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<DIV align="right" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April&nbsp;20, 2011<BR>
Registration No.&nbsp;333-&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;&#95;
</DIV>


<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt; margin-top: 3pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>






<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 14pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549<BR>
<DIV align="center"><DIV style="FONT-size: 3pt; margin-top: 16pt; width: 26%; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV></B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 18pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>FORM S-8</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt"><B>REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B><DIV align="center"><DIV style="FONT-size: 3pt; margin-top: 16pt; width: 26%; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV></B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 24pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>FirstMerit Corporation<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; FONT-size: 1px">&nbsp;</DIV></B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</DIV>


<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR></TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Ohio
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">34-1339938</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 1px">
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;
</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">(State or other jurisdiction of <BR>
incorporation or organization)
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">(I.R.S. Employer<BR>
Identification No.)</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">III Cascade Plaza, Akron, Ohio
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">44308</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 1px">
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;
</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">(Zip Code)</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">FirstMerit Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 1pt"><DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; FONT-size: 1px">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">(Full title of the plan)</DIV>


<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR></TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Judith A. Steiner
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top"><I>Copy to:</I></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Executive Vice President and Secretary
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">J. Bret Treier</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">FirstMerit Corporation
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">III Cascade Plaza
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">106 South Main Street, Suite&nbsp;1100</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Akron, Ohio 44308
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Akron, Ohio 44308</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 1pt"><DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; FONT-size: 1px">&nbsp;</DIV>
(Name and address of agent for service)</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">(330)&nbsp;996-6300<BR>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; FONT-size: 1px">&nbsp;</DIV></DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="FONT-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of &#147;large accelerated filer,&#148; &#147;accelerated filer&#148; and &#147;smaller reporting company&#148; in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" style="FONT-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt"><TR valign="top">
<TD>Large accelerated filer&nbsp;<FONT style="font-family: Wingdings">&#254;</FONT>
</TD><TD align="center">Accelerated filer&nbsp;<FONT style="font-family: Wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD align="center">Non-accelerated filer&nbsp;<FONT style="font-family: Wingdings">&#111;</FONT><BR>(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)</TD><TD align="right">Smaller reporting company&nbsp;<FONT style="font-family: Wingdings">&#111;</FONT>
</TD>
</tr>
</table>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</B></DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="margin-top: -18">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="22%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD><!-- VRule -->
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD><!-- VRule -->
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD><!-- VRule -->
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD><!-- VRule -->
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 1px" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left" colspan="15" style="border-bottom: 3px double #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Amount</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Proposed maximum</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Proposed maximum</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Amount of</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Title of securities</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>to be</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>offering price</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>aggregate offering</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>registration</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>to be registered</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>registered<SUP style="FONT-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">(1)</SUP></B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>per share</B><SUP style="FONT-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top"><B>(2)</B></SUP></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>price</B><SUP style="FONT-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top"><B>(2)</B></SUP></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>fee</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="1%" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
                    <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000"><DIV style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Common stock, no
par value</DIV></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">4,600,363</TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">$16.80</TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">$77,286,098.40</TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">$8,972.92</TD>
    <TD width="1%" style="border-top: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 1px" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left" colspan="15" style="border-top: 3px double #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(1)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the &#147;Securities Act&#148;), this Registration Statement on Form S-8 also
registers such additional common shares that become available pursuant
to the FirstMerit Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan in order to
prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or
similar transactions.</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(2)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the aggregate offering
price and the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h)
promulgated under the Securities Act and computed on the basis of
$16.80, which is the average of the high and low prices for a common
share of FirstMerit Corporation, as reported on the NASDAQ Global
Select Market on April&nbsp;16, 2011.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; margin-top: 10pt; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>













<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->&nbsp;<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always">&nbsp;</H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">










<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>PART I</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="Center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The documents containing the information specified in Part&nbsp;I of Form S-8 will be sent or given
to participants in the FirstMerit Corporation (&#147;FirstMerit&#148;) 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the
&#147;Plan&#148;) as specified by Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
&#147;Securities Act&#148;). In accordance with the instructions to Part&nbsp;I of Form S-8, such documents will
not be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;) either as part of this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this &#147;Registration Statement&#148;) or as prospectuses or prospectus
supplements pursuant to Rule&nbsp;424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item&nbsp;3 of Part&nbsp;II of this
Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of
Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>PART II</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="Center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Commission allows FirstMerit to &#147;incorporate by reference&#148; in this Registration Statement
the information in the documents that FirstMerit files with the Commission, which means that
important information can be disclosed to you by referring you to those documents. The information
incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this Registration Statement. The following
documents, filed by FirstMerit with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the &#147;Exchange Act&#148;), shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof:
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left"><B>&#149;</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>FirstMerit&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2010,
filed with the Commission on February&nbsp;25, 2011;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left"><B>&#149;</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>the Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by FirstMerit with the
Commission on April&nbsp;8, 2011 and April&nbsp;20,
2011; and</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left"><B>&#149;</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The description of FirstMerit&#146;s common shares contained in its Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the Commission on May&nbsp;14, 2010, or contained in any subsequent amendment or
report filed for the purpose of updating such description.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;All documents which may be filed by FirstMerit with the Commission pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, also shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by
reference and to be made a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Information
furnished to the Commission by FirstMerit under any Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration
Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;4. Description of Securities.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not Applicable.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The validity of the issuance of the FirstMerit common shares being registered on this
Registration Statement will be passed upon for FirstMerit by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP,
106 South Main Street, Suite&nbsp;1100,
</DIV>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->2<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always">&nbsp;</H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">Akron,
Ohio 44308. As of April 15, 2011, partners of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP and
attorneys employed by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP, together with members of their
immediate families, owned an aggregate of approximately 486,316 common shares of FirstMerit.
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<B>Ohio General Corporation Law</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section&nbsp;1701.13(E) of the Ohio Revised Code grants corporations broad powers to indemnify
directors, officers, employees and agents. Section&nbsp;1701.13(E) provides:
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent" align="right">(E)&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(1)&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>A corporation may indemnify or agree to indemnify any person who was or is a party,
or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending, or completed action,
suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, other
than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving
at the request of the corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member,
manager, or agent of another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit,
a limited liability company, or a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other
enterprise, against expenses, including attorney&#146;s fees, judgments, fines, and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such
action, suit, or proceeding, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he had no reasonable cause to believe
his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit, or proceeding by
judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in
good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,
he had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(2)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>A corporation may indemnify or agree to indemnify any person who was or
is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending, or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a
judgment in its favor, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer,
employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent of
another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit, a limited
liability company, or a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise,
against expenses, including attorney&#146;s fees, actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, if he
acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed
to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be
made in respect of any of the following:</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(a)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Any claim, issue, or matter as to which such person is adjudged
to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the
corporation unless, and only to the extent that, the court of common pleas or
the court in which such action or suit was brought determines, upon
application, that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all
the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for such expenses as the court of common pleas or such other court
shall deem proper;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(b)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Any action or suit in which the only liability asserted against
a director is pursuant to section 1701.95 of the Revised Code.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(3)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>To the extent that a director, trustee, officer, employee, member,
manager, or agent has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any
action, suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section,
or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, he shall be indemnified
against expenses, including attorney&#146;s fees, actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection with the action, suit, or proceeding.</TD>
</TR>




</TABLE>
</DIV>
<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->3<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">


<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt"><TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">


<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(4)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Any indemnification under division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section,
unless ordered by a court, shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in
the specific case, upon a determination that indemnification of the director,
trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent is proper in the
circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in
division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section. Such determination shall be made as
follows:</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(a)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>By a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors of the
indemnifying corporation who were not and are not parties to or threatened with
the action, suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this
section;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(b)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>If the quorum described in division (E)(4)(a) of this section
is not obtainable or if a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested directors
so directs, in a written opinion by independent legal counsel other than an
attorney, or a firm having associated with it an attorney, who has been
retained by or who has performed services for the corporation or any person to
be indemnified within the past five years;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(c)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>By the shareholders;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(d)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>By the court of common pleas or the court in which the action,
suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section was
brought.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt; margin-left: 2%">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any determination made by the disinterested directors under division (E)(4)(a) or by
independent legal counsel under division (E)(4)(b) of this section shall be promptly
communicated to the person who threatened or brought the action or suit by or in the right
of the corporation under division (E)(2) of this section, and, within ten days after receipt
of such notification, such person shall have the right to petition the court of common pleas
or the court in which such action or suit was brought to review the reasonableness of such
determination.
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="7%" align="right" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
<td width="1%">(5)</td>    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(a) &nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Unless at the time of a director&#146;s act or omission that is the subject of an
action, suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section,
the articles or the regulations of a corporation state, by specific reference to
this division, that the provisions of this division do not apply to the corporation
and unless the only liability asserted against a director in an action, suit, or
proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section is pursuant to
section 1701.95 of the Revised Code, expenses, including attorney&#146;s fees, incurred
by a director in defending the action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the
corporation as they are incurred, in advance of the final disposition of the
action, suit, or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
director in which he agrees to do both of the following:</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="12%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(i)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Repay such amount if it is proved by clear and
convincing evidence in a court of competent jurisdiction that his action or
failure to act involved an act or omission undertaken with deliberate
intent to cause injury to the corporation or undertaken with reckless
disregard for the best interests of the corporation;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="12%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(ii)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Reasonably cooperate with the corporation concerning
the action, suit, or proceeding.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="9%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(b)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Expenses, including attorney&#146;s fees, incurred by a director,
trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent in defending any action,
suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section, may
be paid by the corporation as they are incurred, in advance of the final
disposition of the action, suit, or proceeding, as authorized by the directors
in the specific case, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent to repay such
amount, if it ultimately is determined that he is not entitled to be
indemnified by the corporation.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(6)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The indemnification authorized by this section shall not be exclusive
of, and shall be in addition to, any other rights granted to those seeking
indemnification under the articles, the regulations, any agreement, a vote of
shareholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, both as to action in their
official capacities and as to action in another capacity while holding their
offices or positions, and</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>
<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->4<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">


<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt"><TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #textcolor#; background: #bgcolor#">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, trustee, officer,
employee, member, manager, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
executors, and administrators of such a person.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(7)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>A corporation may purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar
protection, including, but not limited to, trust funds, letters of credit, or
self-insurance, on behalf of or for any person who is or was a director, officer,
employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent of
another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit, a limited
liability company, or a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise,
against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such
capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation
would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under this section.
Insurance may be purchased from or maintained with a person in which the
corporation has a financial interest.</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(8)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The authority of a corporation to indemnify persons pursuant to
division (E)(1) or (2)&nbsp;of this section does not limit the payment of expenses as
they are incurred, indemnification, insurance, or other protection that may be
provided pursuant to divisions (E)(5),(6), and (7)&nbsp;of this section. Divisions
(E)(1) and (2)&nbsp;of this section do not create any obligation to repay or return
payments made by the corporation pursuant to division (E)(5),(6) or (7).</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(9)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>As used in division (E)&nbsp;of this section, &#147;corporation&#148; includes all
constituent entities in a consolidation or merger and the new or surviving
corporation, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee,
trustee, member, manager, or agent of such a constituent entity, or is or was
serving at the request of such constituent entity as a director, trustee, officer,
employee, member, manager, or agent of another corporation, domestic or foreign,
nonprofit or for profit, a limited liability company, or a partnership, joint
venture, trust, or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this
section with respect to the new or surviving corporation as he would if he had
served the new or surviving corporation in the same capacity.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of FirstMerit Corporation</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Article&nbsp;SIXTH of FirstMerit&#146;s Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as
amended (the &#147;Articles&#148;), governs the indemnification of our officers and directors. Article&nbsp;SIXTH
provides:
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The Corporation may indemnify any director or officer, any former director or officer of the
Corporation and any person who is or has served at the request of the Corporation as a director,
officer or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
(and his heirs, executors and administrators) against expenses, including attorneys&#146; fees,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by him by
reason of the fact that he is or was such director, officer or trustee in connection with any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, to the full extent permitted by applicable law, as the same may
be in effect from time to time. The indemnification provided for herein shall not be deemed to
restrict the right of the Corporation to (i)&nbsp;indemnify employees, agents and others as permitted
by such law, (ii)&nbsp;purchase and maintain insurance or provide similar protection on behalf of
directors, officers or such other persons against liabilities asserted against them or expenses
incurred by them arising out of their service to the Corporation as contemplated herein, and
(iii)&nbsp;enter into agreements with such directors, officers, employees, agents or others
indemnifying them against any and all liabilities (or such lesser indemnification as may be
provided in such agreements) asserted against them or incurred by them arising out of their
service to the Corporation as contemplated herein.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FirstMerit presently maintain indemnification agreements and contracts with each of our
directors and key officers, and maintains insurance for the benefit of persons entitled to
indemnification. The indemnification rights provided in Articles are in addition to any rights
provided by contract or as a matter of law.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not Applicable.
</DIV>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->5<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;8. Exhibits.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;See
the Index to Exhibits attached hereto and beginning on page 9.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;9. Undertakings.</B>
</DIV>


<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">A.</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="3%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(1)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement:</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="6%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(i)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>To include any prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="4%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(ii)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective
date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from
the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the
form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the &#147;Calculation of Registration Fee&#148;
table in the effective registration statement; and</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="4%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(iii)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution
not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement;</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD><I>Provided, however, </I>that paragraphs A(1)(i) and A(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed
with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="3%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(2)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="3%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">(3)</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">B.</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to
section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="left">C.</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B><I>&#091;SIGNATURE PAGE TO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW&#093;</I></B>
</DIV>




<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->6<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">




<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>SIGNATURES</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, FirstMerit certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Akron, State of Ohio, on April&nbsp;20, 2011.
</DIV>


<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="48%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="35%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
    <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left"><B>FirstMerit Corporation</B><BR>
&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD valign="top">By:&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000" align="left">/s/ Paul G. Greig
&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="2" align="left">Paul G. Greig, Chairman, President and Chief&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="2" align="left">Executive Officer&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->7<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">


<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="48%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="35%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has
been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on April&nbsp;20, 2011.
</DIV>
<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="40%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="10%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="50%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">Signature</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">Title</TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Paul G. Greig
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Paul G. Greig
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer<BR>
(Principal Executive Officer)</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Terrence E. Bichsel
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Terrence E. Bichsel
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer<BR>
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer)</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Steven H. Baer*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Steven H. Baer
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Karen S. Belden*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Karen S. Belden
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ R. Cary Blair*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
R. Cary Blair
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ John C. Blickle*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
John C. Blickle
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Robert W. Briggs*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Robert W. Briggs
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Richard Collela*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Richard Collela
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/Gina D. France*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Gina D. France
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Terry L. Haines*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Terry L. Haines
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ J. Michael Hochschwender*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
J. Michael Hochschwender
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Clifford J. Isroff*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Clifford J. Isroff
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">

<TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ Philip A. Lloyd II*
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Philip A. Lloyd II
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Director</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>



<DIV align="left">
<DIV style="font-size: 3pt; margin-top: 16pt; width: 18%; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="3%"></TD>
    <TD width="1%"></TD>
    <TD width="96%"></TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="top">
    <TD nowrap align="left">*</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The undersigned, by signing his name hereto, does hereby sign this Registration Statement on Form
S-8 on behalf of each of the directors of FirstMerit identified above pursuant to Powers of
Attorney executed by the directors identified above, which Powers of Attorney are filed with this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 as Exhibit&nbsp;24.1.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="40%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="10%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="50%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR></TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">/s/ J. Bret Treier
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Attorney-in-Fact</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">J. Bret Treier</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->8<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

<!-- PAGEBREAK -->
<P><HR noshade><P>
<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always">&nbsp;</H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">


<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>EXHIBIT INDEX</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="7%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="90%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left"><B>Exhibit</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Number</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Description</B></TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of FirstMerit Corporation, as amended
(incorporated by reference from Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter
ended March&nbsp;31, 2010 filed by FirstMerit Corporation on May&nbsp;10, 2010).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.2
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Second Amended and Restated Code of Regulations of FirstMerit Corporation as amended (incorporated by
reference from Exhibit&nbsp;3.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the quarter ended March&nbsp;31, 2010
filed by FirstMerit Corporation on May&nbsp;10, 2010).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">5.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Opinion of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered
(filed herewith).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">FirstMerit Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from FirstMerit
Corporation&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed with the Commission on April&nbsp;20, 2011.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Ernst &#038; Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Registrant (filed
herewith).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.2
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP (included as part of its opinion filed as Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">24.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Power of Attorney (filed herewith).</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio -->9<!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>

</BODY>
</HTML>
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sv8
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2011
Registration No. 333-__________
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
FirstMerit Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Ohio
34-1339938
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
III Cascade Plaza, Akron, Ohio
44308
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
FirstMerit Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)
Judith A. Steiner
Copy to:
Executive Vice President and Secretary
J. Bret Treier
FirstMerit Corporation
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
III Cascade Plaza
106 South Main Street, Suite 1100
Akron, Ohio 44308
Akron, Ohio 44308
(Name and address of agent for service)
(330) 996-6300
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer
þ
Accelerated filer
o
Non-accelerated filer
o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Smaller reporting company
o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Amount
Proposed maximum
Proposed maximum
Amount of
Title of securities
to be
offering price
aggregate offering
registration
to be registered
registered
(1)
per share
(2)
price
(2)
fee
Common stock, no
par value
4,600,363
$16.80
$77,286,098.40
$8,972.92
(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement on Form S-8 also
registers such additional common shares that become available pursuant
to the FirstMerit Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan in order to
prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or
similar transactions.
(2)
Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the aggregate offering
price and the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h)
promulgated under the Securities Act and computed on the basis of
$16.80, which is the average of the high and low prices for a common
share of FirstMerit Corporation, as reported on the NASDAQ Global
Select Market on April 16, 2011.
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given
to participants in the FirstMerit Corporation ("FirstMerit") 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the
"Plan") as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"). In accordance with the instructions to Part I of Form S-8, such documents will
not be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as part of this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this "Registration Statement") or as prospectuses or prospectus
supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this
Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of
Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The Commission allows FirstMerit to "incorporate by reference" in this Registration Statement
the information in the documents that FirstMerit files with the Commission, which means that
important information can be disclosed to you by referring you to those documents. The information
incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this Registration Statement. The following
documents, filed by FirstMerit with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Exchange Act"), shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof:
•
FirstMerit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010,
filed with the Commission on February 25, 2011;
•
the Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by FirstMerit with the
Commission on April 8, 2011 and April 20,
2011; and
•
The description of FirstMerit's common shares contained in its Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the Commission on May 14, 2010, or contained in any subsequent amendment or
report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All documents which may be filed by FirstMerit with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, also shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by
reference and to be made a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Information
furnished to the Commission by FirstMerit under any Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration
Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not Applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
The validity of the issuance of the FirstMerit common shares being registered on this
Registration Statement will be passed upon for FirstMerit by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP,
106 South Main Street, Suite 1100,
2
Akron,
Ohio 44308. As of April 15, 2011, partners of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP and
attorneys employed by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP, together with members of their
immediate families, owned an aggregate of approximately 486,316 common shares of FirstMerit.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Ohio General Corporation Law
Section 1701.13(E) of the Ohio Revised Code grants corporations broad powers to indemnify
directors, officers, employees and agents. Section 1701.13(E) provides:
(E)
(1)
A corporation may indemnify or agree to indemnify any person who was or is a party,
or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending, or completed action,
suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, other
than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving
at the request of the corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member,
manager, or agent of another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit,
a limited liability company, or a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other
enterprise, against expenses, including attorney's fees, judgments, fines, and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such
action, suit, or proceeding, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he had no reasonable cause to believe
his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit, or proceeding by
judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in
good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,
he had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(2)
A corporation may indemnify or agree to indemnify any person who was or
is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending, or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a
judgment in its favor, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer,
employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent of
another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit, a limited
liability company, or a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise,
against expenses, including attorney's fees, actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, if he
acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed
to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be
made in respect of any of the following:
(a)
Any claim, issue, or matter as to which such person is adjudged
to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the
corporation unless, and only to the extent that, the court of common pleas or
the court in which such action or suit was brought determines, upon
application, that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all
the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for such expenses as the court of common pleas or such other court
shall deem proper;
(b)
Any action or suit in which the only liability asserted against
a director is pursuant to section 1701.95 of the Revised Code.
(3)
To the extent that a director, trustee, officer, employee, member,
manager, or agent has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any
action, suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2) of this section,
or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, he shall be indemnified
against expenses, including attorney's fees, actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection with the action, suit, or proceeding.
3
(4)
Any indemnification under division (E)(1) or (2) of this section,
unless ordered by a court, shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in
the specific case, upon a determination that indemnification of the director,
trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent is proper in the
circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in
division (E)(1) or (2) of this section. Such determination shall be made as
follows:
(a)
By a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors of the
indemnifying corporation who were not and are not parties to or threatened with
the action, suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2) of this
section;
(b)
If the quorum described in division (E)(4)(a) of this section
is not obtainable or if a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested directors
so directs, in a written opinion by independent legal counsel other than an
attorney, or a firm having associated with it an attorney, who has been
retained by or who has performed services for the corporation or any person to
be indemnified within the past five years;
(c)
By the shareholders;
(d)
By the court of common pleas or the court in which the action,
suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2) of this section was
brought.
Any determination made by the disinterested directors under division (E)(4)(a) or by
independent legal counsel under division (E)(4)(b) of this section shall be promptly
communicated to the person who threatened or brought the action or suit by or in the right
of the corporation under division (E)(2) of this section, and, within ten days after receipt
of such notification, such person shall have the right to petition the court of common pleas
or the court in which such action or suit was brought to review the reasonableness of such
determination.
(5)
(a)
Unless at the time of a director's act or omission that is the subject of an
action, suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2) of this section,
the articles or the regulations of a corporation state, by specific reference to
this division, that the provisions of this division do not apply to the corporation
and unless the only liability asserted against a director in an action, suit, or
proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2) of this section is pursuant to
section 1701.95 of the Revised Code, expenses, including attorney's fees, incurred
by a director in defending the action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the
corporation as they are incurred, in advance of the final disposition of the
action, suit, or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
director in which he agrees to do both of the following:
(i)
Repay such amount if it is proved by clear and
convincing evidence in a court of competent jurisdiction that his action or
failure to act involved an act or omission undertaken with deliberate
intent to cause injury to the corporation or undertaken with reckless
disregard for the best interests of the corporation;
(ii)
Reasonably cooperate with the corporation concerning
the action, suit, or proceeding.
(b)
Expenses, including attorney's fees, incurred by a director,
trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent in defending any action,
suit, or proceeding referred to in division (E)(1) or (2) of this section, may
be paid by the corporation as they are incurred, in advance of the final
disposition of the action, suit, or proceeding, as authorized by the directors
in the specific case, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent to repay such
amount, if it ultimately is determined that he is not entitled to be
indemnified by the corporation.
(6)
The indemnification authorized by this section shall not be exclusive
of, and shall be in addition to, any other rights granted to those seeking
indemnification under the articles, the regulations, any agreement, a vote of
shareholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, both as to action in their
official capacities and as to action in another capacity while holding their
offices or positions, and
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shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, trustee, officer,
employee, member, manager, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
executors, and administrators of such a person.
(7)
A corporation may purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar
protection, including, but not limited to, trust funds, letters of credit, or
self-insurance, on behalf of or for any person who is or was a director, officer,
employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, or agent of
another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit, a limited
liability company, or a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise,
against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such
capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation
would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under this section.
Insurance may be purchased from or maintained with a person in which the
corporation has a financial interest.
(8)
The authority of a corporation to indemnify persons pursuant to
division (E)(1) or (2) of this section does not limit the payment of expenses as
they are incurred, indemnification, insurance, or other protection that may be
provided pursuant to divisions (E)(5),(6), and (7) of this section. Divisions
(E)(1) and (2) of this section do not create any obligation to repay or return
payments made by the corporation pursuant to division (E)(5),(6) or (7).
(9)
As used in division (E) of this section, "corporation" includes all
constituent entities in a consolidation or merger and the new or surviving
corporation, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee,
trustee, member, manager, or agent of such a constituent entity, or is or was
serving at the request of such constituent entity as a director, trustee, officer,
employee, member, manager, or agent of another corporation, domestic or foreign,
nonprofit or for profit, a limited liability company, or a partnership, joint
venture, trust, or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this
section with respect to the new or surviving corporation as he would if he had
served the new or surviving corporation in the same capacity.
Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of FirstMerit Corporation
Article SIXTH of FirstMerit's Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as
amended (the "Articles"), governs the indemnification of our officers and directors. Article SIXTH
provides:
The Corporation may indemnify any director or officer, any former director or officer of the
Corporation and any person who is or has served at the request of the Corporation as a director,
officer or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
(and his heirs, executors and administrators) against expenses, including attorneys' fees,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by him by
reason of the fact that he is or was such director, officer or trustee in connection with any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, to the full extent permitted by applicable law, as the same may
be in effect from time to time. The indemnification provided for herein shall not be deemed to
restrict the right of the Corporation to (i) indemnify employees, agents and others as permitted
by such law, (ii) purchase and maintain insurance or provide similar protection on behalf of
directors, officers or such other persons against liabilities asserted against them or expenses
incurred by them arising out of their service to the Corporation as contemplated herein, and
(iii) enter into agreements with such directors, officers, employees, agents or others
indemnifying them against any and all liabilities (or such lesser indemnification as may be
provided in such agreements) asserted against them or incurred by them arising out of their
service to the Corporation as contemplated herein.
FirstMerit presently maintain indemnification agreements and contracts with each of our
directors and key officers, and maintains insurance for the benefit of persons entitled to
indemnification. The indemnification rights provided in Articles are in addition to any rights
provided by contract or as a matter of law.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not Applicable.
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Item 8. Exhibits.
See
the Index to Exhibits attached hereto and beginning on page 9.
Item 9. Undertakings.
A.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)
To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement:
(i)
To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;
(ii)
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective
date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from
the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the
form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee"
table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii)
To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution
not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement;
Provided, however,
that paragraphs A(1)(i) and A(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed
with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement.
(2)
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933,
each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
B.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to
section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
C.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW]
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, FirstMerit certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Akron, State of Ohio, on April 20, 2011.
FirstMerit Corporation
By:
/s/ Paul G. Greig
Paul G. Greig, Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has
been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on April 20, 2011.
Signature
Title
/s/ Paul G. Greig
Paul G. Greig
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Terrence E. Bichsel
Terrence E. Bichsel
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer)
/s/ Steven H. Baer*
Steven H. Baer
Director
/s/ Karen S. Belden*
Karen S. Belden
Director
/s/ R. Cary Blair*
R. Cary Blair
Director
/s/ John C. Blickle*
John C. Blickle
Director
/s/ Robert W. Briggs*
Robert W. Briggs
Director
/s/ Richard Collela*
Richard Collela
Director
/s/Gina D. France*
Gina D. France
Director
/s/ Terry L. Haines*
Terry L. Haines
Director
/s/ J. Michael Hochschwender*
J. Michael Hochschwender
Director
/s/ Clifford J. Isroff*
Clifford J. Isroff
Director
/s/ Philip A. Lloyd II*
Philip A. Lloyd II
Director
*
The undersigned, by signing his name hereto, does hereby sign this Registration Statement on Form
S-8 on behalf of each of the directors of FirstMerit identified above pursuant to Powers of
Attorney executed by the directors identified above, which Powers of Attorney are filed with this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 as Exhibit 24.1.
/s/ J. Bret Treier
Attorney-in-Fact
J. Bret Treier
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
Description
4.1
Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of FirstMerit Corporation, as amended
(incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2010 filed by FirstMerit Corporation on May 10, 2010).
4.2
Second Amended and Restated Code of Regulations of FirstMerit Corporation as amended (incorporated by
reference from Exhibit 3.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010
filed by FirstMerit Corporation on May 10, 2010).
5.1
Opinion of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered
(filed herewith).
10.1
FirstMerit Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from FirstMerit
Corporation's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on April 20, 2011.
23.1
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Registrant (filed
herewith).
23.2
Consent of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP (included as part of its opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1).
24.1
Power of Attorney (filed herewith).
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