Independent Agreements. The parties hereto agree that the foregoing restrictive covenants set forth herein are essential elements of this Agreement, and that, but for the agreement of Employee to comply with such covenants, Employer would not have agreed to enter into this Agreement. Such covenants by Employee shall be construed as agreements independent of any other provision in this Agreement. The existence of any claim or cause of action of Employee against Employer, whether predicated on this Agreement, or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by Employer of such covenants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee’s

Covenants and Agreements as Independent Agreements. Each of the covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement shall be construed as a covenant and agreement independent of any other provision of this Agreement. The existence of any claim or cause of action of the Participant against the Company, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company of the covenants and agreements that are set forth in this Agreement.

Independent Covenants. This Lease shall be construed as though the covenants herein between Landlord and Tenant are independent and not dependent and Tenant hereby expressly waives the benefit of any statute to the contrary and agrees that if Landlord fails to perform its obligations set forth herein, Tenant shall not be entitled to make any repairs or perform any acts hereunder at Landlord's expense or to any setoff of the Rent or other amounts owing hereunder against Landlord.

Independent Contractor. The Director’s status during the Directorship Term shall be that of an independent contractor and not, for any purpose, that of an employee or agent with authority to bind the Company in any respect. All payments and other consideration made or provided to the Director under this [Section 3] shall be made or provided without withholding or deduction of any kind, and the Director shall assume sole responsibility for discharging all tax or other obligations associated therewith.

It is the express intention of the parties that Advisor is an independent contractor. Nothing in this Agreement shall in any way be construed to constitute Advisor as an agent, employee or representative of the Company, but Advisor shall perform the Services hereunder as an independent contractor. Advisor agrees to furnish (or reimburse the Company for) all tools and materials necessary to accomplish this contract, and shall incur all expenses associated with performance, except as expressly agreed upon by the Company. Advisor acknowledges and agrees that Advisor is obligated to report as income all compensation received by Advisor pursuant to this Agreement, and Advisor agrees to and acknowledges the obligation to pay all self-employment and other taxes thereon. Advisor further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors, officers, and employees from and against all taxes, losses, damages, liabilities, costs arid expenses, including attorney’s fees and other legal expenses, arising directly or indirectly from # any negligent, reckless or intentionally wrongful act of Advisor or Advisor’s assistants, employees or agents, including, but not limited to, any damage to or disclosure of any Company Confidential Information # a determination by a court or agency that the Advisor is not an independent contractor, or # any breach by the Advisor or Advisor’s assistants, employees or agents of any of the covenants contained in this Agreement.

Independent Contractor. Provider shall perform the Services as an independent contractor with exclusive control of the manner and means of performing the Scope of Work in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement and the SOW. Provider has no authority to act or make any agreements or representations on behalf of Company or its affiliates. This Agreement or SOW is not intended to create, and shall not be construed as creating, between Company and Provider, the relationship of principal and agent, joint venturers, co-partners or any other such relationship, the existence of which is hereby expressly denied. No employee, or agent engaged by Provider shall be, or shall be deemed to be, an employee or agent of Company or its affiliate and shall not be entitled to any benefits that the Company or its affiliate provides to its own employees.

Independent Contractors. The Parties each acknowledge that they are separate entities, each of which has entered into this Services Agreement for independent business reasons. The relationships of the Parties hereunder (and the respective Providers and Recipients) are those of independent contractors and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to create a joint venture, partnership or any other relationship. Employees performing services hereunder do so on behalf of, under the direction of, and as employees of, the Provider, and the Recipient shall have no right, power or authority to direct such employees.

Independent Accountants. To the Company Group’s knowledge, Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to certain of the financial statements included in the Public Filings, are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and any non-audit services provided by Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP to the Company Group have been approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the audited financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes and supporting schedules, if any, thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of, or incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is # an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), # in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and # a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are those of primary obligor, and not merely as surety, and are independent of the Secured Obligations and the obligations of any other guarantor, and a separate action may be brought against each Guarantor to enforce this Guaranty whether or not the ​ or any other person or entity is joined as a party.