Legal opinion

How it is used

In banking and corporate deals, lenders often require legal opinions on 'capacity and authority' and 'enforceability' from lawyers in each relevant country. Lawyers 'give', 'issue' or 'render' an opinion, usually based on stated 'assumptions' and 'qualifications'. In England a barrister's written advice is called 'counsel's opinion'.

Example sentences

1. The bank will not release the funds until it receives a legal opinion from Turkish counsel.

2. Please send us your legal opinion on whether the clause is valid under local law.

Common collocations

• issue a legal opinion
• enforceability opinion
• capacity opinion
• counsel's opinion
• opinion letter

Related terms

• legal adviceGuidance from a qualified lawyer about what the law means for a particular person's situation and what options they have.
• memorandumA written document, often called a memo, in which a lawyer analyses a legal question and gives conclusions, usually for a colleague, a partner or a client.
• counselThe lawyer or lawyers who represent a party in court; in the UK it often means a barrister. A lawyer employed by a company is called in-house counsel.
• draftTo write a legal document such as a contract, letter or court submission, usually as a first version that others will review and change.
• law firmA business in which lawyers work together to provide legal services to clients, often organised as a partnership.

More terms: Legal Writing & Drafting

• clause
• provision
• shall
• pursuant to
• brief
• cite
• draw up
• hereinafter
• notwithstanding
• hereby
• thereof
• deem