Exhibit 10.8
November 16, 2021
LF Capital Acquisition Corp. II
1909 Woodall Rodgers Freeway
Suite 500
Dallas, TX 75201
Jefferies LLC
as representative of the Underwriter(s)
listed on Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below)
520 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Re: Initial Public Offering
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter (this “Letter Agreement”) is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) entered into by and between LF Capital Acquisition Corp. II, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Underwriter”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”), of 25,875,000 of the Company’s units (including up to 3,375,000 units that may be purchased to cover over-allotments, if any) (the “Units”), each comprised of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one-half of one warrant. Each whole Warrant (each, a “Warrant”) entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. The Units shall be sold in the Public Offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 and prospectus (the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the Company shall apply to have the Units listed on the Nasdaq Global Market. Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 10 hereof.
In order to induce the Company and the Underwriter to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, [the undersigned (the “Insider”), whom is a member of the Company’s board of directors and/or management team][Level Field Capital II, LLC (the “Insider”)], hereby agrees with the Company as follows:
1. The Insider agrees that if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a proposed Business Combination, then in connection with such proposed Business Combination, the Insider shall (i) vote any shares of Capital Stock owned by the Insider in favor of any proposed Business Combination and (ii) not redeem any shares of Common Stock owned by the Insider in connection with such stockholder approval.
2. The Insider hereby agrees that in the event that the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (unless extended in connection with an Extension Election, as defined below), or such later period approved by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering (the “Offering Shares”), at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption shall completely extinguish all Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. The Insider agrees to not propose any amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with its initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete an initial Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (unless extended in connection with an Extension Election, as defined below) or (ii) with respect to any other material provisions of the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Common Stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares. If the Company anticipates that it may be unable to complete its initial business combination within 15 months, the Company may, but is not obligated to, extend the period of time to complete a business combination up to six times by an additional period of one month each time (for a total of up to 21 months) (each such one-month extension of the prescribed time period, an “Extension Election”); provided that, at the beginning of each such Extension Election, Level Field Capital II, LLC (or its designees) must deposit into the trust account funds equal to $0.033 per public share (including such shares issued due to the exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option), in each case, in exchange for a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note.
The Insider acknowledges that the Insider has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or any other asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to any Founder Shares held by the Insider. The Insider hereby further waives, with respect to any shares of Common Stock the Insider holds, any redemption rights the Insider may have in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation, any such rights available in the context of a stockholder vote to approve such Business Combination or in the context of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase shares of Common Stock (although the Insider and the Insider’s respective affiliates shall be entitled to redemption and liquidation rights with respect to any Offering Shares the Insider holds if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 15 months from the date of the closing of the Public Offering, unless extended in connection with an Extension Election). The Insider hereby further waives, with respect to any shares of Common Stock held by the Insider, any redemption rights the Insider may have in connection with a stockholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with its initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Public Offering (unless extended in connection with an Extension Election) or (B) with respect to any other material provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-Business Combination activity.
3. During the period commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180 days after such date, the Insider shall not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to any Units, shares of Common Stock, Founder Shares, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock owned by the Insider, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any Units, shares of Common Stock, Founder Shares, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock owned by the Insider, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). The Insider acknowledges and agrees that, prior to the effective date of any release or waiver of the restrictions set forth in this paragraph 3 or paragraph 7 below, the Company shall announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply if the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
4. [In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account, Level Field Capital II, LLC (the “Sponsor”) (which for purposes of clarification shall not extend to any other shareholders, members or managers of the Sponsor) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened, or any claim whatsoever) to which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company or (ii) a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into an acquisition agreement (a “Target”); provided, however, that such indemnification of the Company by the Sponsor shall apply only to the extent necessary to ensure that such claims by a third party for services rendered (other than the Company’s independent public accountants) or products sold to the Company or a Target do not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.20 per share of the Offering Shares (to be increased by $0.033 per public share for each Extension Election (if any)) or (ii) such lesser amount per share of the Offering Shares held in the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, in each case, net of the amount of interest earned on the property in the Trust Account which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party (including a Target) who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the Underwriter against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In the event that any such executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against such third party, the Sponsor shall not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Sponsor shall have the right to defend against any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably satisfactory to the Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of notice of the claim to the Sponsor, the Sponsor notifies the Company in writing that it shall undertake such defense.]1
5. [To the extent that the Underwriter does not exercise their over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 3,375,000 Units within 45 days from the date of the Prospectus (and as further described in the Prospectus), the Sponsor agrees to forfeit, at no cost, a number of Founder Shares in the aggregate equal to the product of 843,750 multiplied by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 3,375,000 minus the number of Units purchased by the Underwriter upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 3,375,000. The forfeiture shall be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the Underwriter so that the Initial Stockholders shall own an aggregate of 20.0% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock after the Public Offering.]2
1 Note to Draft: Provision to be included in Sponsor’s Insider Letter only.
6. The Insider hereby agrees and acknowledges that: (i) the Underwriter and the Company would be irreparably injured in the event of a breach by such Insider of the Insider’s obligations under paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7(a), 7(b), 7(c), 7(d), 8 and 9 of this Letter Agreement (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach and (iii) the non-breaching party shall be entitled to injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law or in equity, in the event of such breach.
(a) The Insider agrees that the Insider shall not Transfer any Founder Shares (or shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof) until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property (the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period”).
(b) The Insider agrees that the Insider shall not Transfer any Private Placement Warrants (or shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants) until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination (the “Private Placement Warrants Lock-up Period”, together with the Founder Shares Lock-up Period, the “Lock-up Periods”).
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in paragraphs 7(a) and 7(b), Transfers of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the Private Placement Warrants or the Founder Shares and that are held by the Insider or any of the Insider’s permitted transferees (that have complied with this paragraph 7(c)), are permitted (a) to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any members or partners of the Sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of the Sponsor, or any employees of such affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the completion of a Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants or Common Stock, as applicable, were originally purchased; (f) by virtue of the limited liability company agreements or other applicable organizational documents of the Sponsor upon dissolution of the Sponsor; (g) as distributions to limited partners or members of the Sponsor; (h) by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware or of the Sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of the Sponsor; (i) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination; (j) in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination; or (k) in the event of the Company’s completion of a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the Company’s completion of its initial Business Combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (h), or with the prior written consent of the Company, these permitted transferees shall enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained herein.
2 Note to Draft: Provision to be included in Sponsor’s Insider Letter only.
(d) The Insider represents and warrants that the Insider has never been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked. The Insider’s biographical information furnished to the Company (including any such information included in the Prospectus) is true and accurate in all respects and does not omit any material information with respect to the Insider’s background. The Insider’s questionnaire furnished to the Company is true and accurate in all material respects. The Insider represents and warrants that: the Insider is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction; the Insider has never been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving fraud, (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and the Insider is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding.
7. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Sponsor nor any Insider nor any affiliate of the Sponsor or any Insider, nor any director or officer of the Company, shall receive from the Company any finder’s fee, reimbursement or cash payment for services rendered to the Company prior to or in connection with the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, other than the following, none of which shall be made from the proceeds held in the Trust Account prior to the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination: (i) repayment of an aggregate of up to $600,000 in loans made to the Company by the Sponsor; (ii) payment to an affiliate of the Sponsor for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support for a total of $15,000 per month for up to 15 months; (iii) reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating, negotiating and completing an initial Business Combination; and (iv) repayment of loans, if any, and on such terms as to be determined by the Company from time to time, made by the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or any of the Company’s officers or directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination; provided, that, if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account may be used by the Company to repay such loaned amounts so long as no proceeds from the Trust Account are used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants of the post business combination entity, at a price of $1.00 per Warrant at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the Warrants issued pursuant to the Warrant Agreement dated as of November 16, 2021, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.
8. The Insider has full right and power, without violating any agreement to which the Insider is bound (including, without limitation, any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former employer), to enter into this Letter Agreement and, as applicable, to serve as a director on the board of directors of the Company and, as applicable, hereby consents to being named in the Prospectus as a director of the Company.
9. As used herein, (i) “Business Combination” means a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses or entities; (ii) “Capital Stock” means, collectively, the Common Stock and the Founder Shares; (iii) “Founder Shares” means the 6,468,750 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (843,750 shares of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised) held by the Initial Stockholders on the date hereof; (iv) “Initial Stockholders” means the Sponsor and any other holder of Founder Shares immediately prior to the Public Offering; (v) “Private Placement Warrants” means the warrants to purchase up to 11,000,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (or 12,350,000 shares of Common Stock if the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) that the Sponsor, the Underwriter and the Anchor Investor have agreed to purchase for an aggregate purchase price of $11,000,000 in the aggregate (or $12,350,000 if the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $1.00 per Warrant, in a private placement that shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering; (vi) “Anchor Investor” means certain funds and accounts managed by subsidiaries of BlackRock, Inc.; (vii) “Public Stockholders” means the holders of securities issued in the Public Offering; (viii) “Trust Account” means the trust fund into which a portion of the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants shall be deposited; (ix) “Transfer” means the (a) sale of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).
10. This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby. This Letter Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.
11. No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Letter Agreement shall be binding on the Insider and the Insider’s respective successors, heirs and assigns and permitted transferees.
12. This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the City of New York, in the State of New York, and irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
13. Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Letter Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.
14. This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Lock-up Periods or (ii) the liquidation of the Company; provided, however, that this Letter Agreement shall earlier terminate in the event that the Public Offering is not consummated and closed by December 31, 2021[; provided, further, that paragraph 4 of this Letter Agreement shall survive such liquidation].3
15. Nothing in this Letter Agreement shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Letter Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise or agreement hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises and agreements contained in this Letter Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns and permitted transferees.
16. This Letter Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts, and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
17. This Letter Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Letter Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Letter Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
[Signature Page Follows]
3Note to Draft: Bracketed text to be included in the Sponsor’s Insider Letter only
Sincerely,
| COMPANY: |
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| LF CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. II |
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| By: | |
| Name: Scott Reed |
| Title: President, Chief Executive Officer |
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| INSIDER: |
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| [●] | |
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| By: | |
[Signature Page to Insider Letter]