole or in part, without such consent.

Alternative: For the avoidance of doubt, consent is not required for an assignment (absolute, collateral, or other) or pledge of, nor for any grant of a security interest in, a right to payment under this Agreement.

Optional: An assignment of this Agreement by operation of law, as a result of a merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or other transaction or series of transactions, requires consent to the same extent as would an assignment to the same assignee outside of such a transaction or series of transactions.

• An assignment-consent requirement like this can give the non-assigning party a chokehold on a future merger or corporate reorganization by the assigning party — see the case illustrations below.

• A party being asked to agree to an assignment-consent requirement should consider trying to negotiate one of the carve-out provisions below, for example, when the assignment is connection with a sale of substantially all the assets of the assignor’s business {Link} .

Case illustrations

The dubai port deal (ny times story and story ).

In 2006, a Dubai company that operated several U.S. ports agreed to sell those operations. (The agreement came about because of publicity and political pressure about the alleged national-security implications of having Middle-Eastern companies in charge of U.S. port operations.)

A complication arose in the case of the Port of Newark: The Dubai company’s lease agreement gave the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey the right to consent to any assignment of the agreement — and that agency initially demanded $84 million for its consent.

After harsh criticism from political leaders, the Port Authority backed down a bit: it gave consent in return for “only” a $10 million consent fee, plus $40 million investment commitment by the buyer.

Cincom Sys., Inc. v. Novelis Corp., No. 07-4142 (6th Cir. Sept. 25, 2009) (affirming summary judgment)

A customer of a software vendor did an internal reorganization. As a result, the vendor’s software ended up being used by a sister company of the original customer. The vendor demanded that the sister company buy a new license. The sister company refused.

The vendor sued, successfully, for copyright infringement, and received the price of a new license, more than $450,000 as its damages. The case is discussed in more detail in this blog posting.

The vendor’s behavior strikes me as extremely shortsighted, for a couple of reasons: First, I wouldn’t bet much on the likelihood the customer would ever buy anything again from that vendor. Second, I would bet that the word got around about what the vendor did, and that this didn’t do the vendor’s reputation any good.

Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC v. Roche Diagnostics GmbH, No. 5589-VCP (Del. Ch. Apr. 8, 2011) (denying motion to dismiss).

The Delaware Chancery Court refused to rule out the possibility that a reverse triangular merger could act as an assignment of a contract, which under the contract terms would have required consent. See also the discussion of this opinion by Katherine Jones of the Sheppard Mullin law firm.

Assignment with transfer of business assets

Consent is not required for an assignment of this Agreement in connection with a sale or other disposition of substantially all the assets of the assigning party’s business.

Optional: Alternatively, the sale or other disposition may be of substantially all the assets of the assigning party’s business to which this Agreement specifically relates.

Optional: The assignee must not be a competitor of the non-assigning party.

• A prospective assigning party might argue that it needed to keep control of its own strategic destiny, for example by preserving its freedom to sell off a product line or division (or even the whole company) in an asset sale.

• A non-assigning party might argue that it could not permit the assignment of the agreement to one of its competitors, and that the only way to ensure this was to retain a veto over any assignment.

• Another approach might be to give the non-assigning party, instead of a veto over asset-disposition assignments, the right to terminate the contract for convenience . (Of course, the implications of termination would have to be carefully thought through.)

Assignment to affiliate

[Either party] may assign this Agreement without consent to its affiliate.

Optional: The assigning party must unconditionally guarantee the assignee’s performance.

Optional: The affiliate must not be a competitor of the non-assigning party.

Optional: The affiliate must be a majority-ownership affiliate of the assigning party.

• A prospective assigning party might argue for the right to assign to an affiliate to preserve its freedom to move assets around within its “corporate family” without having to seek approval.

• The other party might reasonably object that there is no way to know in advance whether an affiliate-assignee would be in a position to fulfill the assigning party’s obligations under the contract, nor whether it would have reachable assets in case of a breach.

Editorial comment: Before approving a blanket affiliate-assignment authorization, a party should consider whether it knew enough about the other party’s existing- or future affiliates to be comfortable with where the agreement might end up.

Consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed

Consent to an assignment of this Agreement requiring it may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

Optional: For the avoidance of doubt, any damages suffered by a party seeking a required consent to assignment of this Agreement, resulting from an unreasonable withholding or delay of such consent, are to be treated as direct damages.

Optional: For the avoidance of doubt, any damages suffered by a party seeking a required consent to assignment of this Agreement, resulting from an unreasonable withholding or delay of such consent, are not subject to any exclusion of remedies or other limitation of liability in this Agreement.

• Even if this provision were absent, applicable law might impose a reasonableness requirement; see the discussion of the Shoney case in the commentary to the Consent at discretion provision.

• A reasonableness requirement might not be of much practical value, whether contractual or implied by law. Such a requirement could not guarantee that the non-assigning party would give its consent when the assigning party wants it. And by the time a court could resolve the matter, the assigning party’s deal could have been blown.

• Still, an unreasonable-withholding provision should make the non-assigning party think twice about dragging its feet too much, becuase of the prospect of being held liable for damages for a busted transaction. Cf. Pennzoil vs. Texaco and its $10.5 billion damage award for tortious interference with an M&A deal.

• Including an unreasonable-delay provision might conflict with the Materiality of assignment breach provision, for reasons discussed there in the summary of the Hess Energy case.

Consent at discretion

A party having the right to grant or withhold consent to an assignment of this Agreement may do so in its sole and unfettered discretion.

• If a party might want the absolute right to withhold consent to an assignment in its sole discretion, it would be a good idea to try to include that in the contract language. Otherwise, there’s a risk that court might impose a commercial-reasonableness test under applicable law (see the next bullet). On the other hand, asking for such language but not getting it could be fatal to the party’s case that it was implicitly entitled to withhold consent in its discretion.

• If a commercial- or residential lease agreement requires the landlord’s consent before the tentant can assign the lease, state law might impose a reasonableness requirement. I haven’t researched this, but ran across an unpublished California opinion and an old law review article, each collecting cases. See Nevada Atlantic Corp. v. Wrec Lido Venture, LLC, No. G039825 (Cal. App. Dec. 8, 2008) (unpublished; reversing judgment that sole-discretion withholding of consent was unreasonable); Paul J. Weddle, Pacific First Bank v. New Morgan Park Corporation: Reasonable Withholding of Consent to Commercial Lease Assignments , 31 Willamette L. Rev. 713 (1995) (first page available for free at HeinOnline ).

Shoney’s LLC v. MAC East, LLC, No. 1071465 (Ala. Jul. 31, 2009)

In 2009, the Alabama Supreme Court rejected a claim that Shoney’s restaurant chain breached a contract when it demanded a $70,000 to $90,000 payment as the price of its consent to a proposed sublease. The supreme court noted that the contract specifically gave Shoney’s the right, in its sole discretion , to consent to any proposed assignment or sublease.

Significantly, prior case law from Alabama was to the effect that a refusal to consent would indeed be judged by a commercial-reasonableness standard. But, the supreme court said, “[w]here the parties to a contract use language that is inconsistent with a commercial-reasonableness standard, the terms of such contract will not be altered by an implied covenant of good faith. Therefore, an unqualified express standard such as ‘sole discretion’ is also to be construed as written.” Shoney’s LLC v. MAC East, LLC , No. 1071465 (Ala. Jul. 31, 2009) (on certification by Eleventh Circuit), cited by MAC East, LLC v. Shoney’s [LLC] , No. 07-11534 (11th Cir. Aug. 11, 2009), reversing No. 2:05-cv-1038-MEF (WO) (M.D. Ala. Jan. 8, 2007) (granting partial summary judgment that Shoney’s had breached the contract).

Termination by non-assigning party

A non-assigning party may terminate this Agreement, in its business discretion , by giving notice to that effect no later than 60 days after receiving notice, from either the assigning party or the assignee, that an assignment of the Agreement has become effective.

Consider an agreement in which a vendor is to provide ongoing services to a customer. A powerful customer might demand the right to consent to the vendor’s assignment of the agreement, even in strategic transactions. The vendor, on the other hand, might refuse to give any customer that kind of control of its strategic options.

A workable compromise might be to allow the customer to terminate the agreement during a stated window of time after the assignment if it is not happy with the new vendor.

Assignment – other provisions

Optional: Delegation: For the avoidance of doubt, an assignment of this Agreement operates as a transfer of the assigning party’s rights and a delegation of its duties under this Agreement.

Optional: Promise to perform: For the avoidance of doubt, an assignee’s acceptance of an assignment of this Agreement constitutes the assignee’s promise to perform the assigning party’s duties under the Agreement. That promise is enforceable by either the assigning party or by the non-assigning party.

Optional: Written assumption by assignee: IF: The non-assigning party so requests of an assignee of this Agreement; THEN: The assignee will seasonably provide the non-assigning party with a written assumption of the assignor’s obligations, duly executed by or on behalf of the assignee; ELSE: The assignment will be of no effect.

Optional: No release: For the avoidance of doubt, an assignment of this Agreement does not release the assigning party from its responsibility for performance of its duties under the Agreement unless the non-assigning party so agrees in writing.

Optional: Confidentiality: A non-assigning party will preserve in confidence any non-public information about an actual- or proposed assignment of this Agreement that may be disclosed to that party by a party participating in, or seeking consent for, the assignment.

The Delegation provision might not be necessary in a contract for the sale of goods governed by the Uniform Commercial Code, because a similar provision is found in UCC 2-210

The Confidentiality provision would be useful if a party to the agreement anticipated that it might be engaging in any kind of merger or other strategic transaction.

Materiality of assignment breach

IF: A party breaches any requirement of this Agreement that the party obtain another party’s consent to assign this Agreement; THEN: Such breach is to be treated as a material breach of this Agreement.

A chief significance of this kind of provision is that failure to obtain consent to assignment, if it were a material breach, would give the non-assigning party the right to terminate the Agreement.

If an assignment-consent provision requires that consent not be unreasonably withheld , then failure to obtain consent to a reasonable assignment would not be a material breach, according to the court in Hess Energy Inc. v. Lightning Oil Co. , No. 01-1582 (4th Cir. Jan. 18, 2002) (reversing summary judgment). In that case, the agreement was a natural-gas supply contract. The customer was acquired by a larger company, after which the larger company took over some of the contract administration responsibilities such as payment of the vendor’s invoices. The vendor, seeking to sell its gas to someone else at a higher price, sent a notice of termination, on grounds that the customer had “assigned” the agreement to its new parent company, in violation of the contract’s assignment-consent provision. The appeals court held that, even if the customer had indeed assigned the contract (a point on which it expressed considerable doubt) without consent, the resulting breach of the agreement was not material, and therefore the vendor did not have the right to terminate the contract.

See also (list is generated automatically) :

• Notebook update: Reverse triangular merger might be an assignment of a contract, requiring consent Just updated the Notebook with a citation to a case in which the Delaware Chancery Court refused to rule out the possibility that a reverse...
• Assignment-consent requirements can cause serious problems in future M&A transactions A lot of contracts provide that Party A must obtain the prior written consent of Party B if it wishes to assign the agreement to a...
• SCOTX rejects implied obligation not to unreasonably withhold consent to assignment of contract In a recent Texas case, two sophisticated parties in the oil and gas busi­ness — let’s call them Alpha and Bravo — were negotiating a contract....
• Ken Adams and the marketplace of ideas I (used to) comment occasionally at Ken Adams’s blog. Recent examples: Here, here, here, here, and here. Ken and I disagree on a number of issues; some...

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Assignment: Definition in Finance, How It Works, and Examples

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.

What Is an Assignment?

Assignment most often refers to one of two definitions in the financial world:

• The transfer of an individual's rights or property to another person or business. This concept exists in a variety of business transactions and is often spelled out contractually.
• In trading, assignment occurs when an option contract is exercised. The owner of the contract exercises the contract and assigns the option writer to an obligation to complete the requirements of the contract.

Key Takeaways

• Assignment is a transfer of rights or property from one party to another.
• Options assignments occur when option buyers exercise their rights to a position in a security.
• Other examples of assignments can be found in wages, mortgages, and leases.

Uses For Assignments

Assignment refers to the transfer of some or all property rights and obligations associated with an asset, property, contract, or other asset of value. to another entity through a written agreement.

Assignment rights happen every day in many different situations. A payee, like a utility or a merchant, assigns the right to collect payment from a written check to a bank. A merchant can assign the funds from a line of credit to a manufacturing third party that makes a product that the merchant will eventually sell. A trademark owner can transfer, sell, or give another person interest in the trademark or logo. A homeowner who sells their house assigns the deed to the new buyer.

To be effective, an assignment must involve parties with legal capacity, consideration, consent, and legality of the object.

A wage assignment is a forced payment of an obligation by automatic withholding from an employee’s pay. Courts issue wage assignments for people late with child or spousal support, taxes, loans, or other obligations. Money is automatically subtracted from a worker's paycheck without consent if they have a history of nonpayment. For example, a person delinquent on $100 monthly loan payments has a wage assignment deducting the money from their paycheck and sent to the lender. Wage assignments are helpful in paying back long-term debts.

Another instance can be found in a mortgage assignment. This is where a mortgage deed gives a lender interest in a mortgaged property in return for payments received. Lenders often sell mortgages to third parties, such as other lenders. A mortgage assignment document clarifies the assignment of contract and instructs the borrower in making future mortgage payments, and potentially modifies the mortgage terms.

A final example involves a lease assignment. This benefits a relocating tenant wanting to end a lease early or a landlord looking for rent payments to pay creditors. Once the new tenant signs the lease, taking over responsibility for rent payments and other obligations, the previous tenant is released from those responsibilities. In a separate lease assignment, a landlord agrees to pay a creditor through an assignment of rent due under rental property leases. The agreement is used to pay a mortgage lender if the landlord defaults on the loan or files for bankruptcy . Any rental income would then be paid directly to the lender.

Options Assignment

Options can be assigned when a buyer decides to exercise their right to buy (or sell) stock at a particular strike price . The corresponding seller of the option is not determined when a buyer opens an option trade, but only at the time that an option holder decides to exercise their right to buy stock. So an option seller with open positions is matched with the exercising buyer via automated lottery. The randomly selected seller is then assigned to fulfill the buyer's rights. This is known as an option assignment.

Once assigned, the writer (seller) of the option will have the obligation to sell (if a call option ) or buy (if a put option ) the designated number of shares of stock at the agreed-upon price (the strike price). For instance, if the writer sold calls they would be obligated to sell the stock, and the process is often referred to as having the stock called away . For puts, the buyer of the option sells stock (puts stock shares) to the writer in the form of a short-sold position.

Suppose a trader owns 100 call options on company ABC's stock with a strike price of $10 per share. The stock is now trading at $30 and ABC is due to pay a dividend shortly. As a result, the trader exercises the options early and receives 10,000 shares of ABC paid at $10. At the same time, the other side of the long call (the short call) is assigned the contract and must deliver the shares to the long.

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