assignment to affiliate without consent

• Drafting a Workable Contract
• Contract Tips
• Startup law
• Common Draft
• Choice of law
• Patent apps
• Marketing legal review
• Engagement agreement
• UH class notes
• Arbitration

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...

Dell “D. C.” Toedt III

Subscribe via Email

I won\'t spam you

Email Address

Common Draft annotated contract form book project

Contract drafting tips

Choice of law cheat sheets

Contract review: A final checklist before you sign

Legal cheat sheet for business

Tips for new general counsel

Patent apps at lower cost

Privacy policy sample

Attorney-client engagement agreement form

Why we lawyers can seem like such weasels

This site rocks the Classic Responsive Skin for Thesis .

• Assignment Clause

Get free proposals from vetted lawyers in our marketplace.

Contract Clauses

• Acceleration Clause
• Arbitration Clause
• Cancellation Clause
• Choice of Law Clause
• Confidentiality Clause
• Consideration Clause
• Definitions Clause
• Dispute Resolution Clause
• Entire Agreement Clause
• Escalation Clause
• Exclusivity Clause
• Exculpatory Clause
• Force Majeure Clause
• Governing Law Clause
• Indemnification Clause
• Indemnity Clause
• Insurance Clause
• Integration Clause
• Merger Clause
• Non-Competition Clause
• Non-Disparagement Clause
• Non-Exclusivity Clause
• Non-Solicitation Clause
• Privacy Clause
• Release Clause
• Severability Clause
• Subordination Clause
• Subrogation Clause
• Survival Clause
• Termination Clause
• Time of Essence Clause

Jump to Section

Assignment clause defined.

Assignment clauses are legally binding provisions in contracts that give a party the chance to engage in a transfer of ownership or assign their contractual obligations and rights to a different contracting party.

In other words, an assignment clause can reassign contracts to another party. They can commonly be seen in contracts related to business purchases.

Here’s an article about assignment clauses.

Assignment Clause Explained

Assignment contracts are helpful when you need to maintain an ongoing obligation regardless of ownership. Some agreements have limitations or prohibitions on assignments, while other parties can freely enter into them.

Here’s another article about assignment clauses.

Purpose of Assignment Clause

The purpose of assignment clauses is to establish the terms around transferring contractual obligations. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) permits the enforceability of assignment clauses.

Assignment Clause Examples

Examples of assignment clauses include:

• Example 1 . A business closing or a change of control occurs
• Example 2 . New services providers taking over existing customer contracts
• Example 3 . Unique real estate obligations transferring to a new property owner as a condition of sale
• Example 4 . Many mergers and acquisitions transactions, such as insurance companies taking over customer policies during a merger

Here’s an article about the different types of assignment clauses.

Assignment Clause Samples

Sample 1 – sales contract.

Assignment; Survival .  Neither party shall assign all or any portion of the Contract without the other party’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that either party may, without such consent, assign this Agreement, in whole or in part, in connection with the transfer or sale of all or substantially all of the assets or business of such Party relating to the product(s) to which this Agreement relates. The Contract shall bind and inure to the benefit of the successors and permitted assigns of the respective parties. Any assignment or transfer not in accordance with this Contract shall be void. In order that the parties may fully exercise their rights and perform their obligations arising under the Contract, any provisions of the Contract that are required to ensure such exercise or performance (including any obligation accrued as of the termination date) shall survive the termination of the Contract.

Reference :

Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database,  EX-10.29 3 dex1029.htm SALES CONTRACT , Viewed May 10, 2021, <  https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1492426/000119312510226984/dex1029.htm >.

Sample 2 – Purchase and Sale Agreement

Assignment . Purchaser shall not assign this Agreement or any interest therein to any Person, without the prior written consent of Seller, which consent may be withheld in Seller’s sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon prior written notice to Seller, Purchaser may designate any Affiliate as its nominee to receive title to the Property, or assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement to any Affiliate of Purchaser by providing written notice to Seller no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing; provided, however, that (a) such Affiliate remains an Affiliate of Purchaser, (b) Purchaser shall not be released from any of its liabilities and obligations under this Agreement by reason of such designation or assignment, (c) such designation or assignment shall not be effective until Purchaser has provided Seller with a fully executed copy of such designation or assignment and assumption instrument, which shall (i) provide that Purchaser and such designee or assignee shall be jointly and severally liable for all liabilities and obligations of Purchaser under this Agreement, (ii) provide that Purchaser and its designee or assignee agree to pay any additional transfer tax as a result of such designation or assignment, (iii) include a representation and warranty in favor of Seller that all representations and warranties made by Purchaser in this Agreement are true and correct with respect to such designee or assignee as of the date of such designation or assignment, and will be true and correct as of the Closing, and (iv) otherwise be in form and substance satisfactory to Seller and (d) such Assignee is approved by Manager as an assignee of the Management Agreement under Article X of the Management Agreement. For purposes of this Section 16.4, “Affiliate” shall include any direct or indirect member or shareholder of the Person in question, in addition to any Person that would be deemed an Affiliate pursuant to the definition of “Affiliate” under Section 1.1 hereof and not by way of limitation of such definition.

Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database,  EX-10.8 3 dex108.htm PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT , Viewed May 10, 2021, < https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1490985/000119312510160407/dex108.htm >.

Sample 3 – Share Purchase Agreement

Assignment . Neither this Agreement nor any right or obligation hereunder may be assigned by any Party without the prior written consent of the other Parties, and any attempted assignment without the required consents shall be void.

Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database,  EX-4.12 3 dex412.htm SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT , Viewed May 10, 2021, < https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1329394/000119312507148404/dex412.htm >.

Sample 4 – Asset Purchase Agreement

Assignment . This Agreement and any of the rights, interests, or obligations incurred hereunder, in part or as a whole, at any time after the Closing, are freely assignable by Buyer. This Agreement and any of the rights, interests, or obligations incurred hereunder, in part or as a whole, are assignable by Seller only upon the prior written consent of Buyer, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database,  EX-2.1 2 dex21.htm ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT , Viewed May 10, 2021, < https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1428669/000119312510013625/dex21.htm >.

Sample 5 – Asset Purchase Agreement

Assignment; Binding Effect; Severability

This Agreement may not be assigned by any party hereto without the other party’s written consent; provided, that Buyer may transfer or assign in whole or in part to one or more Buyer Designee its right to purchase all or a portion of the Purchased Assets, but no such transfer or assignment will relieve Buyer of its obligations hereunder. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns of each party hereto. The provisions of this Agreement are severable, and in the event that any one or more provisions are deemed illegal or unenforceable the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect unless the deletion of such provision shall cause this Agreement to become materially adverse to either party, in which event the parties shall use reasonable commercial efforts to arrive at an accommodation that best preserves for the parties the benefits and obligations of the offending provision.

Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database,  EX-2.4 2 dex24.htm ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT , Viewed May 10, 2021, < https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1002047/000119312511171858/dex24.htm >.

Common Contracts with Assignment Clauses

Common contracts with assignment clauses include:

• Real estate contracts
• Sales contract
• Asset purchase agreement
• Purchase and sale agreement
• Bill of sale
• Assignment and transaction financing agreement

Assignment Clause FAQs

Assignment clauses are powerful when used correctly. Check out the assignment clause FAQs below to learn more:

What is an assignment clause in real estate?

Assignment clauses in real estate transfer legal obligations from one owner to another party. They also allow house flippers to engage in a contract negotiation with a seller and then assign the real estate to the buyer while collecting a fee for their services. Real estate lawyers assist in the drafting of assignment clauses in real estate transactions.

What does no assignment clause mean?

No assignment clauses prohibit the transfer or assignment of contract obligations from one part to another.

What’s the purpose of the transfer and assignment clause in the purchase agreement?

The purpose of the transfer and assignment clause in the purchase agreement is to protect all involved parties’ rights and ensure that assignments are not to be unreasonably withheld. Contract lawyers can help you avoid legal mistakes when drafting your business contracts’ transfer and assignment clauses.

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.

Dan "Dragan" I.

Meet some of our Lawyers

My passion is protecting the passions of others. I have 5+ years of contract review, and all aspects of entertainment law including negotiation, mediation, intellectual property, copyright, and music licensing. I also have experience working with nonprofits, and small businesses helping with formation, dissolution, partnerships, etc. I am licensed in both Texas and California.

Nuo Jia (Lois) L.

Attorney Lois Li is a bilingual business and commercial attorney licensed in Michigan, U.S. since 2014, in Ontario, Canada since 2015, and in New York, U.S. since 2020. As an attorney licensed in two countries, Lois leads Alpine Law’s US/China/Canada practice. She is experienced in legal and contractual transactions in both English and Chinese. Lois has over six years of experience in assisting clients with business operations and legal services, and is specialized in advising companies with legal needs in International Business, Securities law, Cryptocurrency – Block chain, and Fin-Tech. Having served as both an outside and an in-house counsel, Lois worked with many startup and small businesses. With a strong understanding of core business and the ability to translate business needs into legal requirements, Lois has assisted many companies to establish policies and procedures, and drafted and negotiated employment and transaction contracts. Further licensed as a Registered Nurse since 2010, Lois specializes in healthcare law and is experienced in FDA, HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid regulations. She has assisted many businesses in the medical and healthcare industry.

Lawyer Vets APC is a digital legal practice founded on the idea that legal services should be available to all– Not just a privileged few. In support of this mission, we leverage technology to reduce overhead, increase productivity, and put more money in our client's pockets.

Sayema Hameed is an experienced California attorney offering exceptional legal services in the field of employment law. With over two decades of legal experience, Sayema provides her clients with thoughtful and strategic advice and counsel, attention to detail, and high quality work to satisfy client goals and achieve successful outcomes. Helping clients maintain legal compliance, reduce liability exposure, and resolve conflicts efficiently are top priorities of Hameed Law Group. Sayema's practice includes preparation and update of employee handbooks, policies, and contracts, as well providing advice and counsel in all areas of employment in California. Sayema makes it a priority to stay up to date on the latest developments in California employment law. Sayema has been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer (2019-2024) and previously as a Rising Star (2009-2017) by Super Lawyers, a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Ann R. Dougherty, Esquire practices in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey with over 25 years of experience and has taught legal writing at the Delaware Law School of Widener University. Ann’s experience includes general liability, commercial property and bad faith insurance coverage litigation. Ann has successfully represented corporations in declaratory judgment matters concerning environmental and asbestos exposure, handled excess recoveries, comprehensive claim reviews and negotiated cost sharing agreements. She has also represented religious organizations including risk management strategies. In addition to practicing law, Ann also teaches introductory Philosophy and Ethics courses. Ann is a member of the Philanthropic Educational Organization for Women and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She has served on the Boards of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic for Delaware and the Wilmington Ballet Academy.

Lissette E.

Lissette's legal career, spanning over a decade, is distinguished by her significant achievements in civil litigation and her versatile practice in immigration and corporate law. She has demonstrated a formidable presence in the courtroom, securing a verdict of over two million dollars for a client and settling claims totaling more than three million dollars against insurance companies. She is proficient in complex litigation and corporate matters, assisting corporations with entity formation and regulatory compliance. Her work ensures that businesses not only start on a solid legal foundation but also maintain adherence to legal standards as they grow and evolve. Lissette's tenure at the Department of Justice has also been particularly influential. Working directly with immigration judges, she has developed a nuanced understanding of immigration policies and law, enabling her to craft winning strategies that address the unique challenges faced by her clients. Her career is further enriched by her previous teaching engagements at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where she shared her comprehensive knowledge and experience with aspiring lawyers. Lissette's multifaceted expertise underscores her deep-rooted commitment to legal advocacy and excellence, making her a valued counselor and advocate. Known for her tailored client solutions, Lissette achieves successful outcomes across various legal domains.

Find the best lawyer for your project

Quick, user friendly and one of the better ways I've come across to get ahold of lawyers willing to take new clients.

CONTRACT lawyers by city

• Atlanta Contract Lawyers
• Austin Contract Lawyers
• Boston Contract Lawyers
• Chicago Contract Lawyers
• Dallas Contract Lawyers
• Denver Contract Lawyers
• Fort Lauderdale Contract Lawyers
• Houston Contract Lawyers
• Las Vegas Contract Lawyers
• Los Angeles Contract Lawyers

Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.

I never knew how difficult it was to obtain representation or a lawyer, and ContractsCounsel was EXACTLY the type of service I was hoping for when I was in a pinch. Working with their service was efficient, effective and made me feel in control. Thank you so much and should I ever need attorney services down the road, I'll certainly be a repeat customer.

I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.

How It Works

Post Your Project

Get Free Bids to Compare

Hire Your Lawyer

Find lawyers and attorneys by city

Spotting issues with assignment clauses in M&A Due Diligence

Written by: Kira Systems

January 19, 2016

6 minute read

Although not nearly as complex as change of control provisions , assignment provisions may still present a challenge in due diligence projects. We hope this blog post will help you navigate the ambiguities of assignment clauses with greater ease by explaining some of the common variations. (And, if you like it, please check out our full guide on Reviewing Change of Control and Assignment Provisions in Due Diligence. )

What is an Assignment Clause?

First, the basics:

Anti-assignment clauses are common because without them, generally, contracts are freely assignable. (The exceptions are (i) contracts that are subject to statutes or public policies prohibiting their assignment, such as intellectual property contracts, or (ii) contracts where an assignment without consent would cause material and adverse consequences to non-assigning counterparties, such as employment agreements and consulting agreements.) For all other contracts, parties may want an anti-assignment clause that allows them the opportunity to review and understand the impact of an assignment (or change of control) before deciding whether to continue or terminate the relationship.

In the mergers and acquisitions context, an assignment of a contract from a target company entity to the relevant acquirer entity is needed whenever a contract has to be placed in the name of an entity other than the existing target company entity after consummation of a transaction. This is why reviewing contracts for assignment clauses is so critical.

A simple anti-assignment provision provides that a party may not assign the agreement without the consent of the other party. Assignment provisions may also provide specific exclusions or inclusions to a counterparty’s right to consent to the assignment of a contract. Below are five common occurrences in which assignment provisions may provide exclusions or inclusions.

Common Exclusions and Inclusions

Exclusion for change of control transactions.

In negotiating an anti-assignment clause, a company would typically seek the exclusion of assignments undertaken in connection with change of control transactions, including mergers and sales of all or substantially all of the assets of the company. This allows a company to undertake a strategic transaction without worry. If an anti-assignment clause doesn’t exclude change of control transactions, a counterparty might materially affect a strategic transaction through delay and/or refusal of consent. Because there are many types of change of control transactions, there is no standard language for these. An example might be:

In the event of the sale or transfer by [Party B] of all or substantially all of its assets related to this Agreement to an Affiliate or to a third party, whether by sale, merger, or change of control, [Party B] would have the right to assign any or all rights and obligations contained herein and the Agreement to such Affiliate or third party without the consent of [Party A] and the Agreement shall be binding upon such acquirer and would remain in full force and effect, at least until the expiration of the then current Term.

Exclusion for Affiliate Transactions

A typical exclusion is one that allows a target company to assign a contract to an affiliate without needing the consent of the contract counterparty. This is much like an exclusion with respect to change of control, since in affiliate transfers or assignments, the ultimate actors and responsible parties under the contract remain essentially the same even though the nominal parties may change. For example:

Either party may assign its rights under this Agreement, including its right to receive payments hereunder, to a subsidiary, affiliate or any financial institution, but in such case the assigning party shall remain liable to the other party for the assigning party’s obligations hereunder. All or any portion of the rights and obligations of [Party A] under this Agreement may be transferred by [Party A] to any of its Affiliates without the consent of [Party B].

Assignment by Operation of Law

Assignments by operation of law typically occur in the context of transfers of rights and obligations in accordance with merger statutes and can be specifically included in or excluded from assignment provisions. An inclusion could be negotiated by the parties to broaden the anti-assignment clause and to ensure that an assignment occurring by operation of law requires counterparty approval:

[Party A] agrees that it will not assign, sublet or otherwise transfer its rights hereunder, either voluntarily or by operations of law, without the prior written consent of [Party B].

while an exclusion could be negotiated by a target company to make it clear that it has the right to assign the contract even though it might otherwise have that right as a matter of law:

This Guaranty shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of [Party A]; provided, that no transfer, assignment or delegation by [Party A], other than a transfer, assignment or delegation by operation of law, without the consent of [Party B], shall release [Party A] from its liabilities hereunder.

This helps settle any ambiguity regarding assignments and their effects under mergers statutes (particularly in forward triangular mergers and forward mergers since the target company ceases to exist upon consummation of the merger).

Direct or Indirect Assignment

More ambiguity can arise regarding which actions or transactions require a counterparty’s consent when assignment clauses prohibit both direct and indirect assignments without the consent of a counterparty. Transaction parties will typically choose to err on the side of over-inclusiveness in determining which contracts will require consent when dealing with material contracts. An example clause prohibiting direct or indirect assignment might be:

Except as provided hereunder or under the Merger Agreement, such Shareholder shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) transfer (which term shall include any sale, assignment, gift, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition), or consent to or permit any such transfer of, any or all of its Subject Shares, or any interest therein.

“Transfer” of Agreement vs. “Assignment” of Agreement

In some instances, assignment provisions prohibit “transfers” of agreements in addition to, or instead of, explicitly prohibiting “assignments”. Often, the word “transfer” is not defined in the agreement, in which case the governing law of the contract will determine the meaning of the term and whether prohibition on transfers are meant to prohibit a broader or narrower range of transactions than prohibitions on assignments. Note that the current jurisprudence on the meaning of an assignment is broader and deeper than it is on the meaning of a transfer. In the rarer case where “transfer” is defined, it might look like this:

As used in this Agreement, the term “transfer” includes the Franchisee’s voluntary, involuntary, direct or indirect assignment, sale, gift or other disposition of any interest in…

The examples listed above are only of five common occurrences in which an assignment provision may provide exclusions or inclusions. As you continue with due diligence review, you may find that assignment provisions offer greater variety beyond the factors discussed in this blog post. However, you now have a basic understand of the possible variations of assignment clauses. For a more in-depth discussion of reviewing change of control and assignment provisions in due diligence, please download our full guide on Reviewing Change of Control and Assignment Provisions in Due Diligence.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more about what we do with these cookies in our privacy policy .

• assignments basic law

Assignments: The Basic Law

The assignment of a right or obligation is a common contractual event under the law and the right to assign (or prohibition against assignments) is found in the majority of agreements, leases and business structural documents created in the United States.

As with many terms commonly used, people are familiar with the term but often are not aware or fully aware of what the terms entail. The concept of assignment of rights and obligations is one of those simple concepts with wide ranging ramifications in the contractual and business context and the law imposes severe restrictions on the validity and effect of assignment in many instances. Clear contractual provisions concerning assignments and rights should be in every document and structure created and this article will outline why such drafting is essential for the creation of appropriate and effective contracts and structures.

The reader should first read the article on Limited Liability Entities in the United States and Contracts since the information in those articles will be assumed in this article.

Basic Definitions and Concepts:

An assignment is the transfer of rights held by one party called the “assignor” to another party called the “assignee.” The legal nature of the assignment and the contractual terms of the agreement between the parties determines some additional rights and liabilities that accompany the assignment. The assignment of rights under a contract usually completely transfers the rights to the assignee to receive the benefits accruing under the contract. Ordinarily, the term assignment is limited to the transfer of rights that are intangible, like contractual rights and rights connected with property. Merchants Service Co. v. Small Claims Court , 35 Cal. 2d 109, 113-114 (Cal. 1950).

An assignment will generally be permitted under the law unless there is an express prohibition against assignment in the underlying contract or lease. Where assignments are permitted, the assignor need not consult the other party to the contract but may merely assign the rights at that time. However, an assignment cannot have any adverse effect on the duties of the other party to the contract, nor can it diminish the chance of the other party receiving complete performance. The assignor normally remains liable unless there is an agreement to the contrary by the other party to the contract.

The effect of a valid assignment is to remove privity between the assignor and the obligor and create privity between the obligor and the assignee. Privity is usually defined as a direct and immediate contractual relationship. See Merchants case above.

Further, for the assignment to be effective in most jurisdictions, it must occur in the present. One does not normally assign a future right; the assignment vests immediate rights and obligations.

No specific language is required to create an assignment so long as the assignor makes clear his/her intent to assign identified contractual rights to the assignee. Since expensive litigation can erupt from ambiguous or vague language, obtaining the correct verbiage is vital. An agreement must manifest the intent to transfer rights and can either be oral or in writing and the rights assigned must be certain.

Note that an assignment of an interest is the transfer of some identifiable property, claim, or right from the assignor to the assignee. The assignment operates to transfer to the assignee all of the rights, title, or interest of the assignor in the thing assigned. A transfer of all rights, title, and interests conveys everything that the assignor owned in the thing assigned and the assignee stands in the shoes of the assignor. Knott v. McDonald’s Corp ., 985 F. Supp. 1222 (N.D. Cal. 1997)

The parties must intend to effectuate an assignment at the time of the transfer, although no particular language or procedure is necessary. As long ago as the case of National Reserve Co. v. Metropolitan Trust Co ., 17 Cal. 2d 827 (Cal. 1941), the court held that in determining what rights or interests pass under an assignment, the intention of the parties as manifested in the instrument is controlling.

The intent of the parties to an assignment is a question of fact to be derived not only from the instrument executed by the parties but also from the surrounding circumstances. When there is no writing to evidence the intention to transfer some identifiable property, claim, or right, it is necessary to scrutinize the surrounding circumstances and parties’ acts to ascertain their intentions. Strosberg v. Brauvin Realty Servs., 295 Ill. App. 3d 17 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 1998)

The general rule applicable to assignments of choses in action is that an assignment, unless there is a contract to the contrary, carries with it all securities held by the assignor as collateral to the claim and all rights incidental thereto and vests in the assignee the equitable title to such collateral securities and incidental rights. An unqualified assignment of a contract or chose in action, however, with no indication of the intent of the parties, vests in the assignee the assigned contract or chose and all rights and remedies incidental thereto.

More examples: In Strosberg v. Brauvin Realty Servs ., 295 Ill. App. 3d 17 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 1998), the court held that the assignee of a party to a subordination agreement is entitled to the benefits and is subject to the burdens of the agreement. In Florida E. C. R. Co. v. Eno , 99 Fla. 887 (Fla. 1930), the court held that the mere assignment of all sums due in and of itself creates no different or other liability of the owner to the assignee than that which existed from the owner to the assignor.

And note that even though an assignment vests in the assignee all rights, remedies, and contingent benefits which are incidental to the thing assigned, those which are personal to the assignor and for his sole benefit are not assigned. Rasp v. Hidden Valley Lake, Inc ., 519 N.E.2d 153, 158 (Ind. Ct. App. 1988). Thus, if the underlying agreement provides that a service can only be provided to X, X cannot assign that right to Y.

Novation Compared to Assignment:

Although the difference between a novation and an assignment may appear narrow, it is an essential one. “Novation is a act whereby one party transfers all its obligations and benefits under a contract to a third party.” In a novation, a third party successfully substitutes the original party as a party to the contract. “When a contract is novated, the other contracting party must be left in the same position he was in prior to the novation being made.”

A sublease is the transfer when a tenant retains some right of reentry onto the leased premises. However, if the tenant transfers the entire leasehold estate, retaining no right of reentry or other reversionary interest, then the transfer is an assignment. The assignor is normally also removed from liability to the landlord only if the landlord consents or allowed that right in the lease. In a sublease, the original tenant is not released from the obligations of the original lease.

Equitable Assignments:

An equitable assignment is one in which one has a future interest and is not valid at law but valid in a court of equity. In National Bank of Republic v. United Sec. Life Ins. & Trust Co. , 17 App. D.C. 112 (D.C. Cir. 1900), the court held that to constitute an equitable assignment of a chose in action, the following has to occur generally: anything said written or done, in pursuance of an agreement and for valuable consideration, or in consideration of an antecedent debt, to place a chose in action or fund out of the control of the owner, and appropriate it to or in favor of another person, amounts to an equitable assignment. Thus, an agreement, between a debtor and a creditor, that the debt shall be paid out of a specific fund going to the debtor may operate as an equitable assignment.

In Egyptian Navigation Co. v. Baker Invs. Corp. , 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30804 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 14, 2008), the court stated that an equitable assignment occurs under English law when an assignor, with an intent to transfer his/her right to a chose in action, informs the assignee about the right so transferred.

An executory agreement or a declaration of trust are also equitable assignments if unenforceable as assignments by a court of law but enforceable by a court of equity exercising sound discretion according to the circumstances of the case. Since California combines courts of equity and courts of law, the same court would hear arguments as to whether an equitable assignment had occurred. Quite often, such relief is granted to avoid fraud or unjust enrichment.

Note that obtaining an assignment through fraudulent means invalidates the assignment. Fraud destroys the validity of everything into which it enters. It vitiates the most solemn contracts, documents, and even judgments. Walker v. Rich , 79 Cal. App. 139 (Cal. App. 1926). If an assignment is made with the fraudulent intent to delay, hinder, and defraud creditors, then it is void as fraudulent in fact. See our article on Transfers to Defraud Creditors .

But note that the motives that prompted an assignor to make the transfer will be considered as immaterial and will constitute no defense to an action by the assignee, if an assignment is considered as valid in all other respects.

Enforceability of Assignments:

Whether a right under a contract is capable of being transferred is determined by the law of the place where the contract was entered into. The validity and effect of an assignment is determined by the law of the place of assignment. The validity of an assignment of a contractual right is governed by the law of the state with the most significant relationship to the assignment and the parties.

In some jurisdictions, the traditional conflict of laws rules governing assignments has been rejected and the law of the place having the most significant contacts with the assignment applies. In Downs v. American Mut. Liability Ins. Co ., 14 N.Y.2d 266 (N.Y. 1964), a wife and her husband separated and the wife obtained a judgment of separation from the husband in New York. The judgment required the husband to pay a certain yearly sum to the wife. The husband assigned 50 percent of his future salary, wages, and earnings to the wife. The agreement authorized the employer to make such payments to the wife.

After the husband moved from New York, the wife learned that he was employed by an employer in Massachusetts. She sent the proper notice and demanded payment under the agreement. The employer refused and the wife brought an action for enforcement. The court observed that Massachusetts did not prohibit assignment of the husband’s wages. Moreover, Massachusetts law was not controlling because New York had the most significant relationship with the assignment. Therefore, the court ruled in favor of the wife.

Therefore, the validity of an assignment is determined by looking to the law of the forum with the most significant relationship to the assignment itself. To determine the applicable law of assignments, the court must look to the law of the state which is most significantly related to the principal issue before it.

Assignment of Contractual Rights:

Generally, the law allows the assignment of a contractual right unless the substitution of rights would materially change the duty of the obligor, materially increase the burden or risk imposed on the obligor by the contract, materially impair the chance of obtaining return performance, or materially reduce the value of the performance to the obligor. Restat 2d of Contracts, § 317(2)(a). This presumes that the underlying agreement is silent on the right to assign.

If the contract specifically precludes assignment, the contractual right is not assignable. Whether a contract is assignable is a matter of contractual intent and one must look to the language used by the parties to discern that intent.

In the absence of an express provision to the contrary, the rights and duties under a bilateral executory contract that does not involve personal skill, trust, or confidence may be assigned without the consent of the other party. But note that an assignment is invalid if it would materially alter the other party’s duties and responsibilities. Once an assignment is effective, the assignee stands in the shoes of the assignor and assumes all of assignor’s rights. Hence, after a valid assignment, the assignor’s right to performance is extinguished, transferred to assignee, and the assignee possesses the same rights, benefits, and remedies assignor once possessed. Robert Lamb Hart Planners & Architects v. Evergreen, Ltd. , 787 F. Supp. 753 (S.D. Ohio 1992).

On the other hand, an assignee’s right against the obligor is subject to “all of the limitations of the assignor’s right, all defenses thereto, and all set-offs and counterclaims which would have been available against the assignor had there been no assignment, provided that these defenses and set-offs are based on facts existing at the time of the assignment.” See Robert Lamb , case, above.

The power of the contract to restrict assignment is broad. Usually, contractual provisions that restrict assignment of the contract without the consent of the obligor are valid and enforceable, even when there is statutory authorization for the assignment. The restriction of the power to assign is often ineffective unless the restriction is expressly and precisely stated. Anti-assignment clauses are effective only if they contain clear, unambiguous language of prohibition. Anti-assignment clauses protect only the obligor and do not affect the transaction between the assignee and assignor.

Usually, a prohibition against the assignment of a contract does not prevent an assignment of the right to receive payments due, unless circumstances indicate the contrary. Moreover, the contracting parties cannot, by a mere non-assignment provision, prevent the effectual alienation of the right to money which becomes due under the contract.

A contract provision prohibiting or restricting an assignment may be waived, or a party may so act as to be estopped from objecting to the assignment, such as by effectively ratifying the assignment. The power to void an assignment made in violation of an anti-assignment clause may be waived either before or after the assignment. See our article on Contracts.

Noncompete Clauses and Assignments:

Of critical import to most buyers of businesses is the ability to ensure that key employees of the business being purchased cannot start a competing company. Some states strictly limit such clauses, some do allow them. California does restrict noncompete clauses, only allowing them under certain circumstances. A common question in those states that do allow them is whether such rights can be assigned to a new party, such as the buyer of the buyer.

A covenant not to compete, also called a non-competitive clause, is a formal agreement prohibiting one party from performing similar work or business within a designated area for a specified amount of time. This type of clause is generally included in contracts between employer and employee and contracts between buyer and seller of a business.

Many workers sign a covenant not to compete as part of the paperwork required for employment. It may be a separate document similar to a non-disclosure agreement, or buried within a number of other clauses in a contract. A covenant not to compete is generally legal and enforceable, although there are some exceptions and restrictions.

Whenever a company recruits skilled employees, it invests a significant amount of time and training. For example, it often takes years before a research chemist or a design engineer develops a workable knowledge of a company’s product line, including trade secrets and highly sensitive information. Once an employee gains this knowledge and experience, however, all sorts of things can happen. The employee could work for the company until retirement, accept a better offer from a competing company or start up his or her own business.

A covenant not to compete may cover a number of potential issues between employers and former employees. Many companies spend years developing a local base of customers or clients. It is important that this customer base not fall into the hands of local competitors. When an employee signs a covenant not to compete, he or she usually agrees not to use insider knowledge of the company’s customer base to disadvantage the company. The covenant not to compete often defines a broad geographical area considered off-limits to former employees, possibly tens or hundreds of miles.

Another area of concern covered by a covenant not to compete is a potential ‘brain drain’. Some high-level former employees may seek to recruit others from the same company to create new competition. Retention of employees, especially those with unique skills or proprietary knowledge, is vital for most companies, so a covenant not to compete may spell out definite restrictions on the hiring or recruiting of employees.

A covenant not to compete may also define a specific amount of time before a former employee can seek employment in a similar field. Many companies offer a substantial severance package to make sure former employees are financially solvent until the terms of the covenant not to compete have been met.

Because the use of a covenant not to compete can be controversial, a handful of states, including California, have largely banned this type of contractual language. The legal enforcement of these agreements falls on individual states, and many have sided with the employee during arbitration or litigation. A covenant not to compete must be reasonable and specific, with defined time periods and coverage areas. If the agreement gives the company too much power over former employees or is ambiguous, state courts may declare it to be overbroad and therefore unenforceable. In such case, the employee would be free to pursue any employment opportunity, including working for a direct competitor or starting up a new company of his or her own.

It has been held that an employee’s covenant not to compete is assignable where one business is transferred to another, that a merger does not constitute an assignment of a covenant not to compete, and that a covenant not to compete is enforceable by a successor to the employer where the assignment does not create an added burden of employment or other disadvantage to the employee. However, in some states such as Hawaii, it has also been held that a covenant not to compete is not assignable and under various statutes for various reasons that such covenants are not enforceable against an employee by a successor to the employer. Hawaii v. Gannett Pac. Corp. , 99 F. Supp. 2d 1241 (D. Haw. 1999)

It is vital to obtain the relevant law of the applicable state before drafting or attempting to enforce assignment rights in this particular area.

Conclusion:

In the current business world of fast changing structures, agreements, employees and projects, the ability to assign rights and obligations is essential to allow flexibility and adjustment to new situations. Conversely, the ability to hold a contracting party into the deal may be essential for the future of a party. Thus, the law of assignments and the restriction on same is a critical aspect of every agreement and every structure. This basic provision is often glanced at by the contracting parties, or scribbled into the deal at the last minute but can easily become the most vital part of the transaction.

As an example, one client of ours came into the office outraged that his co venturer on a sizable exporting agreement, who had excellent connections in Brazil, had elected to pursue another venture instead and assigned the agreement to a party unknown to our client and without the business contacts our client considered vital. When we examined the handwritten agreement our client had drafted in a restaurant in Sao Paolo, we discovered there was no restriction on assignment whatsoever…our client had not even considered that right when drafting the agreement after a full day of work.

One choses who one does business with carefully…to ensure that one’s choice remains the party on the other side of the contract, one must master the ability to negotiate proper assignment provisions.

Founded in 1939, our law firm combines the ability to represent clients in domestic or international matters with the personal interaction with clients that is traditional to a long established law firm.

Read more about our firm

© 2024, Stimmel, Stimmel & Roeser, All rights reserved  | Terms of Use | Site by Bay Design

What is an Anti-Assignment Clause?

When business owners are negotiating contracts to gear up for the sale of their business, they are rightly concerned with key questions such as the sale price for the business including assets such as how much the sale will cost them and what happens if something goes wrong.  At the end of the contracts, there are usually several pages of type that usually look like boilerplate. Inside those clauses is usually something called an assignment clause, or more accurately, an anti-assignment clause.

It’s one of those clauses that everyone glosses over – after all, it’s just standard legal text, right?

For a business owner hoping to sell their business, an anti-assignment clause can dissuade potential buyers and play a crucial role in the selling price of a business.  If this sounds familiar and you’re in the process of negotiating the merger or acquisition of your business, read on – we’ve put together a practical guide to anti-assignment clauses and what to look out for.

Looking for legal help? feel free to get in touch with our  commercial lawyers  for matters related to contracts.

What is an assignment clause?

The anti-assignment clause states that neither party can transfer or assign the agreement without the consent of the other party. On a basic level, that makes sense – after all, if you sign a contract with a specific party, you don’t expect to be entering into an agreement with a third party you didn’t intend to be.

However, when you sell your business, you will want to transfer ownership of those contracts to the buyer. If your contracts all contain an anti-assignment clause, they effectively restrict you from transferring ownership to the interested party. Now, you’re presented with a new challenge altogether – before you can focus on the sale of your business, you must first renegotiate the terms of your contracts with each party.

Language to look out for in anti-assignment clauses

If you’re thinking about selling your business or even have potential buyers interested, it’s better to know in advance if you’ve got anti-assignment clauses in your contracts. There are generally two types of anti-assignment clause to look out for. The first relates to the complete bar on assignment of rights and responsibilities and is typically worded in this way, or similar:

“Neither Party may assign, delegate, or transfer this agreement or any of its rights or obligations under this agreement.”

The second type prevents the transfer of rights or duties without prior written consent of the other party. This will read along the lines of:

 “Neither this agreement nor any right, interest, or obligation herein may be assigned, transferred, or delegated to a third party without the prior written consent of the other party, and whose consent may be withheld for any reason.”

So, where the first prohibits assignment altogether, the second prohibits assignment unless permission is sought in advance. Some clauses may even explicitly state that a change of control such as a merger or acquisition is an assignment. The last thing you want is to cause a dispute by breaching the contract, but if you’ve already agreed to these terms, you’ll have to open a fresh set of negotiations with the contracting party before you sell the company.

Assignment clauses in M&A: what’s the problem?

Due diligence is the bread and butter of any merger or acquisition. Rather than a leap of faith, due diligence ensures the purchase of a business is a calculated decision with minimal risk to the buyer. Typically carried out by specialist lawyers, the process is designed to lift the hood on the target business to determine the valuation of assets and liabilities and identify any glaring issues that could leave the buyer open to risk.

During the due diligence process, the buyer will look through all of the major contracts the business has open, and specifically keep a close eye out for assignment clauses.

Despite the virtual environment that many businesses have been forced to operate in in 2020, most companies will have commercial leases for the premises from which they typically work. Almost all leases have an anti-assignment clause, and this is a perfect example of an instance that is often overlooked by commercial tenants when selling a business which includes a leasehold property.  This transfer of ownership may well be prohibited under an anti-assignment clause so that prior to the sale of the business, you would be required to ask permission from your landlord. The issue here is that the landlord may well see this as the perfect opportunity to renegotiate and secure a better deal for themselves. What’s worse, if they don’t sign off on the transfer, you’ll have an obstruction on your hands that will stand in the way of the sale.

In any case, an unexpected anti-assignment clause usually winds up being a last-minute hitch in the sale, and it never comes at a good time. Whether it delays the sale or obstructs it altogether, overlooking an anti-assignment clause can cost you considerably in an M&A transaction.

What makes anti-assignment clauses enforceable?

Generally speaking, an anti-assignment clause will be enforced by the courts if it was agreed upon by both parties to the contract. Many contracts exclude or qualify the right to assignment – according to the courts, a clause that states that a party to a contract may not assign the benefit of that contract without the consent of the other party is legally effective and will extend to all rights and benefits arising under the contract.

Courts won’t always enforce assignments to which the counterparty did not give permission, even where there is no anti-assignment clause that specifies this provision.

How to negotiate anti-assignment clauses

The best practice for business owners is to be vigilant when negotiating new contracts and ensure that any anti-assignment clauses still allow for the transfer of ownership when they decide to sell the business.

Remember, even though the buyer is purchasing the assets of the business, this usually means that all of the contracts of the business go with it because the business remains intact. Therefore, the best way forward is to negotiate these clauses upfront from the outset of the relationship, so that when you do decide to sell your business, you automatically have permission to transfer the ownership without having to delay the sale by entering into fresh negotiations.

If your agreement does not permit assignments, it’s worth seeking the advice and support of a specialist lawyer who can help protect your interests through negotiation with your counterparty on this point. You may be able to include a provision that allows for assignment of your rights and obligations upon the prior written consent of the other party. Your lawyer will likely advise you to carve out a specific provision to prohibit the counterparty from unreasonably withholding or delaying consent or making it subject to unreasonable conditions – an issue which, if not provided for within the contract, can cause serious delay and disruption to the sale of your business. Further, it may be beneficial to add an extra element to the contract that makes exceptions to the clause for assignments between affiliates.  If you’re planning to sell your business, this would be the right place to carve out an exception within the clause to the change of control via a merger or acquisition.

It’s important to bear in mind that anti-assignment clauses tend to be viewed narrowly by courts, and that there have been several instances whereby anti-assignment clauses have not been enforced since the clause itself did not explicitly state that the assignment of rights, duties or payment would render the contract void or invalid. So, if you’re in the process of negotiating an agreement and wish to protect your interests through the addition of an anti-assignment clause, it’s critical that you include the consequences of assignment within the clause itself and state that assignments would invalidate or be in breach of the contract.

If you do not wish for the counterparty to be able to transfer the legal obligation to perform their duties as stated in the contract to a third party, this must be explicitly stated in one of three ways:

• Specify the need for consent

There’s no need to be unreasonable – you can protect your interests while still giving the counterparty the space to re-negotiate should they wish to assign rights by including a clause that asks for consent.

• Provide an exemption to consent for affiliates, successors or new owners

Ask your lawyer to draft an exception into the clause that permits assignment to affiliates or successors to the counterparty, such as:

“Neither party may assign or delegate this agreement or its rights or obligations under this agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that no consent is required (a) for assignment to an entity in which the transferring party will own greater than 50 per cent of the shares or other interests; or (b) in connection with any sale, transfer, or disposition of all or substantially all of its business or assets; provided that no such assignment will relieve an assigning party of its obligations under this agreement. Any assignment or delegation that violates this provision shall be void.”

• Require reasonable consent

Just as you would not wish for consent to be held back from you unreasonably in the renegotiation of contract terms prior to a sale, your assignment clause should make clear that you will not unreasonably withhold or delay consent should the third party request permission to assign their legal obligations. This may read something like this:

 “Neither party may assign or delegate this agreement or its rights or obligations under this agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Any assignment or delegation that violates this provision shall be void.”

Whatever the circumstances, we strongly recommend calling upon a contract law specialist, whether you’re undergoing due diligence in the run up to an M&A transaction, are considering selling your business or are negotiating new contracts with customers and suppliers. Our lawyers bring in-depth expertise in the area of anti-assignment clauses and will work closely with you to protect your interests and ensure no clauses in your contracts negatively impact the sale of your company.

For a free consultation, get in touch with our team through the contact form below or using our online chat service.

Join our Newsletter

• Book Consultation

Newsletter Sign-Up

Please enter your name and email to receive our latest newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter Sign up to our legal update service

Please fill in the fields below to receive your free download.

English (UK) Portuguese (Brazil) Spanish (Spain) French (France) German Italian Polish Dutch Chinese (China)

Connect with us on LinkedIn

Global LinkedIn Page

Error: Contact form not found.

Arrange a Meeting

Schedule a 30 minute introductory consultation to discuss your legal requirements:

Select your Location    Australia    China    Hong Kong    India    Indonesia    Japan    Malaysia    New Zealand    Pakistan    Philippines    Singapore    South Korea    Thailand    Vietnam    Austria    Bahrain    Belgium    Bulgaria    Cameroon    Croatia    Cyprus    Czech Republic    Denmark    Egypt    Finland    France    Germany    Greece    Hungary    Iceland    Iran    Iraq    Ireland    Israel    Italy    Jersey    Jordan    Kenya    Latvia    Lebanon    Lithuania    Luxembourg    Mozambique    Netherlands    Nigeria    North Macedonia    Norway    Oman    Poland    Portugal    Romania    Saudi Arabia    Serbia    Slovakia    Slovenia    South Africa    Spain    Sweden    Switzerland    Tunisia    Turkiye    UAE    Uganda    United Kingdom    Argentina    Brazil    Chile    Colombia    Costa Rica    Mexico    Peru    Canada    USA

Sign up to our newsletter

Assignability Of Contracts: Everything You Need to Know

The assignability of contracts is when one side of a contract agreement transfers the contract to another entity, so that the new entity fulfills the terms of the contract. 3 min read updated on September 19, 2022

The assignability of contracts is when one side of a contract agreement transfers the contract to another entity, so that the new entity fulfills the terms of the contract. Being able to assign contracts depends on a variety of factors, mainly the language contained in the contract. 

How Contract Assignments Work

Some contracts prohibit assignment altogether, while others may allow it with the other party's consent. An example of a basic contract assignment may look like this: 

• Bob contracts with a dairy to deliver a gallon of cream to his house every day. 
• The dairy assigns Bob's contract to another dairy. 
• As long as Bob is notified of the change in provider and gets his gallon of cream every day, his contract is with the new dairy.

Because the law has a preference for the free alienation of property, parties are free to assign contract rights and delegate contractual obligations. 

Assigning a contract to another doesn't always take away the assigning party's liability. Some contracts include a clause that at least one of the original parties guarantees performance — or fulfills the contract terms — no matter what the assignment.

The performance, however, can't be changed in contract assignment. There's a limit to substitution, so the new party has no power to change the performance per the rights stated in the contract. For example, if the obliging party has pledged to perform only if some event happens (with no certainty that it will happen), no assignment should increase the risk to the obliging party if the event doesn't happen through no fault of the obligor.

The nature of a contract's obligations determines its assignability.

When Assignments Won't Be Enforced

In certain cases, contracts can't be assigned.

• A clause in the contract prohibits assignment. This is usually called an anti-assignment clause.
• Assignments can't take place if they materially alter what's expected under the contract. If the assignment affects the expected performance as outlined in the contract, lowers the value of returns (including anticipated returns), or increases risks for the other contract party (the one who's not assigning contractual rights), it's unlikely that any court will enforce the arrangement.
• If an assignment violates public policy or the law, it won't be enforced. For instance, the federal government prohibits certain claim assignments against the government, and many states prohibit an employee from assigning future wages.

Other assignments may not be illegal, but they could still violate public policy. As an example, personal injury claims can't be assigned because doing so might encourage litigation.

When looking into whether one party can transfer a contract or some rights and obligations in the contract, the transferring party has to check into applicable laws and statutes. That party must also check the contract's express language to determine whether or not it can transfer the assignment without obtaining consent from the non-transferring party.

If the contract requires that consent is given and the transferring party doesn't get that consent, it risks a contract breach as well as an invalid, ineffective transfer.

How to Assign a Contract

Follow these steps to assign contracts, when it's allowed for you to do so.

• Carefully study the contract for prohibitions or limitations, such as anti-assignment clauses. In some cases, there isn't a separate anti-assignment clause, but it may be stated in another way, such as language that says, "This contract may not be assigned."
• Execute the assignment. As long as you're free to assign the contract, prepare and enter into the assignment, which is basically an agreement transferring your rights and obligations.
• Notify the obligor, or the non-transferring party. After you assign contract rights to the assignee, notify the other party that was the original contractor, also known as the obligor. This notice relieves you of any liability as stated in the contract, as long as the contract doesn't say differently — for instance, the contract states that you, as the assignor, guarantee performance under the contract. 

Before trying to assign a contract to a third party, it's very important to understand if you're allowed to do so. You'll have to research legal statutes as well as the language in the contract to ensure you follow rules and regulations. Otherwise, you risk a breach of contract .

If you need help with contract assignments, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

Hire the top business lawyers and save up to 60% on legal fees

Content Approved by UpCounsel

• Consent to Assignment
• Assignment Contract Law
• Assignment of Contract Rights
• Assignment of Rights and Obligations Under a Contract
• Assignment Of Contracts
• Legal Assignment
• Assignment Law
• Assignment of Rights Example
• Third Party Contracts
• What Is the Definition of Assigns

What is an Assignment Clause?

Jennifer Tsai • January 12, 2023 • 5 minute read

Anti-assignment clauses are common because without them, generally, contracts are freely assignable. (The exceptions are (i) contracts that are subject to statutes or public policies prohibiting their assignment, such as intellectual property contracts, or (ii) contracts where an assignment without consent would cause material and adverse consequences to non-assigning counterparties, such as employment agreements and consulting agreements.) For all other contracts, parties may want an anti-assignment clause that allows them the opportunity to review and understand the impact of an assignment (or change of control) before deciding whether to continue or terminate the relationship.

In the mergers and acquisitions context, an assignment of a contract from a target company entity to the relevant acquirer entity is needed whenever a contract has to be placed in the name of an entity other than the existing target company entity after consummation of a transaction. This is why reviewing contracts for assignment clauses is so critical.

Why Do Assignment Clauses Matter?

How do you review assignment clauses in contracts.

After locating all the assignment language in each agreement, the following variables should be noted as part of the review: (1) Scope of assignment provision, (2) Consequences of failure to obtain consent, (3) Standard for refusing consent, and (4) Differences among counterparties in rights to assign.

1. Scope. Assignment provisions may provide exclusions or inclusions to a counterparty’s right to approve an assignment of a contract. See the examples in the following section below.

2. Consequences of Failure to Obtain Consent. Assignment provisions may specify that, if one party attempts to assign the agreement without the required consent of the counterparty:

• The purported assignment is null and void; and/or\
• The applicable contract is void and terminated.

Contracts should be carefully reviewed to determine which of the foregoing scenarios may apply.

3. Standard for Refusing Consent. Assignment provisions frequently include limitations stating that any counterparty’s consent that is required shall not be “unreasonably withheld,” although the reasonableness standard is rarely defined more specifically in the contract.

In an M&A context, the effect of this language is that it provides a target company with some opportunity to challenge a counterparty that withholds its consent to an assignment. Winning this challenge is far from guaranteed, and this opportunity generally comes at a cost of time and expense since it usually involves a legal challenge to the counterparty’s refusal to grant a consent. Consequently, a target company is incentivized to undertake this challenge only when the applicable contract is material to its post-acquisition business or to the consummation of its proposed transaction. Still, undertaking such a challenge may buy the target company time and provide it with some negotiating leverage in seeking a reversal of a counterparty’s refusal to consent to an assignment.

Determining whether consent has been unreasonably withheld is specific to the facts and circumstances underlying each request for consent. For example, in Athar v. Hudson Serv. Mgmt., Inc., 853 N.Y.S.2d 170 (N.Y. App. Div. 2008), a New York appellate court held that this standard requires the non-consenting party to show some reasonable and objective basis for withholding consent. The withholding of consent cannot be arbitrary or based on unique and personal preferences of the non-consenting party. Generally, the burden of proof to show an unreasonable withholding of consent is on the party requesting consent. Also, the party requesting consent is responsible for providing all information required or necessary to determine whether consent should be granted.

4. Differences Among Counterparties in Rights to Assign. It is important to note any differences in assignment rights between and among contracting parties and the consequences of those differences, as parties with greater negotiating power often have broader assignment rights. These differences can become important if there is a lag of time between signing and closing an M&A transaction. If a target company is required to obtain consent in order to assign an agreement, but the counterparty has rights to freely assign, care should be taken to ensure that any consent granted to a target company to assign a contract does not become subject to review or alteration by any parties to whom the counterparty may freely assign its rights after it has granted its consent to assignment. This is particularly relevant to consents that may lapse or lose their effectiveness if transactions do not close within a certain period of time. For example, if (i) a landlord or licensor subsequently transfers the contract after granting its initial consent, and (ii) such consent lapses pursuant to its terms, the target company might have to re-submit consent requests to completely different parties.

Software that uses AI to identify and extract Assignment clauses can accelerate the work of finding these clauses, and enables a more comprehensive review than can otherwise be done manually.

Find assignment clauses in your contracts

Identify and extract assignment clauses in your contracts using AI, then export your results to your preferred format.

Examples of Common Exclusions and Inclusions in Assignment Clauses

A simple anti-assignment provision provides that a party may not assign the agreement without the consent of the other party. Assignment provisions may also provide specific exclusions or inclusions to a counterparty’s right to consent to the assignment of a contract. Below are five common occurrences in which assignment provisions may provide exclusions or inclusions.

Exclusion for Change of Control Transactions

In negotiating an anti-assignment clause, a company would typically seek the exclusion of assignments undertaken in connection with change of control transactions, including mergers and sales of all or substantially all of the assets of the company. This allows a company to undertake a strategic transaction without worry. If an anti-assignment clause doesn’t exclude change of control transactions, a counterparty might materially affect a strategic transaction through delay and/or refusal of consent. Because there are many types of change of control transactions, there is no standard language for these. An example might be:

In the event of the sale or transfer by [Party B] of all or substantially all of its assets related to this Agreement to an Affiliate or to a third party, whether by sale, merger, or change of control, [Party B] would have the right to assign any or all rights and obligations contained herein and the Agreement to such Affiliate or third party without the consent of [Party A] and the Agreement shall be binding upon such acquirer and would remain in full force and effect, at least until the expiration of the then current Term.

Exclusion for Affiliate Transactions

A typical exclusion is one that allows a target company to assign a contract to an affiliate without needing the consent of the contract counterparty. This is much like an exclusion with respect to change of control, since in affiliate transfers or assignments, the ultimate actors and responsible parties under the contract remain essentially the same even though the nominal parties may change. For example:

Either party may assign its rights under this Agreement, including its right to receive payments hereunder, to a subsidiary, affiliate or any financial institution, but in such case the assigning party shall remain liable to the other party for the assigning party’s obligations hereunder. All or any portion of the rights and obligations of [Party A] under this Agreement may be transferred by [Party A] to any of its Affiliates without the consent of [Party B].

Assignment by Operation of Law

Assignments by operation of law typically occur in the context of transfers of rights and obligations in accordance with merger statutes and can be specifically included in or excluded from assignment provisions. An inclusion could be negotiated by the parties to broaden the anti-assignment clause and to ensure that an assignment occurring by operation of law requires counterparty approval:

[Party A] agrees that it will not assign, sublet or otherwise transfer its rights hereunder, either voluntarily or by operations of law, without the prior written consent of [Party B].

While an exclusion could be negotiated by a target company to make it clear that it has the right to assign the contract even though it might otherwise have that right as a matter of law:

This Guaranty shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of [Party A]; provided, that no transfer, assignment or delegation by [Party A], other than a transfer, assignment or delegation by operation of law, without the consent of [Party B], shall release [Party A] from its liabilities hereunder.

This helps settle any ambiguity regarding assignments and their effects under mergers statutes (particularly in forward triangular mergers and forward mergers since the target company ceases to exist upon consummation of the merger).

Direct or Indirect Assignment

More ambiguity can arise regarding which actions or transactions require a counterparty’s consent when assignment clauses prohibit both direct and indirect assignments without the consent of a counterparty. Transaction parties will typically choose to err on the side of over-inclusiveness in determining which contracts will require consent when dealing with material contracts. An example clause prohibiting direct or indirect assignment might be:

Except as provided hereunder or under the Merger Agreement, such Shareholder shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) transfer (which term shall include any sale, assignment, gift, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition), or consent to or permit any such transfer of, any or all of its Subject Shares, or any interest therein.

“Transfer” of Agreement vs. “Assignment” of Agreement

In some instances, assignment provisions prohibit “transfers” of agreements in addition to, or instead of, explicitly prohibiting “assignments”. Often, the word “transfer” is not defined in the agreement, in which case the governing law of the contract will determine the meaning of the term and whether prohibition on transfers are meant to prohibit a broader or narrower range of transactions than prohibitions on assignments. Note that the current jurisprudence on the meaning of an assignment is broader and deeper than it is on the meaning of a transfer. In the rarer case where “transfer” is defined, it might look like this:

As used in this Agreement, the term “transfer” includes the Franchisee’s voluntary, involuntary, direct or indirect assignment, sale, gift or other disposition of any interest in …

Share this article:

Learn about more clauses

Contract Central

What is an Automatic Renewal Clause?

An automatic renewal clause is a contractual provision that automatically extends the term for a specified period of time.

What is an Amendment Clause?

An amendment clause is a contractual provision that establishes rules for changing an agreement’s terms.

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.

Cut contract prep time in half for free

Build document automations that allow you, your staff, and your clients to auto-populate contract templates.

“ I've found it very easy to use. It allows me to work quickly, get something straight from my head and out into the public.”

Partner, Siskind Susser PC

2500 Executive Parkway Suite 300 Lehi, Utah 84043 (866) 638-3627

Level 11, 1 Margaret Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia +61 2 8310 4319

8th Floor South Reading Bridge House George Street Reading RG1 8LS +44 20 3129 9324

Latin America

Mexico +52 55 5985 3005

Brazil +55 21 4040 4623

• How to Successfully Switch Your DMS
• DocuSign + NetDocuments
• How Ice Miller Adopted the Cloud Completely Remote
• Case Studies
• Resource Library
• Partner Integrations
• App Directory
• Locate a Partner
• Partner Portal
• Become a Partner

© NetDocuments Software, Inc.

• Terms of Use
• Privacy policy
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy for california residents

Rethinking the “No Assignment” Provision

27 November 2023 20 November 2012 | Ken Adams

In this post , Brian Rogers explains how, as an experiment in crowdsourcing contract language, he has posted on Quora ( here ) his candidate for “the best anti-assignment provision in a contract ever.” He says that it’s “probably lifted” from Negotiating and Drafting Contract Boilerplate (Tina Stark ed. 2003) ( NDCB ). Here’s Brian’s provision:

Neither party may assign any of its rights under this agreement, either voluntarily or involuntarily, whether by merger, consolidation, dissolution, operation of law, or any other manner, except with the prior written consent of the other party. Neither party may delegate any performance under this agreement, except with the prior written consent of the other party. Any purported assignment of rights or delegation of performance in violation of this section is void.

It so happens that I’ve been idly contemplating shortcomings in standard no-assignment language. That’s something that I’ve tackled previously ( here ), and Brian’s post prodded me to revisit the topic.

I’ll start by offering the following comments on Brian’s provision:

• In the interest of consistency I prefer using “shall not” for language of prohibition, but that’s something I’m still exploring. Using “neither party may” works too.
• If you provide for the possibility of consent, it would be safest to assume that consent can’t be unreasonably withheld. If you have a problem with that, omit any mention of consent.
• Isn’t “voluntarily or involuntarily” needless elaboration, analogous to saying “I don’t eat fish, whether fresh-water or salt-water”?
• To avoid having to be all encompassing (“or in any other manner”), I’d use “including”.
• You might want to make it clear whether the prohibition applies to mergers regardless of whether the party is the surviving or disappearing entity (see this post ).
• The distinction between assigning rights and delegating obligations is pointless; in this context, “assign” and “delegate” constitute what I call “misapplied terms of art” (see this post ). Because the provision refers to what is being assigned and delegated, a generic alternative to both words would work just as well, and I opt for “transfer”. Regarding that choice, NDCB , at 56, says, “The problem, however, is that there are reams of cases that analyze ‘assign,’ but not ‘transfer.’ If ‘transfer’ were used alone, the precedential value of the existing cases might be compromised. Moreover, the cases already question the meaning of ‘transfer.'” This doesn’t worry me, as the context makes it clear what’s going on.
• It’s unclear what “rights” refers to. (I don’t use the word “rights” anywhere in MSCD .) I think it refers to discretion granted to a party under an agreement and any remedy that a party has under an agreement, and I’d rather make that explicit.
• By referring to delegation of performance rather than delegation of obligations, Brian’s provision seeks to reflect that a party might delegate not only a duty but also a condition. See NDCB at 26, 74. But I think it’s unrealistic to expect readers to deduce that nuance from a reference to delegation of performance; it would be better to make it explicit.
• The last sentence is language of policy. I suggest that because it relates to a contingent future event, most native English speakers would say “will be void” rather than “is void”.

So here’s my initial version (it’s certain to change) [ Updated 9 August 2016: Language tidied up]:

Except with the prior written consent of the other party, each party shall not transfer, including by merger (whether that party is the surviving or disappearing entity), consolidation, dissolution, or operation of law, (1) any discretion granted under this agreement, (2) any right to satisfy a condition under this agreement, (3) any remedy under this agreement, or (4) any obligation imposed under this agreement. Any purported transfer in violation of this section X will be void.

Because my version makes explicit what Brian’s version only alludes to, it’s longer, but not by much (85 words versus 72 words).

I’ve posted my version on Quora, under Brian’s. (Hey, Brian! In. Yo. Face!) But crowdsourcing is still no way to identify optimal contract language. In particular, I wouldn’t rely on contract language select by haphazard vote. Instead, what you have here is the usual process of Brian, me, and others hashing stuff out. I look forward to having readers point out the weaknesses in my version.

[ Updated 27 November 2023: Bear in mind that in some contexts—notably bankruptcy—no-transfer provisions are unenforceable by law. See my 2014 article on termination-on-bankruptcy provisions, here .]

About the author

Ken Adams is the leading authority on how to say clearly whatever you want to say in a contract. He’s author of  A Manual of Style for Contract Drafting , and he offers online and in-person training around the world. He’s also chief content officer of LegalSifter, Inc., a company that combines artificial intelligence and expertise to assist with review of contracts.

17 thoughts on “Rethinking the “No Assignment” Provision”

I have several concerns here. First, I have never been happy with the “each party shall not” formulation. I don’t mind “may not,” or better yet, “no party may,” but if you really want to use “shall not,” then I recommend “a party shall not” as being less awkward and contrary to normal usage.

Second, I’m surprised that you would allow “by operation of law” to survive here. For the most part, this phrase is used to refer to the “automagic” continuation of the disappearing company’s contracts under the aegis of the surviving company in a merger, in which case the language is redundant when you’ve already discussed mergers. Moreover, if this language relates to some other operations of law, for example an order of a bankruptcy court, it’s rather hubristic to think a contract can trump the ruling authority. Better, if it’s such a big deal, to handle the consequences of such a mandated transfer by giving the affected party an explicit termination right (without the nasty consequences of breach).

Third, in my experience the issues surrounding “delegation” are not only that it’s a misapplied term of art, but that it mistakes the transfer of a contractual obligation for a subcontracting of its performance. In fact, reliance on delegation or transfer is misplaced if one is concerned about subcontracting (since it doesn’t really amount to a transfer of any contractual obligation, only having that obligation physically performed by someone else). A drafter should inquire carefully what the client is really concerned about here, and if it’s subcontracting, that should be explicitly mentioned.

Ah, thank you Vance. I thought My discomfort with ‘delegate’ was a translation issue from US to UK English. I,too, Think that is the wrong word to use.

“No purported transfer of one or more of the following arising from this agreement will be valid without prior written consent of the other party: (1) discretion, (2) right to satisfy a condition, (3) remedy under this agreement, and (4) obligation.”

Other than light trimming, the principal thing this version does is dump the duty not to transfer and go solely with the avoidance of purported transfers. Why prohibit killing the dead?

Because failure to comply with a prohibition gives rise to a remedy; voiding purported transfers doesn’t. I can imagine situations where that might be significant.

No one can fail to comply with a prohibition against transfer when purported transfers are void. Void transfers are non-transfers. Killing the dead isn’t wicked, it’s just impossible.

It’s wicked and depraved! Actually, what happens if Acme makes a purported assignment that results in costly and protracted litigation? Widgetco would like to be able to go after Acme. Wouldn’t that be easier if Widgetco could point to breach? Should the obligation refer to not attempting to transfer?

“Any purported transfer by Acme, without Widgetco’s advance written consent, of one or more of Acme’s rights or obligations under this agreement will be void and will constitute a breach of this agreement.”

This game is based so much on underlying US laws on the meaning of assignment, merger, etc, that it is impossible for a non-US lawyer to participate. We don’t generally have mergers where a party disappears into a puff of smoke. A sale of a business [nearly] always happens by a sale of shares or a sale of assets.

I think the concept of assigning rights under a contract is well established in case law and using different terminology is reinventing the wheel.

I think the “if you do it despite the prohibition, it will be void” concept is strange, but one that I have seen before in US contracts. I don’t think it works, under English law, in respect of prohibitions on assignments of IP. I am doubtful whether it works for assignments of rights under contracts.

For what it is worth, my English law version would be very different and would simply say:

Neither party may assign any rights, or transfer any obligations, under this agreement, without the prior written agreement of the parties.

I have used the word “agreement” rather than “consent” to try to avoid case law on whether a term should be implied that consent should not be unreasonably withheld. The terminology of assignment and transfer is based on a House of Lords case, Linden Gardens v Lenesta Sludge – see http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1993/4.html

As usual, caselaw is of less interest to me than the scope for confusion. I suspect that if you ask many lawyers what is meant by assignment of rights under a contract, you’d get quite a variety of answers.

Okay, Ken I’ll take your word for it. English lawyers who keep Chitty on Contracts under their pillows won’t be so variegated

Mark: Regarding your statement, “I think the ‘if you do it despite the prohibition, it will be void’ concept is strange, but one that I have seen before in US contracts,” consider the probable source of such provisions:

Since U.S. contract law is the province of the states, we have the high court of each of the 50 states reviewing the handiwork of probably twice that number of state appellate courts, which in turn have reviewed the work of probably thousands of trial courts. In addition, we have almost 90 federal district courts trying to predict how the supreme courts of the various states would rule if they were hearing the contracts cases that have fallen into the laps of the federal courts due to accidents of jurisdiction, plus the dozen courts of appeals and the Supreme Court. Then there are specialty federal courts such as the bankruptcy and tax courts which provide an additional source of cases for the federal district and appellate courts to review. And did I mention the extensive administrative law system that probably dwarfs all of the above in scope and which I’m sure has plenty to say about contracts?

Somewhere, sometime in the distant past one of those courts had an unfortunate fact pattern and, wanting to avoid the effect of an anti-assignment provision, decided that although the purported assignment was a breach of the contract in which it was found, the assignment was still effective. Other courts picked up on the work-around, and commercial lawyers have all been covering that base ever since.

Thanks Brian, interesting insight. I would have posted on your site but For the reasons given above I didn’t have a useful contribution.

• Pingback: Koncision » Quora as a Source of Misinformation

The language as being quoted from Negotiating and Drafting Boilerplate is incomplete. Here is the full language, along with explanations of some of the text. Many of my points will be at odds with those of Ken and arise because of differences in drafting philosophy.

Assignment and Delegation.

(a) No Assignments. No party may assign any of its rights under this Agreement, except with the prior written consent of the other party. [That party shall not unreasonably withhold its consent.] All assignments of rights are prohibited under this subsection, whether they are voluntary or involuntary, by merger, consolidation, dissolution, operation of law, or any other manner. For purposes of this Section,

(i) a “change of control” is deemed an assignment of rights; and

(ii) “merger” refers to any merger in which a party participates, regardless of whether it is the surviving or disappearing corporation.

(b) No Delegations. No party may delegate any performance under this Agreement.

(c) Consequences of Purported Assignment or Delegation. Any purported assignment of rights or delegation of performance in violation of this Section is void.

1. The provision is divided into three separate subsections, each dealing with a different topic. A long provision violates the so-called “three-line rule.” Sentences longer than three lines are hard for the reader to take in. Also, by separating assignment from delegation, the drafter is reminded that each of these provisions may need to be elaborated based on facts. (Perhaps delegation is permitted subject to certain conditions.)

2. Generally, exceptions should not begin a sentence. The usual rule is to state the rule – so that the reader has context – and then state the exception. This is also helpful if the sentence contains multiple exceptions that the drafter might want to tabulate.

3. I prefer “No party may” to “Each party shall not.” The sentence’s purpose is to express a prohibition that applies to all – no one can do it. In this context, a negative subject is appropriate: no party/neither party. When using a negative subject “may” is correct. “Shall not” works perfectly well when the subject of the sentence is a single party. “Sam shall not borrow any money.”

4. As to whether consent can be unreasonably withheld is a matter of state law. Some states read into a provision that grants discretionary authority an implied promise of good faith and fair dealing, stated differently, they read in reasonableness. Others do not imply a reasonableness requirement. For example, in New York, landlords may be unreasonable in denying consent to assignment.

5. Courts seriously dislike anti-assignment provisions. They view them as interfering with the free flow of commerce. They insist that if a particular assignment is to be prohibited, it must be listed. For example, if a provision prohibits the assignment of rights, the issue arises as to whether the provision prohibits the assignment of rights by merger. In all states that I’ve checked, unless the assignment by merger is explicitly prohibited, it’s permitted. The courts are rather adamant. They’ll turn their decisions inside out to find the anti-assignment provision unenforceable. They don’t like them and if the provision isn’t explicit, the courts will say that if the parties had really wanted to prohibit assignments by merger, they knew how to use their words. “Voluntarily or involuntarily” is used consistent with these cases.

6. Drafters have tried multiple ways to create all-inclusive provisions, but the courts reject them as not having been specific. “or in any other manner” was blessed by one court, so it’s used in the provision. Another court rejected the phrase “or by any other transfer,” stating that it did not know what “transfer” meant and it therefore could not act as an omnibus savings provision.

7. An anti-assignment provision should also address whether a change of control is deemed an assignment. If Parent Company A sells all of its issued and outstanding shares in Subsidiary A to Buyer Company, Subsidiary A becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Buyer Company. Nothing has happened at the Subsidiary A level; there’s been no assignment. Courts hold that unless the change of control is expressly prohibited, it does not rise to the level of an assignment. This prohibition can generally be accomplished in one of two ways: either through a definition, as in the stated provision, or by including a change of control as a default.

8. Assignment and delegation are terms of art, not misapplied terms of art. The Restatement (Second) of Contracts carefully defines them, as do legions of cases. Unfortunately, some lawyers are unfamiliar with them because their contracts courses didn’t cover them. That doesn’t mean new words should be created.

9. Rights are the flip-side of an obligation. If I have an obligation to pay you $100, you have a right to my performance. The transfer of the right to performance is what the assignment is all about. It’s technical. Using terms in a technical way creates precision. If one has discretionary authority, that is a colloquial right but not a contract right. That’s the reason why “right” is not used to signal discretionary authority. Instead, the correct verb to signal discretionary authority is “may”. Incorrect: The publisher has the right to reject the book. Correct: The publisher may reject the book.

Rights can also refer to remedies, but that is consistent with the definition of rights. If a party has a right to have its deposit returned, the flipside obligation is the obligation to return it. If a party has a right to an injunction, the flipside obligation is the promise not to contest the right to the injunction.

10. “Will be void” v. “is void.” I can’t get too excited about this issue. I start from the premise that the contract should always read as if it presently applies and that, therefore, the present tense is correct.

11. Subsection (c) is another consequence of the courts’ dislike for anti-assignment provisions. Mere prohibition does not void the assignment. The courts draw a distinction between the “right” to assign and the “power” to assignment. A flat prohibition merely prohibits the assignment of the right to assignment. Violation of the prohibition is a breach, like any other contract breach. The assignment is enforceable, but gives rise to damages. Unfortunately, the nonassigning party often has trouble finding damages to claim. What difference does it make to whom it pays money? If the nonassigning party’s performance is somehow changed, then damages might be claimed. To make the purported assignment unenforceable, a provision must take away the “power” to assign. That is accomplished through language along the lines of subjection (c).

Tina: Thanks; some readers might find that extract helpful.

More generally, the only drafting philosophy I buy into is identifying the clearest contract language.

Do you see any issues with making the transfer voidable by the non-transferring party instead of void ab initio?

• Pingback: Koncision » What Is a Contract “Right”?

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

The voice that matters.

Innovative scholarship. Extensive writings. Hundreds of  Drafting Clearer Contracts  presentations around the world. Commitment. That’s what makes Ken Adams the unmatched authority on clearer contract language.

164 Brompton Road Garden City, NY 11530-1432

(516) 318-6956

[email protected]

© 2024 Kenneth A. Adams

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.

Thank you to  Pixabay.com  for great, free stock images!

Related Posts

A contract should read like instructions for building furniture – or an aircraft carrier.

This week’s unsolicited advice on contracts … Here’s a proposition: we should NOT seek shorter or simpler contracts where those goals contradict our higher priority:

Consequential Damages in IT Contracts (CrowdStrike vs Delta Air Lines)

The very public argument between CrowdStrike and Delta Air Lines offers a window into a topic few understand: the exclusion of consequential damages in typical

Thoughts about our future jobs, from David Tollen

Watch this video for some encouraging (and non-typical) thoughts about our future jobs, from David Tollen. And if you’d like hone these very skills, our

New LIVE Trainings Coming in September

We invite you to join our live trainings this fall: Our Tech Contracts Master Class series runs Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 8, and Oct. 17, 2024. Four courses,

Our website uses cookies. If you click “Deny” or don’t respond, our system will ask your browser not to accept tracking or statistics-collecting cookies from our site, but not functional cookies. You may still receive script other technologies that Google Analytics or our other vendors use for anonymous tracking and statistics collection. For further information, please see our Cookie Policy per the link below.

[email protected]

Limit permitted assignments/sublets to tenant affiliates.

A tenant may demand the right in the lease to assign its lease or sublet its space to an affiliate—that is, a company the tenant controls or that controls the tenant—without your consent. The tenant may argue that an assignment or a sublet to an affiliate is just a change in form, not substance, since they're related companies. If the tenant is strong, you may have to give in to its demand.

But if your lease is like many we've seen, it may contain a loophole: Nothing may prevent the affiliated assignee or subtenant from then assigning or subletting, without your consent, to a party that's not an affiliate of the original tenant. So you could be powerless to bar an assignee or subtenant that upsets your tenant mix or your other tenants, or that might be financially unstable.

With the help of Ohio attorney Abraham Lieberman, we'll give you a hardball strategy and a compromise strategy that you can use to plug this loophole. There's a Model Lease Clause on p. 9 that you can adapt and use for both strategies.

Hardball Strategy: Allow Only Original Tenant to Assign or Sublet Without Consent

Start off your negotiations with the tenant with the hardball strategy, says Lieberman. A hardball clause, like our Model Lease Clause, should cover the following three points:

Limit perk to original tenant. Say that only the original tenant may assign or sublet to its affiliate without your consent, says Lieberman [Clause, par. a]. This means that neither an assignee nor a subtenant can take advantage of this perk, he explains. Define “original tenant” to mean the original party who signed the lease as the tenant [Clause, par. b(i)].

Narrowly define “affiliate.” Define “affiliate” to require it to be a company related to the original tenant, says Lieberman. For example, say in the clause that a company can be considered an affiliate only if:

The majority owners of the affiliate are the majority owners of the original tenant;

The affiliate is a majority owner of the original tenant;

The original tenant is a majority owner of the affiliate; or

The affiliate results from a merger or consolidation of the original tenant with another entity [Clause, par. b(ii)].

Insert extra clarification. As an extra clarification, say that nothing in the clause should be interpreted, or deemed, to permit an assignee or a subtenant to further assign or sublet to any third party without your consent, says Lieberman [Clause, par. c]. This avoids any ambiguity over whether the assignee or subtenant may take advantage of this perk, he explains.

Compromise Strategy: Allow Assignment/Sublet Without Consent to Affiliates of Original Tenant

A tenant may balk at this hardball strategy, says Lieberman. It may argue that the lease will be less attractive to prospective assignees and subtenants if they won't get the perk of further assigning or subletting to an affiliate without your consent, he explains. If the tenant is strong, you may have to back down. If so, try this compromise instead, says Lieberman: Give the tenant, its assignees, and subtenants the right to assign the lease or sublet the space without your consent, but allow the assignment/ sublet only to an affiliate of the original tenant . This way, the assignee and subtenant has some ability to assign or sublet without your consent, he says. It's just that you've narrowed the list of eligible affiliates.

To use the compromise strategy, say in the clause that the tenant, its assignees, and subtenants all get the right to assign or sublet without your consent to the tenant's affiliate, says Lieberman. Keep the narrow definition of affiliate. But delete the extra clarification concerning deemed permission.

CLLI Source

Abraham Lieberman, Esq.: Member, Baumgartner & O'Toole, 582 Leavitt Rd., Amherst, OH 44001; (440) 244-1212.

More like this

• Get Out of Assignment/Sublet to Affiliate Whose Ties with Tenant End
• Limit Franchisor's Ability to Freely Assign and Sublet
• Don't Overlook Tenant's Transfer of LLC Interests When Limiting Assignments
• Protect Yourself When Withholding Consent to Assignment or Sublet