The parties hereto intend all provisions of this Agreement to be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Agreement are severable. The covenants on the part of the Executive contained in the Protective Covenants shall be construed as independent covenants and agreements of the Executive, independently supported by good and adequate consideration, shall be construed independently of the other provisions in this Agreement and shall survive this Agreement. The existence of any claim or cause of action of Executive against the Company or any of its affiliates, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company or its affiliates of the covenants of Executive contained in this Agreement. The parties in no way intend to include a provision that contravenes public policy. Therefore, if any of the provisions, clauses, sentences, or paragraphs, or portions (“provisions”) of this Agreement is unlawful, against public policy, or otherwise declared void or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction (“Court”), such provision shall be deemed excluded from this Agreement, which shall in all other respects remain in effect. Furthermore, in lieu of such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision, there shall be added as part of this Agreement a provision as similar in its terms to such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid and enforceable. If any Court should construe any portion of this Agreement to be too broad to prevent enforcement to its fullest extent then such portion shall be enforced to the maximum extent that the Court finds reasonable and enforceable.