Exhibit 3.1

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

VELOCITY FINANCIAL, INC.

* * * * *

The present name of the corporation is Velocity Financial, Inc. (the “Corporation”). The Corporation was incorporated by the filing of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on [•], 2020. This Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and by the written consent of its stockholders in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the Corporation is Velocity Financial, Inc.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive Wilmington, Delaware 19808-1674. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is Corporation Service Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may now or hereafter be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 125,000,000, which shall be divided into two classes as follows:

100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”); and

25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

I.	Capital Stock.

A. Common Stock and Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time by the Corporation for such consideration as may be fixed by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”). The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, at any time and from time to time, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix, without further stockholder approval, the designation of such series, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of such series of Preferred Stock and the number of shares of such series, which number the Board of Directors may, except where otherwise provided in the designation of such series, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock) or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding). The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding.

B. Each holder of record of Common Stock, as such, shall have one vote for each share of Common Stock that is outstanding in his, her or its name on the books of the Corporation on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.

C. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to only such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock).

D. Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid ratably on the Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation that are legally available for this purpose at such times and in such amounts as the Board of Directors in its discretion shall determine.

 

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E. Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the distribution of assets of the Corporation upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them.

F. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor, unless a vote of any such holder is required pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock).

ARTICLE V

AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

A. The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, repeal and rescind, in whole or in part, the bylaws of the Corporation (as in effect from time to time, the “Bylaws”) without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or this Certificate of Incorporation. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend, repeal or rescind, in whole or in part, any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or to adopt any provision inconsistent therewith.

ARTICLE VI

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

B. Subject to the rights granted to the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock and the rights granted pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, dated on or about the date hereof, by and among the Corporation, certain Affiliates of SPG GP, LLC (together with its successors and Affiliates (as defined below), “Snow Phipps”), TOBI III SPE I LLC (together with its successors and Affiliates, “TOBI”) and the other parties named therein (as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”), the number of directors of the Corporation shall be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Bylaws.

 

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C. Subject to the rights granted to the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding or the rights granted pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, directors shall be elected annually and each director shall serve for a term of one (1) year, ending on the date of the next annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided, that the term of each such director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal.

D. Subject to the rights granted to the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding or the rights granted pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, any newly-created directorship on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors (whether by death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause) shall be filled by a vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of directors and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

E. Any or all of the directors (other than the directors elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, voting separately as a series or together with one or more other such series, as the case may be) may be removed at any time either with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class.

F. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.

G. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or together with one or more other such series, have the right to elect additional directors, then upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues: (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of directors, and the holders of such Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to said provisions, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. Except as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolution or resolutions establishing such series, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such stock, the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.

 

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H. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or by the Chief Executive Officer (if then serving as a director), and otherwise as may be provided in the Bylaws.

I. The following persons are appointed as the initial directors of the Corporation, effective immediately, to serve and hold office until the first annual meeting of the stockholders, or until such persons’ successors are duly elected and qualified: Christopher D. Farrar, Daniel J. Ballen, Alan H. Mantel, John P. Pitstick, John A. Pless and Joy L. Schaefer. The mailing address of each of the initial directors of the Corporation shall be 30699 Russell Ranch Road, Suite 295, Westlake Village, California 91362.

ARTICLE VII

LIMITATION OF DIRECTOR LIABILITY

A. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty owed to the Corporation or its stockholders.

B. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, nor, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, any modification of law shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any right or protection of a current or former director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal, adoption or modification.

ARTICLE VIII

CONSENT OF STOCKHOLDERS IN LIEU OF MEETING, ANNUAL AND SPECIAL

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

A. At any time prior to the completion of the Corporation’s initial public offering of its Common Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. At any time after the completion of the Corporation’s initial public offering of its Common Stock, no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent.

B. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

C. An annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, if any, on such date, and at such time as shall be fixed exclusively by resolution of the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof.

 

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ARTICLE IX

COMPETITION AND CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

A. In recognition and anticipation that certain directors, principals, officers, employees and/or other representatives of Snow Phipps and/or TOBI may serve as directors, officers or agents of the Corporation:

(i) each of Snow Phipps and TOBI may (a) now engage and may continue to engage, directly or indirectly, in the same or similar Business or lines of Business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, (b) develop or market any products or services that compete, directly or indirectly, with the products or services of the Corporation, (c) invest or own an interest in, or develop a business relationship with, any person or entity that (x) is engaged in the same or similar Business or lines of Business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or, (y) otherwise competes, directly or indirectly, with the Corporation, and (d) conduct business with any of the clients or customers of the Corporation (each, a “Competitive Opportunity”); and

(ii) the provisions of this Article IX are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of opportunities as they may involve any of Snow Phipps, TOBI and their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.

For purposes hereof, the “Business” of the Corporation is the business of originating or acquiring United States domiciled commercial, multifamily rental or mixed-use commercial/residential real estate loans and acquiring United States domiciled commercial, multifamily rental or mixed-use commercial/residential real estate owned assets related to such loans.

B. None of (i) Snow Phipps and any directors, principals, officers, employees and/or other representatives of Snow Phipps that may serve as directors, officers or agents of the Corporation, and each of their Affiliates, or (ii) TOBI and any directors, principals, officers, employees and/or other representatives of TOBI that may serve as directors, officers or agents of the Corporation, and each of their Affiliates (the Persons (as defined below) identified in clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to, collectively, as “Identified Persons” and, individually, as an “Identified Person”) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (a) engaging in any Competitive Opportunity or (b) otherwise competing with the Corporation or any of its controlled Affiliates, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any controlled Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any Competitive Opportunity or other corporate or business opportunity that may be a Competitive Opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its controlled Affiliates. In the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a Competitive Opportunity or other corporate or business opportunity that may be a Competitive Opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or for its, her or his Affiliates, and for the Corporation or any of its controlled Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty to communicate or present such opportunity to the Corporation or any of its controlled Affiliates and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any controlled Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder, director or officer of the Corporation solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person pursues or acquires such Competitive Opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or offers or directs such Competitive Opportunity to another Person.

 

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C. In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, a business or opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential Competitive Opportunity for the Corporation if it is an opportunity that (i) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted to undertake, (ii) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (iii) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.

D. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation (other than Article X), (i) “Affiliate” shall mean (a) in respect of Snow Phipps, any Person (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by Snow Phipps, controls Snow Phipps or is under common control with Snow Phipps and shall include any principal, member, director, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of any of the foregoing, including any director of the Corporation designated by Snow Phipps or one of its Affiliates as a Snow Phipps Director (as defined in the Stockholders Agreement) (b) in respect of TOBI, any Person (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by TOBI, controls TOBI or is under common control with TOBI and shall include any principal, member, director, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of any of the foregoing, including any director of the Corporation designated by TOBI or one of its Affiliates as a TOBI Director (as defined in the Stockholders Agreement) and (c) in respect of a Specified Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Specified Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (d) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation; and (ii) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, association or any other entity.

E. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article IX.

ARTICLE X

DGCL SECTION 203 AND BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

A. The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

B. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not engage in any business combination (as defined below), at any point in time following the date of closing of the initial public offering of the Corporation’s Common Stock, at which time the Corporation’s Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with any interested stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

1.

prior to such time, the Board of Directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, or

 

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2.

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock (as defined below) of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer, or

 

3.

at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

C. For purposes of this Article X, references to:

 

1.

“affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.

 

2.

“associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.

 

3.

“business combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any interested stockholder of the Corporation, means:

 

(i)

any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the interested stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Section (B) of this Article X is not applicable to the surviving entity;

 

(ii)

any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the interested stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the then outstanding stock of the Corporation;

 

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(iii)

any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder, except: (a) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the interested stockholder became such; (b) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (c) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the interested stockholder became such; (d) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all holders of said stock; or (e) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (c)-(e) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the interested stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments);

 

(iv)

any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation that has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary that is owned by the interested stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder; or

 

(v)

any receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in subsections (i)-(iv) above) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary.

 

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4.

“control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract, or otherwise. A person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article X, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

 

5.

“Exempt Transferee” means (A) any person that acquires (other than in an Excluded Transfer) directly from Snow Phipps or any of its affiliates or successors or TOBI or any of its affiliates or successors, ownership of voting stock of the Corporation, and is designated in writing by the transferor as an “Exempt Transferee” for the purpose of this Article X; and (B) any person that acquires (other than in an Excluded Transfer) directly from a person described in clause (A) of this definition or from any other Exempt Transferee ownership of voting stock of the Corporation, and is designated in writing by the transferor as an “Exempt Transferee” for the purpose of this Article X.

 

6.

“Excluded Transfer” means (a) a transfer to a person that is not an affiliate of the transferor, which transfer is by gift or otherwise not for value, including a transfer by dividend or distribution by the transferor, (b) a transfer in a public offering that is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (c) a transfer to one or more broker-dealers or their affiliates pursuant to a firm commitment purchase agreement for an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act, (d) a transfer made through the facilities of a registered securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system and (e) a transfer made in compliance with the manner of sale limitations of Rule 144(f) under the Securities Act or any successor rule or provision.

 

7.

“interested stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, or (ii) is an affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation at any time within the three (3) year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder; and the affiliates and associates of such person; but “interested stockholder” shall not include (a) Snow Phipps, TOBI, any Exempt Transferee or any of their respective affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, to which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act, or (b) any person whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15% limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation, provided that such

 

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person shall be an interested stockholder if thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person. For the purpose of determining whether a person is an interested stockholder, the voting stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include stock deemed to be owned by the person through application of the definition of “owner” below but shall not include any other unissued stock of the Corporation that may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.

 

8.

“owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a person that individually or with or through any of its affiliates or associates:

 

(i)

beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

 

(ii)

has (a) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such person’s affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (b) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten (10) or more persons; or

 

(iii)

has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (b) of subsection (ii) above), or disposing of such stock with any other person that beneficially owns, or whose affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.

 

9.

“person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

 

10.

“stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

 

11.

“voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. Every reference in this Article X to a percentage of voting stock shall refer to such percentage of the votes of such voting stock.

 

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ARTICLE XI

INCORPORATOR

The name and the mailing address of the incorporator is:

 

NAME		MAILING ADDRESS
Christopher D. Farrar		30699 Russell Ranch Road, Suite 295 Westlake Village, California 91362

All powers of the incorporator will hereby terminate upon the filing of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

A. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

B. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (iii) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as each may be amended and/or restated from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XI(B). To the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the United States federal securities laws.

C. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, unless the context otherwise requires, (i) references to “Articles” and “Sections” refer to articles and sections of this Certificate of Incorporation and (ii) the term “include” or “includes” means includes, without limitation, and “including” means including, without limitation.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Velocity Financial, Inc. has caused this Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this [•] day of [•], 2020.

 

 

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