NOTE 7 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

From time to time, the Company is a defendant or plaintiff in various legal actions that arise in the normal course of business. Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines and penalties and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the assessment can be reasonably estimated.

Outstanding Litigation

In March 2019, the Company entered into a binding letter of intent (“LOI”) to acquire substantially all of the assets of Aureus Holdings, LLC d/b/a Lo70s (“Lo70s”). In connection with the LOI, the Company paid a good faith deposit to Lo70s of $200,000. Subsequently, during the diligence phase of the LOI it became apparent that Lo70s’ projections were grossly inaccurate and misstated. Diligence inquiries made to Lo70s on this subject continuously went ignored. As a result, the Company allowed the LOI to expire under its own terms. In connection with this expiration, the Company was served with a complaint by Lo70s (Aureus Holdings, LLC d/b/a Lo70s v. Kubient, Inc., et al., Superior Court of Delaware, Case No. N20C-07-061), which named the Company and three individuals, Peter A. Bordes, Jr., Paul Roberts and Philip Anderson (a former consultant to the Company) as defendants.  The complaint alleges breach of contract on the expired LOI and other claims and seeks damages, without providing information or support as to how the alleged damages are calculated.  The Company believes that Lo70s’ claim has no merit, and disputes Lo70s’ allegations therein.  The Company has retained legal counsel in Delaware in order to defend the action vigorously. On August 31, 2020, the Company filed its answer to Lo70s’ complaint on the contract claims, and moved to dismiss the unjust enrichment and tortious interference claims alleged by Lo70s for failure to state a claim. The individual defendants named in the claim moved to dismiss all of Lo70’s claims based on lack of personal jurisdiction and failure to state a claim. On August 31, 2020, the Company also filed a counterclaim denying all allegations made by Lo70s and pursuing the Company’s claims against Lo70s and its affiliates, including claims for fraudulent inducement and breach of contract. On November 6, 2020, Lo70s amended its Complaint and moved to dismiss the Company’s counterclaims. The amended Complaint removes Messrs. Bordes, Roberts, and Anderson as parties, but otherwise asserts the same causes of action as the original Complaint. On December 9, 2020, the Company moved to dismiss portions of Lo70s’ amended Complaint and filed amended counterclaims against Lo70s that Lo70s has moved to dismiss.  The Court heard argument on the motions to dismiss on April 28, 2021 and Kubient’s motion was denied on August 6, 2021. On August 31, 2021, the Court dismissed Kubient's fraud claims against Lo70s, but allowed Kubient's breach of contract claim to proceed. The case is currently proceeding with discovery. The Company continues to dispute Lo70s allegations and intends to vigorously defend itself and prosecute its counterclaims.  During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded an allowance of $200,000 related to the dispute. As of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had accrued for all probable and estimable amounts in its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Settlements

On October 6, 2017, the Company entered into a Master Service Agreement for Buyers and Sellers, and an “Engage Buyer Addendum”, with Engage BDR, LLC whereby the Company could gain access to the Engage BDR, LLC proprietary trading technology platform in order to both offer and purchase inventory for the placement of ads. On August 31, 2018, Engage BDR, LLC filed suit against the Company (Engage BDR, LLC v. Kubient, Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. SC129764) setting forth claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, quantum meruit, accounts stated, and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. On November 14, 2018, Engage BDR, LLC obtained a summary default judgment against the Company for $35,936. On February 17, 2021, the Company and Engage BDR, LLC entered into a settlement agreement in the amount of $33,461 and the Company paid such amount on February 19, 2021, which had been accrued for as of December 31, 2020.

Obligations Arising from Employment Agreements

On April 9, 2021, the Company entered into an at-will employment agreement with its new Chief Product Officer, Mr. Leon Zemel, that provides for an annual base salary of $390,000, plus annual performance bonuses with a target achievement of up to 20% of Mr. Zemel’s base salary. Subject to the approval of the board or its compensation committee, the Company agreed to take appropriate action within ninety (90) days following April 9, 2021 to make an award of 100,000 shares of common stock to Mr. Zemel, which will vest at the rate of 1/4th of the total number of shares on the first anniversary of the Effective Date and 1/36th of the total number of remaining unvested shares each month thereafter. As of September 30, 2021, the award had not been granted. Upon termination of Mr. Zemel’s employment for any reason, Mr. Zemel is entitled to (i) any portion of his base salary earned through the date of his termination date, (ii) any expenses owed to him, (iii) subject to Company policy and the law, any accrued, but unused vacation pay owed to him, pursuant to Company policy, if any, to the extent not inconsistent with applicable laws, and (iv) any amount arising from Mr. Zemel’s participation in, or benefits under, the Company’s employee benefit plans. In the event Mr. Zemel is terminated without cause or that Mr. Zemel resigns for Good Reason (as defined in his employment agreement), Mr. Zemel is entitled to receive: to six month’s salary paid in one lump sum, six months continued healthcare coverage, any pro-rated bonus amounts outstanding at the time of termination, and immediate vesting of any equity awards that would have become vested and exercisable during the three months after his termination. Mr. Zemel’s employment agreement contains an accelerated vesting provision which provides that 25% of his share award under the agreement shall vest if he is terminated before the one year anniversary date of the agreement for good cause, or if he chooses to terminate his employment with the Company for Good Reason (as defined in the agreement), then 100% of his share award under the agreement shall vest immediately. All outstanding awards due to Mr. Zemel automatically vest upon a change in control of the Company.

On June 4, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), the Company entered into two-year employment agreements with its two new Vice Presidents of Performance Media. The agreements provide for a bonus paid to each Vice President of Performance Media of (i) the issuance of up to 67,738 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “First Year Bonus”) on the 12-month anniversary of the Effective Date if as of such date the net revenue, as defined within the agreement, generated from the Customer List through the respective Vice President of Performance Media’s performance marketing is between $175,000 and an amount in excess of $350,000, which First Year Bonus shall vest in two equal equity installments, the first of which occurring on the second anniversary of the issuance thereof and the second of which occurring on the fourth anniversary of the issuance thereof (the “Year 1 Equity Grant”), and (ii) the issuance of up to 67,738 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Second Year Bonus”) on the 24-month anniversary of the Effective Date if as of such date the net revenue, as defined within the agreement, generated from the Customer List through the respective Vice President of Performance Media’s performance marketing is between $262,000 and an amount in excess of $525,000, which Second Year Bonus shall vest in two equal equity installments, the first of which occurring on the second anniversary of the issuance thereof and the second of which occurring on the fourth anniversary of the issuance thereof (the “Year 2 Equity Grant”).  If either Vice President of Performance Media ends the Term of Employment for good reason, as defined within the agreement, or the Company terminates either Vice President of Performance Media without cause, such Vice President of Performance Media shall (i) receive $150,000 prorated for two months following such termination and for an additional year for every year the Vice President of Performance Media was employed by Company, and (ii) payment of any earned, but unpaid, performance-based performances due as of the date of such termination (“Severance”). The Company determined that the First Year Bonus and Second Year Bonus to each Vice President of Performance Media represents an accounting grant with a performance-based vesting condition pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification 718. The aggregate grant date fair value of the awards of $1,400,822 will be recognized over the respective vesting term for awards that are deemed to be probable to vest.