The Indemnified Party shall have the right at all times to participate in the defense, settlement, negotiations or litigation relating to any third party claim or demand at its own expense. If the Indemnifying Party does not assume the defense of any matter as above provided, then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to defend any such third party claim or demand, and will be entitled to settle any such claim or demand in its discretion for the account or benefit of the Indemnified Party. In any event, the Indemnified Party will cooperate in the defense of any such action at the expense of the Indemnifying Party and the records of each party shall be available to the other with respect to such defense.

If the Indemnifying Party does not choose to defend against a claim by a third party, the Indemnified Party may defend in such manner as it reasonably deems appropriate or settle the claim (after giving notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party) on such terms as the Indemnified Party may deem appropriate, and the Indemnified Party shall be entitled to periodic reimbursement of defense expenses incurred and prompt indemnification from the Indemnifying Party in accordance with this Article.

If the Indemnifying Party acknowledges its obligations to indemnify and defend the Indemnified Party against the Third Party Claim within fifteen (15) days after having been notified by the Indemnified Party of the existence of such Third Party Claim, then the Indemnifying Party shall defend such Third Party Claim by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings will be diligently prosecuted to a final conclusion or will be settled, at the discretion of the Indemnifying Party; provided, however, that the Indemnifying Party shall not enter into any settlement that imposes injunctive or other equitable relief against the Indemnified Party or does not fully and finally release the Indemnified Party from all claims, unless consented to by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnified Party will cooperate fully in such defense, including by making available to the Indemnifying Party all books, records and documents within the Indemnified Party’s control or that it can reasonably obtain relating to the Third Party Claim, and all costs or expenses incurred by it at the request of the Indemnifying Party shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party. The Indemnified Party may, at its cost and expense, at any time to prevent default or protect its interests, file any pleadings or take any other action that the Indemnified Party reasonably believes to be necessary or appropriate to protect its interests due to the failure of the Indemnifying Party to diligently defend such Action. The Indemnified Party, at its expense, may participate in, but not control (except as provided in the subsequent paragraph), any defense or settlement of any Third Party Claim conducted by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to this Section 11.4(b).

Right to Defend. In the event that the Indemnifying Party does not accept the defense of any matter as above provided, the Indemnified Party shall have the full right to defend against any such claim or action, and shall be entitled to settle or agree to pay in full such claim or action, in its sole discretion without releasing any obligation or liability of the Indemnifying Party for the costs of defense, judgment or settlement.

Indemnitor shall have the right to direct, through counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Indemnified Party, the defense or settlement of any such claim or proceeding at its own expense, provided that Indemnitor shall not settle any such claim or proceeding without arranging for the release of the Indemnified Party. If Indemnitor elects to assume the defense of any such claim or proceeding, Indemnitor shall consult with the Indemnified Party and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense, but in such case the expenses of the Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnified Party shall provide Indemnitor with access to its records and personnel relating to any such claim, assertion, event or proceeding during normal business hours and shall otherwise cooperate with Indemnitor in the defense or settlement thereof, and Indemnitor shall reimburse the Indemnified Party for all its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection therewith. If Indemnitor elects to direct the defense of any such claim or proceeding, the Indemnified Party shall not pay, or permit to be paid, any part of any claim or demand arising from such asserted liability unless Indemnitor consents in writing to such payment or unless a final judgment from which no appeal may be taken by or on behalf of Indemnitor is entered against the Indemnified Party for such liability. If Indemnitor fails to defend or if, after commencing or undertaking any such defense, Indemnitor fails to diligently prosecute or withdraws from such defense, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to undertake the defense or settlement thereof, at Indemnitor’s expense and in that event if the Indemnified Party proposes to settle such claim or proceeding prior to a final judgment thereon or to forego any appeal with respect thereto, then the Indemnified Party shall give Indemnitor prompt written notice thereof, and Indemnitor shall have the right to participate in the settlement or assume or reassume the defense of such claim or proceeding.

Defense of Third Party Claims. The Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in the defense of the Third Party Claim and, if it so chooses, to assume the defense thereof, at its own expense, with counsel selected by the Indemnifying Party; provided, that such counsel is not reasonably objected to by the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable to the Indemnified Party for legal expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof, except that, if the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party have conflicting interests or different defenses available with respect to such Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party may hire its own separate counsel (provided that such counsel is not reasonably objected to by the Indemnifying Party) with respect to such Third Party Claim and the related action or suit, and the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel shall be considered Losses for purposes of this Agreement. The Indemnifying Party shall permit the Indemnified Party to participate in, but not control, the defense of any such action or suit through counsel chosen by the Indemnified Party, provided that such counsel is not reasonably objected to by the Indemnifying Party and, except in the circumstances described in the immediately preceding sentence, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be borne by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel employed by the Indemnified Party in the defense of a Third Party Claim (which shall all be considered Losses for purposes of this Agreement) for any period during which the Indemnifying Party has not assumed the defense thereof (other than during the period prior to the time the Indemnified Party shall have notified the Indemnifying Party of such Third Party Claim).

The Indemnified Party shall be entitled to participate in the defense of such Third-Party Claim and to employ counsel of its choice for such purpose; provided, that the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the Indemnified Party (other than any fees and expenses of such separate counsel # that are incurred prior to the date the Indemnifying Party effectively assumes control of such defense (assuming reasonably prompt notice of the claim was given to the Indemnifying Party) or # retained because a conflict of interest exists between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party, each of which, notwithstanding the foregoing, shall be borne by the Indemnifying Party);

Defense of Claim. The indemnifying Party shall defend or control the defense of Third Party Claims. The indemnifying Party shall be responsible for satisfying and discharging any award made to or settlement reached with the Third Party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The indemnifying Party shall retain counsel to represent the indemnified party and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, but without limiting the foregoing, the indemnified Party, at its sole expense, shall have the right to retain its own counsel. The indemnified Party shall cooperate in all reasonable respects in the defense of such Third Party Claim, as requested by, and at the reasonable expense of, the indemnifying Party. The indemnifying Party shall not, without the written consent of the indemnified Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, refused, conditioned or delayed), effect any settlement of any such Third Party Claim, unless such settlement includes a full and unconditional release of the indemnified Party from all liability on such Claims.

In connection with any claim giving rise to indemnity resulting from or arising out of any claim or legal proceeding by a person or entity who is not a party to this Agreement, the Indemnifying Party at its sole cost and expense may, upon written notice to the Indemnified Party, assume the defense of any such claim or legal proceeding if it acknowledges to the Indemnified Party in writing its obligations to indemnify the Indemnified Party with respect to all elements of such claim. The Indemnified Party shall be entitled to participate in (but not control) the defense of any such action, with its counsel and at its own expense. If the Indemnifying Party does not assume the defense of any such claim or resulting litigation within thirty (30) days after the date that notice of such claim is received from the Indemnified Party, # the Indemnified Party may defend against such claim or litigation, in such manner as it may deem appropriate, including, but not limited to, settling such claim or litigation, after giving notice of the same to the Indemnifying Party, on such terms as the Indemnified Party may deem appropriate, and # the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in (but not control) the defense of such action, with its counsel and at its own expense. If the Indemnifying Party thereafter seeks to question the manner in which the Indemnified Party defended such third party claim or the amount or nature of any such settlement, the Indemnifying Party shall have the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the Indemnified Party did not defend or settle such third party claim in a reasonably prudent manner.

The Indemnifying Party shall have the right (which right may be exercised by providing notice to the Claiming Party), upon receipt of the Claim Notice and at its expense, to defend such Third Party Claim in its own name or, if necessary, in the name of the Claiming Party; provided, however, that if, in addition to the claim for which indemnification under this [Article IX] is being sought, the Third Party Claim involves a matter with respect to which the Claiming Party agrees in writing that it is not entitled to indemnification hereunder, such matter shall be within the sole responsibility and expense of the Claiming Party and its counsel. The Claiming Party will cooperate with and make available to the Indemnifying Party such assistance (including, without limitation, access to employees) and materials as may be reasonably requested of the Claiming Party, and the Claiming Party shall have the right, at the Claiming Party’s expense, to participate in the defense. The Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to settle and compromise such claim or consent to the entry of any Order with respect to such claim without the consent of the Claiming Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) unless the following shall apply: # such settlement provides the Claiming Party with a full release from such Third Party Claim; and # the sole relief provided in such settlement is monetary damages that are paid in full by the Indemnifying Party.