EXHIBIT 5(b)
[LETTERHEAD OF RICHARDS, LAYTON & FINGER]
December 3, 1996
Wells Fargo Capital I
c/o Wells Fargo & Company
420 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94163
Re: Wells Fargo Capital I
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel for Wells Fargo & Company, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Wells Fargo Capital I, a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), in connection with the matters set forth herein.
At your request, this opinion is being furnished to you.
For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our
examination of documents has been limited to the examination of originals or
copies of the following:
(a) The Certificate of Trust of the Trust, dated as of October 30,
1996, as filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
(the "Secretary of State") on October 30, 1996;
(b) The Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of October 30, 1996,
among the Company, as Depositor, and the trustee of the Trust named therein;
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December 3, 1996
Page 2
(c) The Appointment of Substitute Trustees, dated as of November 20,
1996, among the resigning trustee of the Trust and the additional trustees of
the Trust named therein;
(d) The Restated Certificate of Trust of the Trust, dated as of
November 20, 1996 (the "Certificate"), as filed in the office of the Secretary
of State on November 20, 1996;
(e) The Removal and Appointment of Trustee of the Trust, dated as of
December 2, 1996;
(f) Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (the "Registration
Statement") on Form S-3, including a preliminary prospectus (the "Prospectus")
and preliminary prospectus supplement, relating to the __% Cumulative Quarterly
Income Preferred Securities, Series A, of the Trust representing preferred
undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust (each, a "Preferred
Security" and collectively, the "Preferred Securities"), as proposed to be filed
by the Company, the Trust and others as set forth therein with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on or about December 3, 1996;
(g) A form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, to
be entered into among the Company, as Depositor, the trustees of the Trust named
therein, and the holders, from time to time, of undivided beneficial interests
in the assets of the Trust (including Exhibits A, C and E thereto)(the "Trust
Agreement"), attached as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and
(h) A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated December 3,
1996, obtained from the Secretary of State.
Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are
used as defined in the Trust Agreement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents other
than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (h) above. In particular, we
have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed in paragraphs
(a) through (h) above) that is referred to in or incorporated by reference into
the documents reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists no provision in
any document that we have not reviewed that is inconsistent with the opinions
stated herein. We have conducted no independent factual investigation of our own
but rather have relied solely upon the foregoing documents, the statements and
information set forth therein and the additional
Wells Fargo Capital I
December 3, 1996
Page 3
matters recited or assumed herein, all of which we have assumed to be true,
complete and accurate in all material respects.
With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i)
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii)
the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or
forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that the Trust
Agreement and the Certificate are in full force and effect and have not been
amended, (ii) except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due
creation or due organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid
existence in good standing of each party to the documents examined by us under
the laws of the jurisdiction governing its creation, organization or formation,
(iii) the legal capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents
examined by us, (iv) that each of the parties to the documents examined by us
has the power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its
obligations under, such documents, (v) the due authorization, execution and
delivery by all parties thereto of all documents examined by us, (vi) the
receipt by each Person to whom a Preferred Security is to be issued by the Trust
(collectively, the "Preferred Security Holders") of a Preferred Securities
Certificate for such Preferred Security and the payment for the Preferred
Security acquired by it, in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the
Registration Statement, and (vii) that the Preferred Securities are issued and
sold to the Preferred Security Holders in accordance with the Trust Agreement
and the Registration Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and assume no responsibility for its contents.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware
(excluding the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not
considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction,
including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions
are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and
orders thereunder that are currently in effect.
Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such
questions of law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered
necessary or appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications,
limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in
good standing as a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act.
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December 3, 1996
Page 4
2. The Preferred Securities will represent valid and, subject to the
qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 below, fully paid and nonassessable
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
3. The Preferred Security Holders, as beneficial owners of the
Trust, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to
stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We note that the Preferred Security
Holders may be obligated to make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.
We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In addition, we
hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading "Validity of Securities"
in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing consents, we do not thereby admit
that we come within the category of Persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. Except as
stated above, without our prior written consent, this opinion may not be
furnished or quoted to, or relied upon by, any Person for any purpose.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Richards, Layton & Finger