10. Commitments and Contingencies

Lease Obligations - The Company leases office space, a corporate apartment, office furniture and equipment under various operating lease agreements.

We lease approximately 11,454 square feet of space for our headquarters in Chicago, Illinois under a lease that expires on June 30, 2020. We also lease approximately 1,800 square feet of office space in Minnetonka, Minnesota for our Events division under a month-to-month lease.

Beginning January 1, 2017, the Company leases approximately 7,970 square feet office space in Guangzhou, China under a non-cancelable lease arrangement that provides for payments on a graduated basis through December 31, 2019.

Beginning November 15, 2017, the Company leases approximately 1,950 square feet of office space in Jiangxi Province, China under a non-cancelable lease arrangement that expires on January 30, 2020.

Rent expense, amounting to $498,232 and $904,135 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, is included in general and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of operations. Included in rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2017 is sublease income of $384,000.

Future annual minimum payments net of sublease income due under the leases are summarized as follows:

Legal Proceedings

In a letter dated October 12, 2017, White Winston Select Asset Funds (“White Winston”) threatened to assert claims against the Company in excess of $2 million based on White Winston’s contention that the Company’s conduct delayed White Winston’s ability to sell shares in the Company during a period when the Company’s stock price was generally falling. On April 30, 2018, White Winston filed a lawsuit, entitled White Winston Select Asset Funds, LLC, No. 18-cv-10844, (the “Federal Action”) in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, asserting federal jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship. The four-count complaint in the Federal Action alleged that White Winston is entitled to recover compensatory damages of $1,708,233, plus attorneys’ fees, treble damages and other amounts. White Winston served the complaint on July 12, 2018, and the Company moved to dismiss the entire action for failure to state a claim. On October 15, 2018, prior to addressing the motion to dismiss, the Court issued an order noting that White Winston (which is a limited liability company) had failed to allege the citizenship of its members and ordered White Winston to show cause that complete diversity exists between the parties and that the Court had jurisdiction. On October 23, 2018, White Winston dismissed the Federal Action without prejudice. On December 18, 2018, White Winston filed a complaint in Massachusetts Superior Court in Suffolk County in Boston alleging the same claims and rights to relief as in the Federal Action. The Company has moved to once again to dismiss the complaint in its entirety for failure to state a claim. The entire motion package, comprised of the Company’s motion to dismiss and accompanying memorandum, White Winston’s opposition, and the Company’s reply brief, was filed with the court on Monday, March 25, 2019. The Company denies liability for all claims.

NAPW is a defendant in a Nassau County (NY) Supreme Court case, whereby TL Franklin Avenue Plaza LLC has sued NAPW with respect to NAPW’s former Garden City NY Premises. NAPW had surrendered the Premises to the Landlord, and the Landlord is suing NAPW for the balance of the rent due under the Lease Term – which term is less than one year remaining. The case is currently being litigated, and we are currently in the pleadings phase of the litigation.

The Company is a party to a proceeding captioned Gerbie, et al. v. Professional Diversity Network, Inc. (U.S. Dist. Ct., N.D. Ill.), a putative class action alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. A settlement has been reached and case has been dismissed by the court. The Company believes that its practices and procedures were compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and admitted no fault.

NAPW and PDN are two of the named Respondents in a Superior Court of New Jersey Proceeding, and they are being sued by Shore Digital LLC. The Petitioner in this matter, Shore Digital LLC is alleging that both NAPW and PDN are in breach of contract, and the matter involves the payment of the entire value of the contract plus council feels, interest, and costs owing to the Petitioner. The case is on-going, and discussions are taking place to assess the company’s options to settle the matter without further litigation.

The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, NAPW, Inc., are parties to a proceeding captioned Deborah Bayne, et al. vs. NAPW, Inc. and Professional Diversity Network, Inc., No. 18-cv-3591 (E.D.N.Y.), filed in June of 2018 and alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and certain provisions of the New York Labor Law. The Company disputes that it or its subsidiary violated the applicable laws or that either entity has any liability and intends to vigorously defend against these claims. The matter is in the final stages of discovery. The potential financial impact on the Company is inherently uncertain at this point.

The Company is a party to a proceeding captioned Jacqueline M. Jefferson v. Noble Voice, No. 440-2018-06979 (EEOC), filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) on July 10, 2018 and alleging violations of Title VII and the Equal Pay Act of 1963, where an employee alleges she was terminated by the Company due to her age on May 25, 2018. Ms. Jefferson’s termination was as a result of the sale of the Noble Voice business on May 25, 2018. The Company and Jacqueline Jefferson are in the process of mediation.

General Legal Matters

From time to time, the Company is involved in legal matters arising in the ordinary course of business. While the Company believes that such matters are currently not material, there can be no assurance that matters arising in the ordinary course of business for which the Company is, or could be, involved in litigation, will not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.