Exhibit 1.2


                                1,200,000 SHARES

                                BANK UNITED CORP.

                            SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------
                                                                  August 6, 1999

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
Three World Financial Center
New York, New York 10285

Ladies and Gentlemen:

            Bank United Corp., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company")  proposes
to sell an aggregate of 1,200,000  shares (the " Stock") of the Company's Series
A preferred stock, liquidation preference $50 per share (the "Preferred Stock").
This is to confirm the agreement  concerning  the purchase of the Stock from the
Company by Lehman  Brothers Inc.  (the  "Underwriter").  Capitalized  terms used
herein without  definition  shall be used as defined in the Final Prospectus (as
hereinafter defined).

            1.  REPRESENTATIONS,  WARRANTIES  AND  AGREEMENTS  OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents, warrants and agrees that:

            (a) A registration  statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-75937),  and
      an amendment or amendments thereto,  with respect to the offering and sale
      of securities  of the Company,  including the Stock have (i) been prepared
      by the Company in conformity  with the  requirements of the Securities Act
      of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"), and the rules and regulations
      (the "Rules and  Regulations")  of the Securities and Exchange  Commission
      (the "Commission")  thereunder,  (ii) been filed with the Commission under
      the Securities Act and (iii) become  effective  under the Securities  Act.
      The  registration  statement,  as amended  at the date of this  Agreement,
      meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities
      Act and  complies  in all other  material  respects  with such  Rule.  The
      Company proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
      the Securities Act ("Rule  424(b)") a supplement to the form of prospectus
      included in the registration statement relating to the initial offering of
      the Stock and the plan of distribution  thereof and has previously advised
      you of all further  information  (financial and other) with respect to the
      Company to be set forth therein.  The term "Registration  Statement" means
      the registration  statement,  as amended at the date of this Agreement and
      as amended from time to time  hereafter,  including the exhibits  thereto,
      and all documents incorporated therein by


                                                                          2


     reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 (the "Incorporated Documents"),
     and the prospectus, in the form in which it appeared in the Registration
     Statement at the time the Registration Statement became effective,
     including the Incorporated Documents, is hereinafter referred to as the
     "Basic Prospectus"; and such supplemented form of prospectus, in the form
     in which it shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
     (including the Basic Prospectus as so supplemented), is hereinafter called
     the "Final Prospectus". The form of preliminary prospectus included in
     Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement as filed with the Commission
     on July 29, 1999, including the form of preliminary prospectus supplement
     dated July 29, 1999 relating to the Stock which was also included therein,
     is hereinafter referred to as the "Preliminary Prospectus". Any reference
     herein to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the
     Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the Incorporated
     Documents which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
     amended (the "Exchange Act"), on or before the date of this Agreement, the
     issue date of the Preliminary Prospectus or the issue date of the Final
     Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms
     "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration
     Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be
     deemed to refer to and include the filing of any Incorporated Documents
     under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement or the issue date
     of the Basic Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final
     Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by
     reference. Copies of the Registration Statement (including any amendment or
     amendments to such Registration Statement have been delivered by the
     Company to the Underwriter.

            (b) (i) Each document,  if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the
      Exchange Act and  incorporated  by reference in the Interim  Prospectus or
      Final  Prospectus  complied or will  comply when so filed in all  material
      respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of
      the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became
      effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable,
      will not contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state
      a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary to make the
      statements  therein  not  misleading,  (iii)  the  Preliminary  Prospectus
      complied and the Registration  Statement and the Final Prospectus  comply,
      and,  as  amended  or  supplemented,  if  applicable,  will  comply in all
      material  respects with the Securities  Act and the Rules and  Regulations
      and  (iv)  the  Preliminary  Prospectus  did not  contain  and  the  Final
      Prospectus  does not contain  and,  as it may be amended or  supplemented,
      will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
      material fact  necessary in order to make the statements  therein,  in the
      light of the  circumstances  under  which they are made,  not  misleading;
      PROVIDED  THAT no  representation  and warranty is made as to  information
      contained in or omitted from the Registration  Statement,  the Preliminary
      Prospectus or the Final Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with
      written information concerning the Underwriter furnished to the Company by
      the Underwriter or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for inclusion
      therein;  and the  Commission  has  not  issued  an  order  preventing  or
      suspending  the  use  of  the  Registration  Statement,   the  Preliminary
      Prospectus or the Final Prospectus.


                                                                           3


            (c) The accountants  who certified the financial  statements and any
      supporting  schedules thereto included or incorporated by reference in the
      Registration  Statement  and the Final  Prospectus,  and who delivered the
      letters  referred to in Section 7(g) of this  Agreement,  are  independent
      public  accountants  as required by the  Securities  Act and the Rules and
      Regulations.

            (d)  The   consolidated   financial   statements   included  in  the
      Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, together with the related
      schedules  and  notes,   present  fairly  in  all  material  respects  the
      consolidated  financial  position  of the  Company  and  its  consolidated
      subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the results of operations, changes
      in stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated
      subsidiaries  for the periods  specified;  said financial  statements have
      been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting  principles
      ("GAAP") applied on a consistent  basis  throughout the periods  involved,
      except  as may be  noted  therein.  The  selected  financial  data and the
      summary  financial  information  included in the Final Prospectus  present
      fairly in all material  respects the  information  shown  therein and have
      been  compiled on a basis  consistent  with that of the audited  financial
      statements included in the Registration Statement.

            (e) Since the respective  dates as of which  information is given in
      the Registration  Statement and the Final Prospectus,  except as otherwise
      stated  therein,  (i) there  has been no  material  adverse  change in the
      earnings,  stockholders' equity, business affairs or business prospects of
      the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,  whether or
      not arising in the ordinary  course of  business,  (ii) there have been no
      transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other
      than those in the  ordinary  course of business,  which are material  with
      respect to the Company and its subsidiaries  considered as one enterprise,
      and (iii)  except for regular  quarterly  dividends on the common stock of
      the Company or on the Series A Preferred Stock of Bank United (the "Bank")
      or on the Series B Preferred  Stock of the Bank or on the Common  Stock of
      the Bank in amounts  per share  that are  consistent  with past  practice,
      there has been no dividend or distribution  of any kind declared,  paid or
      made by the Bank or the Company on any class of its capital stock.

            (f) The Company and each of its  subsidiaries,  including  the Bank,
      has been duly  organized and is validly  existing as a corporation or as a
      federal  savings bank, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws
      of its jurisdiction and has all necessary corporate power and authority to
      own,  lease and operate  its  properties  and to conduct  its  business as
      described in the Final Prospectus, the Company has all necessary corporate
      power and authority to enter into and perform its  obligations  under this
      Agreement;  and the Company and each of its subsidiaries is duly qualified
      as a foreign  corporation to transact  business and is in good standing in
      each other jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,  whether
      by reason of the  ownership  or  leasing  of  property  or the  conduct of
      business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing
      would not have a material  adverse  effect on the  consolidated  financial
      position,   stockholders'  equity,


                                                                          4


     results of operations, business or prospects of the Company and its
     subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (a "Material Adverse Effect").

            (g) (i) The Bank is the only "significant subsidiary" of the Company
      (as  such  term is  defined  in Rule  1-02 of  Regulation  S-X).  The only
      subsidiaries  of the  Company  other  than the  Bank are the  wholly-owned
      subsidiaries of the Bank listed on Schedule 1 hereto which,  considered in
      the aggregate as a single  subsidiary,  do not  constitute a  "significant
      subsidiary"  as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X. The activities of
      all  of  the  Bank's  subsidiaries  are  permitted  to  subsidiaries  of a
      federally chartered savings bank, the deposits of which are insured by the
      Savings Association Insurance Fund ("SAIF"),  which is administered by the
      Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC").

              (ii) All of the issued and  outstanding  capital stock of the Bank
      and each  subsidiary  of the Bank has been  duly  authorized  and  validly
      issued,  is  fully  paid  and  non-assessable  and,  except  as  otherwise
      disclosed in the Final  Prospectus,  and other than the Series A Preferred
      Stock of the Bank and the Series B Preferred  Stock of the Bank,  is owned
      by the Company,  directly or through  subsidiaries,  free and clear of any
      security interest,  mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance,  claim or equity;
      none of the  outstanding  shares of capital  stock of any  subsidiary  was
      issued  in  violation  of  the   preemptive  or  similar   rights  of  any
      securityholder of such subsidiary.

            (h) The  authorized,  issued and  outstanding  capital  stock of the
      Company  is as set  forth  in  the  Final  Prospectus  under  the  caption
      "Capitalization"  (except for subsequent  issuances,  if any,  pursuant to
      reservations,  agreements  or employee  benefit  plans  referred to in the
      Final Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock have
      been  duly   authorized   and  validly  issued  and  are  fully  paid  and
      non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock was issued
      in  violation  of  the   preemptive  or  other   similar   rights  of  any
      securityholder of the Company.

            (i) This Agreement has been duly authorized,  executed and delivered
      by the Company.

            (j) The Stock has been duly  authorized  by the  Company  and,  when
      issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein,  will be
      duly and validly issued,  fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to
      the  preemptive  or other  similar  rights  of any  person;  and the Stock
      conforms  to all  statements  relating  thereto  contained  in  the  Final
      Prospectus  and such  description  conforms to the rights set forth in the
      instruments defining the same.

            (k) Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has  sustained
      since the date of the latest  audited  financial  statements  included  or
      incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus any loss or interference
      with its business from fire, explosion,  flood or other calamity,  whether
      or not  covered  by  insurance,  or from  any  labor  dispute  or court or
      governmental  action,  order or  decree,  otherwise  than as set  forth or
      contemplated  in the  Prospectus  or as would  not  result  in a  Material
      Adverse  Effect;  and,  since  such date  there


                                                                          5


     has not been any material  change in the capital stock or long-term debt of
     the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material  adverse change,  or
     any development  involving a prospective  material  adverse  change,  in or
     affecting   the   general   affairs,   management,    financial   position,
     stockholders'  equity or  results  of  operations  of the  Company  and its
     subsidiaries,  otherwise  than as set  forth or  contemplated  in the Final
     Prospectus.

          (l) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of
     its charter or by-laws or in default in the  performance  or  observance of
     any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
     indenture,  mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement,  note, lease
     or other  agreement  or  instrument  to  which  the  Company  or any of its
     subsidiaries  is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound,  or to
     which any of the assets,  properties or operations of the Company or any of
     its subsidiaries is subject  (collectively,  "Agreements and Instruments"),
     except  for such  defaults  that  would not  result in a  Material  Adverse
     Effect;  and the execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement and
     the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby and compliance by
     the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all
     necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without
     the  giving  of  notice  or  passage  of time  or  both,  conflict  with or
     constitute  a breach of, or default or Repayment  Event (as defined  below)
     under,  or result in the  creation  or  imposition  of any lien,  charge or
     encumbrance upon any assets, properties or operations of the Company or any
     of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any Agreements and Instruments (except for
     such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that
     would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result
     in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company
     or any of its  subsidiaries  or (except for such  violations that would not
     result in a Material  Adverse  Effect) any applicable law,  statute,  rule,
     regulation,  judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,  government
     instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
     Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or any of their assets,  properties or
     operations.  As used  herein,  a  "Repayment  Event"  means  any  event  or
     condition  which gives the holder of any note,  debenture or other evidence
     of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to
     require (whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or
     both) the  repurchase,  redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such
     indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

          (m)  No  labor  dispute  with  the  employees  of the  Company  or any
     subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the
     Company is not aware of any existing or imminent  labor  disturbance by the
     employees  of  any  of  its  or  any  subsidiary's   principal   suppliers,
     manufacturers,  customers  or  contractors,  which,  in  either  case,  may
     reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

          (n) There is no action,  suit,  proceeding,  inquiry or  investigation
     before or brought by any court or governmental  agency or body, domestic or
     foreign,  now pending,  or, to the  knowledge  of the Company,  threatened,
     against  or  affecting  the  Company  or  any of  its  subsidiaries,  which
     individually or in the aggregate for all such actions, suits,


                                                                               6


     proceedings, inquiries or investigations is required to be disclosed in the
     Registration  Statement (other than as disclosed  therein),  or which might
     reasonably  be expected to result in a Material  Adverse  Effect,  or which
     might  reasonably  be  expected  to  materially  and  adversely  affect the
     consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement or the
     performance by the Company of its obligations  hereunder;  the aggregate of
     all pending legal or  governmental  proceedings to which the Company or any
     of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective property
     or  assets  is the  subject  which are not  described  in the  Registration
     Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business
     of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could not reasonably be expected
     to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any of its
     subsidiaries  is  a  party  to  any  written  agreement  or  memorandum  of
     understanding  with, or  commitment  letter or similar  undertaking  to, or
     subject  to any  order  or  directive  issued  by,  or a  recipient  of any
     extraordinary supervisory letter from, or has adopted any board resolutions
     at the request of, any federal or state government agency or authority with
     responsibility for the supervision or regulation of depository institutions
     or their holding companies or the insurance of deposits,  which in any such
     case  materially  restricts  the  conduct of its  business or in any manner
     relates to its capital adequacy, its credit policies or its management, nor
     has  the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  been  advised  by any  such
     regulatory  authority  that it is  contemplating  issuing or requesting any
     such  order,  decree,  written  agreement,   memorandum  of  understanding,
     extraordinary supervisory letter, commitment letter or similar undertakings
     or board  resolutions.

          (o) There are no  contracts  or  documents  which are  required  to be
     described  in the  Registration  Statement,  the  Final  Prospectus  or the
     documents  incorporated  by  reference  therein or to be filed as  exhibits
     thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

          (p) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on
     reasonable terms, adequate patents,  patent rights,  licenses,  inventions,
     copyrights,  know-how  (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
     unpatentable   proprietary   or   confidential   information,   systems  or
     procedures),  trademarks,  service marks, trade names or other intellectual
     property (collectively,  "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the
     business  now  operated  by them,  and  neither  the Company nor any of its
     subsidiaries  has  received  any  notice  or  is  otherwise  aware  of  any
     infringement  of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to
     any  Intellectual  Property  or of any facts or  circumstances  which would
     render any  Intellectual  Property  invalid or  inadequate  to protect  the
     interest  of the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  therein,  and which
     infringement  or  conflict  (if the  subject of any  unfavorable  decision,
     ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate,
     would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

          (q) No filing with,  or  authorization,  approval,  consent,  license,
     order, registration,  qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
     authority or agency,  including,  without limitation,  the Office of Thrift
     Supervision  (the "OTS") and the FDIC,  is


                                                                               7


     necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations
     hereunder in connection  with the offering or sale of the Stock  hereunder,
     for the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or for the
     other transactions described in the Registration Statement,  except such as
     have been already  obtained or will have been obtained or made prior to the
     Closing Date (as defined  below) or as may be required under the Securities
     Act or the Rules and Regulations or state securities laws.

            (r) The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses,
      approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively,  "Governmental
      Licenses")  issued by the  appropriate  federal,  state,  local or foreign
      regulatory  agencies  or bodies  necessary  to conduct  the  business  now
      operated by them; the Company and its  subsidiaries are in compliance with
      the terms and conditions of all such Governmental  Licenses,  except where
      the failure so to comply  would not,  singly or in the  aggregate,  have a
      Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in
      full force and effect,  except when the  invalidity  of such  Governmental
      Licenses or the failure of such Governmental  Licenses to be in full force
      and effect  would not have a Material  Adverse  Effect;  and  neither  the
      Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings
      relating  to the  revocation  or  modification  of any  such  Governmental
      Licenses  which,  singly  or  in  the  aggregate,  if  the  subject  of an
      unfavorable  decision,  ruling or  finding,  would  result  in a  Material
      Adverse Effect.

            (s) The Company and its subsidiaries  have good and marketable title
      to all real, tangible and intangible property reflected in the most recent
      balance sheet included in the Final Prospectus as owned by the Company and
      its subsidiaries  and good title to all other properties  reflected in the
      most recent  balance  sheet  included in the Final  Prospectus as owned by
      them,  in each  case,  free and clear of all  mortgages,  pledges,  liens,
      security  interests,  claims,  restrictions  or  encumbrances  of any kind
      except such as (i) are  described in the Final  Prospectus or (ii) do not,
      singly or in the aggregate,  materially  affect the value of such property
      and do not  interfere  with the use made and  proposed  to be made of such
      property by the Company or any of its  subsidiaries;  or, with  respect to
      any such real property,  render title  unmarketable  as to a material part
      thereof and all of the leases and  subleases  material to the  business of
      the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise, and under
      which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in
      the Final  Prospectus,  are in full  force and  effect,  and  neither  the
      Company nor any  subsidiary  has any notice of any  material  claim of any
      sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company
      or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or
      affecting or questioning  the rights of the Company or such  subsidiary to
      the  continued  possession of the leased or subleased  premises  under any
      such lease or sublease.

            (t)  The  Company  is not,  and  upon the  issuance  and sale of the
      Stock as  contemplated  herein and the  application  of the net proceeds
      therefrom  as  described  in  the  Final  Prospectus  will  not  be,  an
      "investment  company"  or  an  entity  "controlled"  by  an  "investment
      company"  as such terms are defined in the U.S.  Investment  Company Act
      of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").


                                                                               8


           (u)  Except as  described  in the Final Prospectus  and  Registration
      Statement or except as would not, singly or in the aggregate,  result in a
      Material  Adverse  Effect,   (i)  neither  the  Company  nor  any  of  its
      subsidiaries  is in  violation  of any  federal,  state,  local or foreign
      statute, law, rule, regulation,  ordinance, code, policy or rule of common
      law or any judicial or administrative  interpretation  thereof,  including
      any  judicial  or  administrative  order,  consent,  decree  or  judgment,
      relating to pollution  or  protection  of human  health,  the  environment
      (including,  without limitation,  ambient air, surface water, groundwater,
      land  surface  or  subsurface  strata)  or  wildlife,  including,  without
      limitation,  laws and  regulations  relating to the release or  threatened
      release of chemicals, pollutants,  contaminants, wastes, toxic substances,
      hazardous  substances,  petroleum  or  petroleum  products  (collectively,
      "Hazardous  Materials") or to the manufacture,  processing,  distribution,
      use,  treatment,  storage,  disposal,  transport  or handling of Hazardous
      Materials (collectively,  "Environmental Laws"), (ii) the Company and each
      of its subsidiaries  have all permits,  authorizations  and approvals
      required  under  any  applicable   Environmental  Laws  and  are  each  in
      compliance with their requirements,  (iii) there are no pending or, to the
      knowledge  of  the  Company,  threatened  administrative,   regulatory  or
      judicial actions, suits, demands,  demand letters,  claims, liens, notices
      of  noncompliance or violation,  investigation or proceedings  relating to
      any  Environmental  Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and
      (iv) to the knowledge of the Company there are no events or  circumstances
      that  might  reasonably  be  expected  to form the  basis of an order  for
      clean-up or remediation,  or an action,  suit or proceeding by any private
      party or governmental body or agency,  against or affecting the Company or
      any  of  its   subsidiaries   relating  to  Hazardous   Materials  or  any
      Environmental Laws.

           (v) Except as described in the Registration Statement or as set forth
      in any document or agreement  described in the  Registration  Statement as
      containing such rights,  there are no persons with registration  rights or
      other similar  rights to have any  securities  registered  pursuant to the
      Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company or the Bank,
      under the Securities Act or otherwise.

           (w)  Each of the Company and the Bank  maintains a system of internal
      accounting controls  sufficient to provide reasonable  assurances that (i)
      transactions  are executed in  accordance  with  management's  general or
      specific  authorization;  (ii)  transactions  are recorded as necessary to
      permit preparation of financial  statements in conformity with GAAP and to
      maintain  accountability  for assets;  (iii) access to assets is permitted
      only in accordance with  management's  general or specific  authorization;
      and (iv) the recorded  accountability for assets is compared with existing
      assets at  reasonable  intervals  and  appropriate  action  is taken  with
      respect to any differences.

           (x)  To the  knowledge of the Company,  neither the Company, the Bank
      nor any  employee or agent of the Company or the Bank has made any payment
      of funds of the Company or the Bank or  received or retained  any funds in
      violation  of any law,  rule or  regulation,  which  payment,  receipt  or
      retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Final
      Prospectus.


                                                                           9


           (y)  Each of the  Company  and the  Bank  has  filed  all tax returns
      required  to be filed,  which  returns  are  complete  and  correct in all
      material respects,  and each of the Company and the Bank is not in default
      in the payment of any taxes which were payable pursuant to said returns or
      any assessments with respect thereto.

           (z)  In  the  event  the  Company  shall  become  either  directly or
      indirectly a bank holding company for purposes of the Bank Holding Company
      Act of 1956, as amended (the "BHC Act") and the rules and  regulations  of
      the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System  thereunder (the "BHC
      Rules"),  the current  activities of the Company and its  subsidiaries (as
      defined  in the BHC  Rules)  would be  activities  permissible  for a bank
      holding company under the BHC Act and the BHC Rules.

           (aa)  The  Company  has not  taken  and will  not  take,  directly or
      indirectly,  any action designed to, or that might be reasonably  expected
      to, cause or result in  stabilization  or manipulation of the price of the
      Stock.

           (aa) The Company has satisfied the  conditions  for use of Form S-3,
      as set forth in the General Instructions thereto.

            2.  PURCHASE  OF THE STOCK BY THE  UNDERWRITER.  On the basis of the
representations  and  warranties  contained  in,  and  subject  to the terms and
conditions of, this  Agreement,  the Company agrees to sell 1,200,000  shares of
the Stock to the Underwriter and the  Underwriter  agrees to purchase  1,200,000
shares of the Stock.

            The price of the Stock shall be $49.30 per share.

            The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Stock to be
delivered on the Delivery Date (as hereinafter  defined) except upon payment for
all the Stock to be purchased on the Delivery Date as provided herein.

            3. OFFERING OF STOCK BY THE UNDERWRITER. The Underwriter proposes to
offer the Stock  for sale upon the terms and  conditions  set forth in the Final
Prospectus.

            4.  DELIVERY OF AND  PAYMENT FOR THE STOCK.  Delivery of and payment
for the Stock  shall be made at the office of Simpson  Thacher & Bartlett at 425
Lexington  Avenue,  New York,  New York at 8:30 A.M., New York City time, on the
second full business day  following the date of this  Agreement or at such other
date or place as shall be determined by agreement  between the  Underwriter  and
the  Company.  This date and time are  sometimes  referred  to as the  "Delivery
Date."  On the  Delivery  Date,  the  Company,  through  the  facilities  of The
Depository Trust Company  ("DTC"),  shall deliver,  or cause to be delivered,  a
securities  entitlement  with  respect to the Stock to the  Underwriter  against
payment  to or upon  the  order of the  Company  of the  purchase  price by wire
transfer of same-day  funds to a bank account  designated  by the Company.  Time
shall be of the essence,  and delivery at the time and place specified  pursuant
to this


                                                                           10


Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of the Underwriter hereunder.
Upon  delivery,  the Stock  shall be  registered  in the name of Cede & Co.,  as
nominee for DTC.

            5. FURTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company agrees:

           (a)  To  prepare the  Final  Prospectus  in a  form  approved  by the
      Underwriter and to file such Prospectus  pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
      Securities  Act not later than the  Commission's  close of business on the
      second   business  day  following  the  execution  and  delivery  of  this
      Agreement;  to  make  no  further  amendment  or  any  supplement  to  the
      Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus except as permitted herein;
      to advise the Underwriter,  promptly after it receives notice thereof,  of
      the time when any amendment to the  Registration  Statement has been filed
      or becomes  effective or any  supplement  to the Final  Prospectus  or any
      amended  Final  Prospectus  has been filed and to furnish the  Underwriter
      with copies thereof;  to timely file all reports and any definitive  proxy
      or  information  statements  required to be filed by the Company  with the
      Commission  pursuant to Section 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange
      Act subsequent to the date of the Final  Prospectus and for so long as the
      delivery of a prospectus  is required in  connection  with the offering or
      sale of the Stock; to advise the  Underwriter,  promptly after it receives
      notice thereof,  of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of
      any order preventing or suspending the use of the Final Prospectus, of the
      suspension of the  qualification  of the Stock for offering or sale in any
      jurisdiction,  of the  initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any
      such  purpose,  or of any request by the  Commission  for the  amending or
      supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or for
      additional  information;  and,  in the event of the  issuance  of any stop
      order  or of any  order  preventing  or  suspending  the use of the  Final
      Prospectus or suspending any such qualification,  to use promptly its best
      efforts to obtain its withdrawal;

           (b)  To furnish  promptly  to the  Underwriter and to counsel for the
      Underwriter  a signed copy of the  Registration  Statement  as  originally
      filed  with the  Commission,  and each  amendment  thereto  filed with the
      Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith;


           (c)  To  deliver  promptly  to  the  Underwriter  such  number of the
      following  documents as the  Underwriter  shall  reasonably  request:  (i)
      conformed  copies of the  Registration  Statement as originally filed with
      the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits
      other than this  Agreement,  the  computation  of the ratio of earnings to
      fixed charges and the computation of per share  earnings),  (ii) the Final
      Prospectus  (not  later than 5:00  P.M.,  New York City  time,  of the day
      following the execution and delivery of this Agreement) and any amended or
      supplemented  Final  Prospectus  (not later  than 5:00 P.M.  New York City
      time, on the day following the date of such amendment or  supplement)  and
      (iii) any document incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus
      or the Final Prospectus (excluding exhibits thereto); and, if the delivery
      of a  prospectus  is  required  at any  time  after  the  date  hereof  in
      connection with the offering or sale of the Stock or any other  securities
      relating  thereto and if at such time any event  shall have  occurred as a
      result of which the Final Prospectus as then


                                                                          11


     amended or  supplemented  would include any untrue  statement of a material
     fact or omit to state  any  material  fact  necessary  in order to make the
     statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
     made when the Final Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any
     other  reason it shall be  necessary  during  such same  period to amend or
     supplement  the Final  Prospectus  or to file  under the  Exchange  Act any
     document  incorporated  by  reference in the Final  Prospectus  in order to
     comply  with  the  Securities  Act or  the  Exchange  Act,  to  notify  the
     Underwriter  and, upon its request,  to prepare and to file such amendment,
     supplement  or  document,  to  cause  any  amendment  of  the  Registration
     Statement  containing an amended Final  Prospectus to be made  effective as
     soon  as  possible  and  to  prepare  and  furnish  without  charge  to the
     Underwriter  and  to  any  dealer  in  securities  as  many  copies  as the
     Underwriter  may from time to time  reasonably  request  of an  amended  or
     supplemented Final Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission
     or effect such compliance;

           (d)  To file  promptly  with  the  Commission  any  amendment  to the
      Registration  Statement or the Final  Prospectus or any  supplement to the
      Final  Prospectus  that  may,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Company  or the
      Underwriter,  be  required  by  the  Securities  Act or  requested  by the
      Commission;

           (e)  Prior  to  filing  with  the  Commission  any  amendment  to the
      Registration  Statement or supplement to the Final  Prospectus,  including
      any document incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus, to furnish
      a copy  thereof to the  Underwriter  and counsel for the  Underwriter  and
      obtain the consent of the Underwriter to the filing;

           (f) Timely file such reports pursuant to the Securities  Exchange Act
      of 1934,  as amended (the  "Exchange  Act"),  as are necessary in order to
      make generally  available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an
      earnings  statement  for the  purposes  of,  and to provide  the  benefits
      contemplated  by, the last  paragraph of Section  11(a) of the  Securities
      Act;

           (g)  For a period of five years  following the effective  date of the
      Registration  Statement,  to  furnish  to the  Underwriter  copies  of all
      materials  furnished  by the  Company to its  shareholders  and all public
      reports and all reports and financial  statements furnished by the Company
      to the  principal  national  securities  exchange upon which the Company's
      common stock may be listed  pursuant to requirements of or agreements with
      such  exchange or to the  Commission  pursuant to the  Exchange Act or any
      rule or regulation of the Commission thereunder;

           (h) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Underwriter
      may  reasonably  request to qualify the Stock for  offering and sale under
      the securities laws of such  jurisdictions  as the Underwriter may request
      and to comply with such laws so as to permit the  continuance of sales and
      dealings therein in such  jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to
      complete  the  distribution  of the  Stock;  PROVIDED  that in  connection
      therewith  the  Company  shall not be  required  to  qualify  as a foreign
      corporation  or to file a general  consent  to  service  of process in any
      jurisdiction;


                                                                        12


           (i)  For a period from the date of this Agreement to the later of (A)
      the  Delivery  Date and (B) the date on which  selling  restrictions  have
      terminated (and in no event ending later than 30 days from the date of the
      Final  Prospectus),  not to,  directly or indirectly,  (1) offer for sale,
      sell,  pledge or otherwise  dispose of (or enter into any  transaction  or
      device  which is  designed  to,  or could be  expected  to,  result in the
      disposition  by any person at any time in the future of) (i) any Preferred
      Stock, (ii) any securities that are substantially similar to the Stock, or
      (iii)  any  securities  that are  convertible  into,  or  exchangeable  or
      exercisable for, any of the foregoing, or (2) enter into any swap or other
      derivatives  transaction  that transfers to another,  in whole or in part,
      any of the  economic  benefits or risks of ownership of the Stock or other
      Preferred  Stock or  similar  securities,  whether  any  such  transaction
      described  in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by  delivery of the
      Stock or other Preferred Stock or similar  securities or other securities,
      in cash or otherwise,  in each case without the prior  written  consent of
      the Underwriter, other than pursuant to this Agreement or the Underwriting
      Agreement  between  the  Company  and Lehman  Brothers  Inc.  relating  to
      2,000,000 Corporate Premium Income Equity Securities; and

           (j)  To use the net  proceeds  received  by it from  the  sale of the
      Stock  pursuant to this  Agreement  in the manner  specified  in the Final
      Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds."

            6. EXPENSES.  The Company agrees to pay (a) the fees,  disbursements
and expenses of the Company's  counsel and  accountants  in connection  with the
registration  of the Stock under the  Securities  Act and all other  expenses in
connection  with  the  preparation,  printing  and  filing  of the  Registration
Statement,  the Preliminary  Prospectus and the Final  Prospectus and amendments
and supplements thereto; (b) the costs incident to the authorization,  issuance,
sale and delivery of the Stock and any taxes  payable in  connection  therewith;
(c) the  costs  incident  to the  preparation,  printing  and  filing  under the
Securities  Act of the  Registration  Statement and any  amendments and exhibits
thereto; (d) the costs of distributing the Registration  Statement as originally
filed and each  amendment  thereto  and any  post-effective  amendments  thereof
(including,  in each case,  exhibits),  the  Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Final
Prospectus  and any  amendment  or  supplement  to any  such  prospectus  or any
document  incorporated by reference therein,  all as provided in this Agreement;
(e) the costs of  reproducing  and  distributing  this  Agreement  and any other
related documents in delivery of the Stock; (f) any applicable  listing or other
fees;  (g) the fees and expenses of  qualifying  the Stock under the  securities
laws of the several  jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(h) and of preparing,
printing and  distributing  a Blue Sky  Memorandum  (including  related fees and
expenses of counsel to the  Underwriter  ); (h) the filing fees and any expenses
of legal counsel incident to any required review by the National  Association of
Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  of the terms of the sale of the Stock;  (i) any fees
charged by  securities  rating  services  for  rating the Stock (or any  related
security);  (j) transfer taxes payable in connection  with the sale of the Stock
to the  Underwriter;  and (k) all  other  costs  and  expenses  incident  to the
performance  of the  obligations of the Company under this  Agreement;  PROVIDED
that,  except as provided in this Section 6, the  Underwriter  shall pay its own
costs and


                                                                          13


expenses, including the costs and expenses of its counsel, any transfer taxes on
the Stock which it may sell and the expenses of advertising  any offering of the
Stock made by the Underwriter.

            7. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITER'S  OBLIGATIONS.  The obligations of the
Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Delivery
Date, of the  representations  and warranties of the Company contained herein or
in  certificates  of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
delivered  pursuant to the provisions  hereof, to the performance by the Company
of its covenants and other obligations  hereunder,  and to each of the following
additional terms and conditions:

           (a)   As  of  the  Delivery   Date,  no  stop  order  suspending  the
      effectiveness of the  Registration  Statement shall have been issued under
      the Securities  Act, and no  proceedings  for that purpose shall have been
      instituted or be pending or threatened by the Commission,  and any request
      on the part of the Commission for additional  information  shall have been
      complied  with.  The  Final  Prospectus  shall  have been  filed  with the
      Commission in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof.

           (b)  On the Delivery  Date,  the  Underwriter shall have received the
      favorable  opinion,  dated as of the Delivery  Date, of Wachtell,  Lipton,
      Rosen & Katz, counsel for the Company, in form and substance  satisfactory
      to  counsel  for the  Underwriter  to the  effect  set forth in  Exhibit A
      hereto.

           (c)  On the Delivery  Date,  the  Underwriter shall have received the
      favorable opinion, dated as of such Delivery Date, of Jonathon K. Heffron,
      Esq., General Counsel for the Company, in form and substance  satisfactory
      to  counsel  for the  Underwriter,  to the  effect  set forth in Exhibit B
      hereto.

           (d)  On the Delivery  Date,  the  Underwriter shall have received the
      favorable  opinion,  dated as of such Delivery Date, of Simpson  Thacher &
      Bartlett,  counsel for the  Underwriter,  with respect to the Registration
      Statement,  Final  Prospectus and other related matters as the Underwriter
      may reasonably request.

           (e)  The Underwriter shall not have discovered and promptly disclosed
      to the  Company on or prior to such  Delivery  Date that the  Registration
      Statement or the Final  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement  thereto
      contains any untrue  statement of a fact which,  in the opinion of Simpson
      Thacher & Bartlett,  counsel for the Underwriter,  is material or omits to
      state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel,  is material and (i)
      is  required  to be  stated  therein  or (ii)  is  necessary  to make  the
      statements therein not misleading.

           (f) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the
      authorization,  form  and  validity  of this  Agreement,  the  Stock,  the
      Registration  Statement  and the Final  Prospectus,  and all  other  legal
      matters  relating  to this  Agreement  and the  transactions  contemplated
      hereby,  shall be  reasonably  satisfactory  in all  material  respects to
      counsel for the Underwriter,  and the Company shall have furnished to such
      counsel all documents


                                                                          14


     and  information  that they may  reasonably  request to enable them to pass
     upon such matters.

           (g) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall
      have  received  letters  from each of  Deloitte & Touche LLP and KPMG Peat
      Marwick  LLP,  in form  and  substance  satisfactory  to the  Underwriter,
      addressed to the Underwriter and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that
      they  are  independent  public  accountants  within  the  meaning  of  the
      Securities  Act and are in  compliance  with the  applicable  requirements
      relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation
      S-X of the  Commission,  (ii)  stating,  as of the date hereof  (or,  with
      respect to matters involving changes or developments  since the respective
      dates as of which  specified  financial  information is given in the Final
      Prospectus,  as of a date  not  more  than  five  days  prior  to the date
      hereof),  the  conclusions  and  findings of such firm with respect to the
      financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants'
      "comfort  letters" to underwriters  in connection  with registered  public
      offerings.

           (h)  With respect to the letters of Deloitte & Touche LLP and of KPMG
      Peat Marwick LLP referred to in the  preceding  paragraph and delivered to
      the  Underwriter  concurrently  with the execution of this  Agreement (the
      "initial  letters"),  the Company shall have furnished to the  Underwriter
      letters (the "bring-down  letters") of such accountants,  addressed to the
      Underwriter  and dated as of such Delivery Date confirming in all material
      respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letters.

            (i)  The  Company   shall  have   furnished  to  the   Underwriter a
      certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of its Chairman of the Board or its
      President and its chief financial officer stating that:

                 (i)   The  representations,  warranties  and  agreements of the
            Company in Section 1 are true and correct as of such Delivery  Date;
            the Company has complied with all its agreements  contained  herein;
            and the conditions set forth in Section 7(a) have been fulfilled;

                 (ii)  They have carefully  examined the  Registration Statement
            and the Final  Prospectus and, in their opinion (A) the Registration
            Statement and the Final  Prospectus,  as of such Delivery  Date, did
            not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit
            to  state  any  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
            necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  and (B)
            since the date of this Agreement, no event has occurred which should
            have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration
            Statement or the Final Prospectus.

           (j) On the Delivery Date, counsel for the Underwriter shall have been
      furnished  with such  documents  as they may  require  for the  purpose of
      enabling  them to pass upon the  issuance  and sale of the Stock as herein
      contemplated,  or other legal matters incident to the authorization,  form
      and validity of this Agreement, the Stock, the Registration


                                                                          15


     Statement,  the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus or in order
     to evidence the accuracy of any of the  representations  or warranties,  or
     the  fulfillment  of any of  the  conditions,  herein  contained,  and  all
     proceedings  taken by the Company in connection  with the issuance and sale
     of the  Stock as  herein  contemplated  shall be  satisfactory  in form and
     substance to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter.

           (k) There  shall not have  been, since the date  hereof or since the
      respective dates as of which information is given in the Final Prospectus,
      any material adverse change in the condition,  financial or otherwise,  or
      in the consolidated  financial position,  stockholders' equity, results of
      operations,  business or  prospects  of the  Company and its  subsidiaries
      considered  as one  enterprise,  whether or not  arising  in the  ordinary
      course of business.

           (l) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (i) no
      downgrading  shall have  occurred in the rating  accorded the Company's or
      any  significant  subsidiary's  debt  securities or preferred stock by any
      "nationally recognized  statistical rating organization",  as that term is
      defined by the  Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the Rules and
      Regulations and (ii) no such  organization  shall have publicly  announced
      that  it  has  under  surveillance  or  review,   with  possible  negative
      implications,  its  rating  of  any of the  Company's  or any  significant
      subsidiary's debt securities or preferred stock.

           (m)  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there
      shall not have  occurred any of the  following:  (i) trading in securities
      generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or
      in the  over-the-counter  market,  or  trading  in any  securities  of the
      Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been
      suspended  or  minimum  prices  shall  have been  established  on any such
      exchange  or such  market by the  Commission,  by such  exchange or by any
      other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction,  (ii)
      a  banking  moratorium  shall  have  been  declared  by  Federal  or state
      authorities,  (iii)  the  United  States  shall  have  become  engaged  in
      hostilities,  there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving
      the United  States or there  shall have been a  declaration  of a national
      emergency  or war by the United  States or (iv) there  shall have
      occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or
      financial conditions  (or the effect of  international  conditions  on the
      financial markets in the United States shall be such) as to make it, in
      the judgment of the  Underwriter,  impracticable  or  inadvisable  to
      proceed with the public  offering  or  delivery of the Stock on the terms
      and in the manner contemplated in the Final Prospectus.

            All opinions,  letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere  in this  Agreement  shall  be  deemed  to be in  compliance  with the
provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to counsel for the Underwriter.

            8.    INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.


                                                                          16



    (a)  The Company  shall  indemnify  and hold  harmless the  Underwriter, its
officers and  employees  and each person,  if any, who controls the  Underwriter
within the meaning of the  Securities  Act,  from and  against any loss,  claim,
damage  or  liability,  joint or  several,  or any  action  in  respect  thereof
(including,  but not limited to, any loss,  claim,  damage,  liability or action
relating  to  purchases  and  sales of the  Stock),  to which  the  Underwriter,
officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities
Act or  otherwise,  insofar as such loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action
arises out of, or is based  upon,  (i) any untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue
statement of a material fact contained (A) in the  Registration  Statement,  the
Preliminary  Prospectus  or  the  Final  Prospectus,  or  in  any  amendment  or
supplement  thereto,  or (B) in any  blue  sky  application  or  other  document
prepared or  executed  by the  Company  (or based upon any  written  information
furnished by the Company)  specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all
of the Stock under the securities laws of any state or other  jurisdiction  (any
such application,  document or information being hereinafter  called a "Blue Sky
Application") Blue Sky Application,  or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state in the  Registration  Statement,  the Preliminary  Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus,  or in any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto,  or in any  Blue Sky
Application any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements  therein not misleading,  and shall reimburse the Underwriter and
each such officer,  employee or controlling  person promptly upon demand for any
legal  or  other  expenses  reasonably  incurred  by the  Underwriter,  officer,
employee or controlling  person in connection with investigating or defending or
preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as
such expenses are  incurred;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that the Company shall not be
liable  under this  Section  8(a) in any such case to the  extent  that any such
loss,  claim,  damage,  liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any
untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement or omission or alleged  omission
made in the  Registration  Statement,  the  Preliminary  Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus,  or in  any  such  amendment  or  supplement,  or in  any  Blue  Sky
Application  in  reliance  upon  and  in  conformity  with  written  information
concerning  the  Underwriter  furnished  to the  Company  by or on behalf of the
Underwriter  specifically for inclusion therein; and PROVIDED FURTHER that as to
the  Preliminary  Prospectus  this  indemnity  agreement  shall not inure to the
benefit of the Underwriter,  its officers or employees or any person controlling
the  Underwriter  on account of any loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action
arising  from the sale of the  Stock to any  person  by the  Underwriter  if the
Underwriter failed to send or give a copy of the Final Prospectus to that person
within the time  required by the  Securities  Act,  and the untrue  statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact or omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact in the  Preliminary  Prospectus was corrected in the Final
Prospectus, unless such failure resulted from non-compliance by the Company with
Section 5(c). The foregoing  indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability
which the Company  may  otherwise  have to the  Underwriter  or to any  officer,
employee or controlling person of the Underwriter.

    (b)  The  Underwriter  shall  indemnify  and hold  harmless the Company, its
officers and  employees,  each of its  directors  and each  person,  if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities  Act, from and against
any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect
thereof,  to which the  Company or any such  director,  officer  or  controlling
person may become  subject,  under the Securities  Act or otherwise,  insofar as
such loss, claim,  damage,  liability or action arises out of, or is based upon,
(i) any  untrue


                                                                           17


statement or alleged  untrue  statement of a material fact  contained (A) in the
Registration Statement,  the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus,  or
in any amendment or supplement  thereto,  or (B) in any Blue Sky  Application or
(ii) the omission or alleged  omission to state in the  Registration  Statement,
the  Preliminary  Prospectus  or the Final  Prospectus,  or in any  amendment or
supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky Application any material fact required to
be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not  misleading,
but in each case only to the extent that the untrue  statement or alleged untrue
statement  or omission  or alleged  omission  was made in  reliance  upon and in
conformity with written information  concerning the Underwriter furnished to the
Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter  specifically for inclusion  therein,
and shall  reimburse the Company and any such  director,  officer or controlling
person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action as such expenses are incurred. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in
addition  to any  liability  which the  Underwriter  may  otherwise  have to the
Company or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.

    (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified  party under this Section 8 of
notice of any claim or the  commencement of any action,  the  indemnified  party
shall,  if a claim in respect  thereof is to be made  against  the  indemnifying
party  under this  Section 8,  notify the  indemnifying  party in writing of the
claim or the commencement of that action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to
notify the  indemnifying  party shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have  under  this  Section  8 except to the  extent  it has been  materially
prejudiced by such failure. If any such claim or action shall be brought against
an indemnified  party, and it shall notify the indemnifying  party thereof,  the
indemnifying  party shall be entitled to participate  therein and, to the extent
that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to
assume  the  defense  thereof  with  counsel  reasonably   satisfactory  to  the
indemnified  party.  After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified
party of its  election  to assume  the  defense  of such  claim or  action,  the
indemnifying  party  shall not be liable to the  indemnified  party  under  this
Section  8 for  any  legal  or  other  expenses  subsequently  incurred  by  the
indemnified  party in connection  with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that the Underwriter shall have the
right to employ counsel to represent  jointly the  Underwriter and its officers,
employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of
any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Underwriter against
the  Company  under  this  Section  8 if,  in  the  reasonable  judgment  of the
Underwriter, it is advisable for the Underwriter and its officers, employees and
controlling persons to be jointly  represented by separate counsel,  and in that
event  the fees  and  expenses  of such  separate  counsel  shall be paid by the
Company.  No  indemnifying  party shall (i) without the prior written consent of
the  indemnified  parties  (which consent shall not be  unreasonably  withheld),
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
pending or  threatened  claim,  action,  suit or  proceeding in respect of which
indemnification  or  contribution  may be sought  hereunder  (whether or not the
indemnified  parties  are actual or  potential  parties to such claim or action)
unless such settlement,  compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim,  action,
suit or  proceeding,  or (ii) be liable for any  settlement  of any such  action
effected  without its written  consent (which consent shall not be  unreasonably
withheld),  but if settled with the


                                                                         18


written consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment of the
plaintiff in any such action,  the  indemnifying  party agrees to indemnify  and
hold  harmless any  indemnified  party from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement or judgment.

    (d)  If the  indemnification  provided for in this  Section  8 shall for any
reason be unavailable to or insufficient  to hold harmless an indemnified  party
under Section 8(a) or 8(b) in respect of any loss,  claim,  damage or liability,
or any action in respect thereof,  referred to therein,  then each  indemnifying
party shall, in lieu of indemnifying  such indemnified  party under Section 8(a)
or 8(b),  as the case may be, in respect of any loss,  claim damage or liability
or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein,  contribute to the amount
paid or  payable  by such  indemnified  party as a result of such  loss,  claim,
damage or liability, or action in respect thereof referred to in Section 8(a) or
8(b),  as the case may be, (i) in such  proportion  as shall be  appropriate  to
reflect the  relative  benefits  received by the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriter  on the  other  from  the  offering  of the  Stock  or  (ii)  if the
allocation  provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable  law, in
such  proportion  as is  appropriate  to reflect not only the relative  benefits
referred  to in clause (i) above but also the  relative  fault of the Company on
the one hand and the  Underwriter on the other with respect to the statements or
omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability,  or action in
respect thereof,  as well as any other relevant  equitable  considerations.  The
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on
the  other  with  respect  to such  offering  shall be  deemed to be in the same
proportion  as the total net proceeds  from the offering of the Stock  purchased
under this Agreement (before deducting  expenses) received by the Company on the
one hand, and the total underwriting  discounts and commissions  received by the
Underwriter  with  respect  to the  shares of the  Stock  purchased  under  this
Agreement, on the other hand, bear to the total gross proceeds from the offering
of the shares of the Stock  under this  Agreement,  in each case as set forth on
the cover of the Final  Prospectus.  The relative  fault shall be  determined by
reference to whether the untrue or alleged  untrue  statement of a material fact
or omission or alleged  omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or the Underwriter,  the intent of the parties and their
relative knowledge,  access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.  The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would
not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to
be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation  which
does not take into  account  the  equitable  considerations  referred to in this
Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified  party as a result of
the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof,  referred to
above in this  Section  8(d) shall be deemed to  include,  for  purposes of this
Section  8(d),  any  legal  or  other  expenses   reasonably  incurred  by  such
indemnified party in connection with  investigating or defending any such action
or claim.  Notwithstanding  the provisions of this Section 8(d), the Underwriter
shall not be required to contribute  any amount in excess of the amount by which
the total price at which the Stock  underwritten  by it and  distributed  to the
public was offered to the public  exceeds  the amount of any  damages  which the
Underwriter  has otherwise  paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within  the  meaning  of  Section  11(f)  of the
Securities  Act) shall be entitled to  contribution  from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

                                                                          19

     (e)  The  Underwriter  confirms  and  the  Company  acknowledges  that  the
statements  with  respect to the public  offering of the Stock set forth on the
cover page of, and under the caption  "Underwriting"  in, the Final  Prospectus
are correct and  constitute  the only  information  concerning  the  Underwriter
furnished  in  writing  to  the  Company   specifically  for  inclusion  in  the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus.

     9.  TERMINATION.  The  obligations  of  the  Underwriter  hereunder  may be
terminated  by the  Underwriter  by notice  given to and received by the Company
prior to delivery of and  payment for the Stock if,  prior to that time,  any of
the events  described in Sections  7(k),  7(l) or 7(m) shall have occurred or if
the  Underwriter  shall  decline to purchase the Stock for any reason  permitted
under this Agreement.

            10. NOTICES, ETC. All statements,  requests,  notices and agreements
hereunder shall be in writing, and:

         (a)  if to the Underwriter, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex
      or facsimile transmission to Lehman Brothers Inc., Three World Financial
      Center, New York, New York 10285, Attention: Syndicate Department (Fax:
      212-526-6588) with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section
      8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Lehman
      Brothers Inc., Three World Financial Center, 10th Floor, New York, New
      York 10285;

         (b)  if to the Company, shall be  delivered  or sent by mail,  telex or
     facsimile  transmission  to the  address  of the  Company  set forth in the
     Registration  Statement,   Attention:   Jonathon  K.  Heffron,  Esq.  (Fax:
     713-543-7744);

Any such  statements,  requests,  notices or agreements shall take effect at the
time of receipt thereof.

            11. PERSONS  ENTITLED TO BENEFIT OF AGREEMENT.  This Agreement shall
inure to the  benefit of and be binding  upon the  Underwriter,  the Company and
their  respective  successors  ans  assigns.  This  Agreement  and the terms and
provisions  hereof are for the sole benefit of only those  persons,  except that
(A) the representations,  warranties,  indemnities and agreements of the Company
contained  in this  Agreement  shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the
person or persons,  if any,  who control the  Underwriter  within the meaning of
Section  15 of the  Securities  Act  and  (B)  the  indemnity  agreement  of the
Underwriter  contained in Section 8(b) of this  Agreement  shall be deemed to be
for the benefit of directors of the Company and officers of the Company who have
signed the Registration  Statement and any person controlling the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the  Securities  Act.  Nothing in this Agreement is
intended  or shall be  construed  to give any  person,  other  than the  persons
referred to in this  Section 11, any legal or equitable  right,  remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

          12. SURVIVAL. The respective indemnities, representations,  warranties
     and  agreements  of the  Company  and  the  Underwriter  contained  in this
     Agreement or made by or on


                                                                         20


behalf of them,  respectively,  pursuant to this  Agreement,  shall  survive the
delivery of and payment for the Stock and shall remain in full force and effect,
regardless  of any  investigation  made  by or on  behalf  of any of them or any
person controlling any of them.

            13.  DEFINITION OF THE TERMS  "BUSINESS DAY" AND  "SUBSIDIARY".  For
purposes of this  Agreement,  (a)  "business  day" means each  Monday,  Tuesday,
Wednesday,  Thursday or Friday which is not a day on which banking  institutions
in New York are generally  authorized or obligated by law or executive  order to
close and (b)  "subsidiary"  has the  meaning set forth in Rule 405 of the Rules
and Regulations.

            14. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF NEW YORK.

            15.  COUNTERPARTS.  This  Agreement  may be  executed in one or more
counterparts  and,  if  executed  in more  than one  counterpart,  the  executed
counterparts  shall each be deemed to be an original  but all such  counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

            16.  HEADINGS.  The headings  herein are inserted for convenience of
reference  only and are not  intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or
interpretation of, this Agreement.

            17. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION.  Each party irrevocably agrees that any
legal suit, action or proceeding  arising out of or based upon this Agreement or
the transactions  contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of
the United  States of  America  located in the City of New York or the courts of
the State of New York in each case  located in the Borough of  Manhattan  in the
City of New York (collectively, the "Specified Courts"), and irrevocably submits
to the exclusive  jurisdiction  (except for proceedings  instituted in regard to
the enforcement of a judgment of any such court,  as to which such  jurisdiction
is  non-exclusive)  of such courts in any such suit,  action or proceeding.  The
parties further agree that service of any process,  summons,  notice or document
by mail to such  party's  address  as set forth in  Section  10 hereof  shall be
effective service of process for any lawsuit, action or other proceeding brought
in any such court. The parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally  waive any
objection to the laying of venue of any lawsuit,  action or other  proceeding in
the Specified Courts, and hereby further irrevocably and  unconditionally  waive
and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such lawsuit,  action
or  other  proceeding  brought  in  any  such  court  has  been  brought  in  an
inconvenient forum.



                                                                          21


            If the  foregoing  correctly  sets forth the  agreement  between the
Company  and the  Underwriter,  please  indicate  your  acceptance  in the space
provided for that purpose below.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    BANK UNITED CORP.

                                    By  /s/ Barry C. Burkholder
                                        -------------------------
                                        Name:  Barry C. Burkholder
                                        Title: President and CEO

Accepted:

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.

By /s/ Mark H. Burton
  ------------------------
  Name:  Mark H. Burton
  Title: Managing Director
 AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE






                                                                         22

                                   SCHEDULE 1

                              List of Subsidiaries

BANK UNITED CORP. SUBSIDIARIES

     BNKU Holdings, Inc.

     BUC Reinsurance Company

     BUC Acquisition II Corporation

BNKU HOLDINGS, INC. SUBSIDIARIES

     Bank United

     BUC Title Ventures, Inc.

BANK UNITED SUBSIDIARIES

     Commonwealth United Mortgage Company

     United Agency Corporation

     United Capital Management Corporation

     United Greenway Securities Services, Inc.

     United Mortgage Securities Corporation

     United Mortgage Securities, Inc.

     USAT Mortgage Securities, Inc.

     Bank United Securities Corp.

UNITED AGENCY CORPORATION SUBSIDIARY

     Commonwealth General Services Agency, Inc.




                                                                               1

                                                                       Exhibit A

                               FORM OF OPINION OF
                        WACHTELL, LIPTON, ROSEN & KATZ
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 7(b)

     (i)  The Company  has been duly incorporated  and is validly  existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     (ii)  The  Company  has  corporate  power and  authority  to own, lease and
operate its  properties  and to conduct its  business as  described in the Final
Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting
Agreement. The activities of each of the Company's subsidiaries are permitted to
subsidiaries of a savings and loan holding company.

     (iii) The Bank is the only "significant subsidiary" of the Company (as such
term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X). The only  subsidiaries  of the
Company other than the Bank are the wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Bank listed
on Schedule 1 to the Underwriting  Agreement which,  considered in the aggregate
as a single subsidiary,  do not constitute a "significant subsidiary" as defined
in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

     (iv)  The  Company  has an  authorized  capitalization  as set forth in the
Final  Prospectus.  The shares of issued and  outstanding  capital  stock of the
Company,  including the shares of Stock to be purchased by the Underwriter  from
the Company, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable;  and none of the  outstanding  shares  of  capital  stock of the
Company,  including the shares of Stock to be purchased by the Underwriter  from
the Company,  was issued in violation of any  preemptive or other similar rights
of any securityholder of the Company.

      (v) The Stock has been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and
delivered against payment therefor as provided herein,  will be duly and validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to the preemptive or other
similar rights of any person; and the Stock conforms to all statements  relating
thereto  contained in the Final Prospectus and such description  conforms to the
rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

     (vi)  The  Registration  Statement  has been declared  effective  under the
Securities Act; the Final  Prospectus was filed with the Commission  pursuant to
Rule  424(b) in the manner and within the time period  required by Rule  424(b);
and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the  Registration  Statement  has been issued  under the  Securities  Act and no
proceedings  for that purpose have been  instituted or are pending or threatened
by the Commission.

     (vii)  The Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, and each amendment
or supplement to the  Registration  Statement  and the Final  Prospectus,  as of
their respective  effective or issue dates (other than the financial  statements
and supporting  schedules included


                                                                               2




therein or omitted therefrom,  as to which we express no opinion) complied as to
form in all material  respects with the  requirements  of the Securities Act and
the Rules and Regulations.

     (viii)  The  information  in  the  Final   Prospectus  under  the  captions
"Description of the Preferred Stock," "Description of Offered Securities" and in
the  Registration   Statement  under  "Part  II.  Information  Not  Required  in
Prospectus--Item  14.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers," to the extent
that such  information  constitutes  summaries  of  certain  terms of  documents
referred  to  therein,  constitute  accurate  summaries  of the  terms  of  such
documents in all material respects.

     (ix)  The  information in the Final  Prospectus  under the caption  "United
States Federal  Income Tax  Consequences,"  to the extent that such  information
purports to constitute  summaries of matters of United  States  federal tax laws
and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto,  constitute  accurate
summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects.

     (x)  To the best of our  knowledge,  there are no statutes  or  regulations
that are required to be described in the Final Prospectus that are not described
as required.

     (xi)   Neither  the  Company,   the  Bank  nor  any  of  their   respective
subsidiaries  is in  violation of its charter or by-laws and, to the best of our
knowledge,  no  default  by the  Company,  the Bank or any of  their  respective
subsidiaries  exists  in the  due  performance  or  observance  of any  material
obligation,   agreement,  covenant  or  condition  contained  in  any  contract,
indenture,   mortgage,  loan  agreement,  note,  lease  or  other  agreement  or
instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the
Final Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

     (xii)  No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order,
registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency,  domestic or foreign  including,  without  limitation,  the OTS and FDIC
(other than under the Securities Act and the Rules and  Regulations,  which have
been  obtained,  or as may be required  under the securities or blue sky laws of
the various states,  as to which we express no opinion) is necessary or required
for the  performance by the Company of its  obligations  under the  Underwriting
Agreement  in  connection  with the offering or sale of the Stock by the Company
under the  Underwriting  Agreement,  for the  consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement.

      (xiii)  The  execution,  delivery  and  performance  of  the  Underwriting
Agreement by the Company,  the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated
thereby,   and  compliance  by  the  Company  with  its  obligations  under  the
Underwriting  Agreement  have been duly  authorized by all  necessary  corporate
action and do not and will not result in any violation of the  provisions of the
charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries,  or any applicable
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of
any  government,  governmental  instrumentality  or court,  domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Company.  The Underwriting  Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

      (xiv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no persons with registration
rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the
Registration  Statement  or  otherwise  registered  by  the  Company  under  the
Securities Act, except as described in


                                                                               3


Registration  Statement or as set forth in any  agreement  described  therein as
containing such rights.

     (xv)  The Company is not, and upon the sale of the Stock as contemplated in
the Underwriting  Agreement and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as
described in the Final  Prospectus  will not be, an  "investment  company" or an
entity "controlled" by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the
1940 Act.

      Nothing has come to our  attention  that would lead us to believe that the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements
and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as
to which we make no statement),  at the time such Registration  Statement or any
such amendment  became  effective,  contained an untrue  statement of a material
fact or  omitted  to state a  material  fact  required  to be stated  therein or
necessary  to make the  statements  therein  not  misleading  or that the  Final
Prospectus  or  any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto  (except  for  financial
statements and schedules and other  financial  data included  therein or omitted
therefrom,  as to which we make no statement),  at the time the Final Prospectus
was issued,  at the time any such amended or supplemented  Final  Prospectus was
issued or at the Closing  Date,  included or includes an untrue  statement  of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

      In  rendering  such  opinion,  such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
(but  not  as to  legal  conclusions),  to  the  extent  they  deem  proper,  on
certificates of responsible  officers of the Company and public officials.  Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions,  including,  without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA  Section of  Business  Law  (1991).  All terms used but not  defined in this
exhibit should have the meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting  Agreement
and should be defined accordingly in the form of opinion to be delivered.





                                                                               1

                                                                       Exhibit B

                               FORM OF OPINION OF
                               JONATHON K. HEFFRON
                         GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE COMPANY,
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 7(c)

      (i) The Company has been duly  incorporated  and is validly  existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

      (ii) The Company  has  corporate  power and  authority  to own,  lease and
operate its  properties  and to conduct its  business as  described in the Final
Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting
Agreement. The activities of each of the Company's subsidiaries are permitted to
subsidiaries of a savings and loan company.

      (iii) The Bank is the only  "significant  subsidiary"  of the  Company (as
such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X). The only  subsidiaries of
the Company other than the Bank are the  wholly-owned  subsidiaries  of the Bank
listed on Schedule 1 to the  Underwriting  Agreement,  which,  considered in the
aggregate as a single subsidiary,  do not constitute a "significant  subsidiary"
as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X. The  activities of all of the Bank's
subsidiaries  are permitted to  subsidiaries  of a federally  chartered  savings
bank, the deposits of which are insured by the SAIF,  which is  administered  by
the FDIC.

      (iv)  The  Bank  is  a  federally   chartered  stock  savings  bank,  duly
incorporated and validly  existing under the laws of the United States,  and the
Bank's charter is in full force and effect.  The Bank is a member of the Federal
Home Loan Bank of Dallas and has been duly issued a certificate stating that its
savings  accounts are insured by the FDIC in accordance with applicable law, and
no proceedings for the termination or revocation of such membership or insurance
are pending or, to the best of my knowledge, threatened.

      (v) The Bank has corporate  power and authority to own,  lease and operate
its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Final Prospectus.

      (vi) Each  subsidiary  of the Bank has been duly  organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its  incorporation and has the power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Final Prospectus. The
activities  described in the Final Prospectus of each of the Bank's subsidiaries
are permitted  activities of subsidiaries of a federally chartered savings bank,
the  deposits of which are  insured by the SAIF,  which is  administered  by the
FDIC.

      (vii) The Company, the Bank and each subsidiary of the Company or the Bank
is duly qualified as a foreign  corporation to transact  business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,  whether
by reason of the  ownership  or leasing of property or the conduct of  business,
except  where the  failure  so to qualify  or to be in good  standing  would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                                                                               2


      (viii)  All of the issued and  outstanding  capital  stock of the Bank and
each  subsidiary of the Bank has been duly  authorized  and validly  issued,  is
fully  paid  and  non-assessable  and,  except  as  otherwise  disclosed  in the
Registration   Statement,   is  owned  by  the  Company,   directly  or  through
subsidiaries,  to the  best of my  knowledge,  free and  clear  of any  security
interest,  mortgage,  pledge,  lien,  encumbrance,  claim or equity; none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of any subsidiary was issued in violation of
the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary.

      (ix) The  Company  has an  authorized  capitalization  as set forth in the
Final  Prospectus;  the shares of issued and  outstanding  capital  stock of the
Company,  including the shares of Stock to be purchased by the Underwriter  from
the Company, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable;  and none of the  outstanding  shares  of  capital  stock of the
Company,  including the shares of Stock to be purchased by the Underwriter  from
the Company,  was issued in violation of any  preemptive or other similar rights
of any securityholder of the Company.

      (x) The documents  incorporated  by reference in the Final  Prospectus and
any further  amendment or supplement to any such  incorporated  document made by
the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial  statements  and
related schedules  contained  therein,  as to which such counsel need express no
opinion),  when they became effective or were filed with the Commission,  as the
case may be, complied as to form in all material  respects with the requirements
of the  Securities  Act or the Exchange  Act, as  applicable,  and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.

      (xi)  The sale of the  Stock  to the  Underwriter  by the  Company  is not
subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any  securityholder  of the
Company.  The Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the
Final  Prospectus and such  description  conforms to the rights set forth in the
instruments defining the same.

      (xii)  There is not pending or, to my  knowledge,  threatened  any action,
suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation,  to which the Company or the Bank or
any of their respective subsidiaries is a party, or to which the property of the
Company or the Bank or any of their respective  subsidiaries is subject,  before
or brought by any court or  governmental  agency or body,  domestic  or foreign,
which might  reasonably be expected to result in a Material  Adverse Effect,  or
which might  reasonably  be  expected to  materially  and  adversely  affect the
properties  or  assets  thereof  or  the   consummation   of  the   transactions
contemplated in the Underwriting  Agreement or the performance by the Company of
its obligations  thereunder.  The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental
proceedings  to  which  the  Company,  the  Bank,  or  any of  their  respective
subsidiaries  is known by me to be a party or of which  any of their  respective
property or assets is the subject  which are not  described in the  Registration
Statement,  including  ordinary routine  litigation  incidental to the business,
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  To the
best of my knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party
to any written  agreement or  memorandum  of  understanding  with, or commitment
letter or similar  undertaking  to, or subject to any order or directive  issued
by, or a recipient of any


                                                                               3


extraordinary  supervisory  letter from, or has adopted any board resolutions at
the  request  of,  any  federal or state  government  agency or  authority  with
responsibility  for the supervision or regulation of depository  institutions or
their  holding  companies or the  insurance of deposits,  which in any such case
materially restricts the conduct of its business or in any manner relates to its
capital adequacy, its credit policies or its management,  nor has the Company or
any of its subsidiaries been advised by any such regulatory authority that it is
contemplating  issuing or requesting any such order, decree,  written agreement,
memorandum of understanding, extraordinary supervisory letter, commitment letter
or  similar  undertakings  or  board  resolutions.  No  labor  dispute  with the
employees of the Company or any  subsidiary  exists or, to the  knowledge of the
Company,  is imminent,  and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent
labor  disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary's  principal
suppliers,  manufacturers,  customers or contractors, which, in either case, may
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

      (xiii) To the best of my knowledge,  there are no statutes or  regulations
that are required to be described in the Final Prospectus that are not described
as required.

      (xiv) All  descriptions  in the  Registration  Statement of contracts  and
other  documents  to which  the  Company  or its  subsidiaries  are a party  are
accurate in all material  respects;  to the best of my  knowledge,  there are no
franchises,  contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or
other  instruments  required to be described or referred to in the  Registration
Statement  or to be filed as  exhibits  thereto  other than those  described  or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated  by reference as exhibits  thereto,
and the descriptions  thereof or references  thereto are correct in all material
respects.

      (xv)  Neither  the  Company,   the  Bank  nor  any  of  their   respective
subsidiaries  is in  violation  of its  charter or by-laws and no default by the
Company,  the Bank or any of their  respective  subsidiaries  exists  in the due
performance  or observance of any material  obligation,  agreement,  covenant or
condition contained in any contract, indenture,  mortgage, loan agreement, note,
lease or other  agreement or instrument  that is described or referred to in the
Registration  Statement  or the Final  Prospectus  or filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

      (xvi)  The  execution,   delivery  and  performance  of  the  Underwriting
Agreement by the Company, and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated
thereby  and  compliance  by  the  Company  with  its   obligations   under  the
Underwriting  Agreement  has been duly  authorized  by all  necessary  corporate
action and do not and will not,  whether with or without the giving of notice or
lapse of time or both,  conflict  with or  constitute a breach of, or default or
Repayment Event (as defined in Section l(k) of the Underwriting Agreement) under
or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,  charge or encumbrance upon
any  property  or  assets  of the  Company  or any  subsidiary  pursuant  to any
contract,  indenture,  mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement,  note,
lease or any other agreement or instrument, known to me, to which the Company or
any  subsidiary  is a party or by which  it or any of them may be  bound,  or to
which any of the  property  or assets of the  Company,  the Bank or any of their
respective  subsidiaries  is subject  (except  for such  conflicts,  breaches or
defaults or liens,  charges or encumbrances  that


                                                                               4


would not result in a Material Adverse  Effect),  nor will such action result in
any violation of the  provisions  of the charter or by-laws of the Company,  the
Bank or any of their respective  subsidiaries,  or any applicable law,  statute,
rule,  regulation,  judgment,  order,  writ  or  decree,  known  to  me,  of any
government,  governmental  instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company, the Bank, or any of their respective subsidiaries
or any of their respective properties, assets or operations.

      (xvii)  There are no persons  with  registration  rights or other  similar
rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration  Statement
or otherwise  registered  by the Company or the Bank under the  Securities  Act,
except as described in  Registration  Statement or as set forth in any agreement
described therein as containing such rights.

      (xviii) The Company,  the Bank and each of its  subsidiaries  possess such
Governmental Licenses issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign
regulatory  agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by
them; the Company,  the Bank and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with
the terms and  conditions of all such  Governmental  Licenses,  except where the
failure so to comply  would  not,  singly or in the  aggregate,  have a Material
Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and
effect,  except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure
of such  Governmental  Licenses to be in full force and effect  would not have a
Material  Adverse  Effect;  and neither the  Company,  the Bank nor any of their
respective  subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings  relating to the
revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in
the  aggregate,  if the subject of an unfavorable  decision,  ruling or finding,
would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

      (xix) The Company, the Bank and each of their respective subsidiaries have
good  and  marketable  title  to all  real,  tangible  and  intangible  property
reflected in the most recent balance sheet  included in the Final  Prospectus as
owned by the Company,  the Bank and its subsidiaries and good title to all other
properties  reflected  in the most recent  balance  sheet  included in the Final
Prospectus  as owned by them,  in each  case,  free and clear of all  mortgages,
pledges, liens, security interests,  claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any
kind except such as (A) are  described  in the Final  Prospectus  or (a) do not,
singly or in the aggregate,  materially affect the value of such property and do
not interfere  with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company, the Bank or any of their respective  subsidiaries;  or, with respect to
any such real property,  render title unmarketable as to a material part thereof
and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, the
Bank and of their  respective  subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise,  and
under which the Company, the Bank or any of their respective  subsidiaries holds
properties described in the Final Prospectus,  are in full force and effect, and
neither the Company,  the Bank nor any of their respective  subsidiaries has any
notice  of any  material  claim of any sort  that has been  asserted  by  anyone
adverse  to the  rights  of the  Company,  the bank any of  their  respective
subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases  mentioned above, or affecting
or  questioning  the rights of the Company,  the Bank or such  subsidiary to the
continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or
sublease.


                                                                               5

      (xx) Except as described in the Registration  Statement or except as would
not, singly or in the aggregate,  result in a Material  Adverse Effect,  (A) the
Company, the Bank and each of their respective  subsidiaries is not in violation
of any  Environmental  Laws,  (B) the  Company,  the  Bank  and  each  of  their
respective subsidiaries have all permits,  authorizations and approvals required
under any applicable  Environmental  Laws and are each in compliance  with their
requirements,  (C) there are no pending  or, to the  knowledge  of the  Company,
threatened  administrative,  regulatory  or judicial  actions,  suits,  demands,
demand  letters,   claims,   liens,   notices  of  noncompliance  or  violation,
investigation  or  proceedings  relating  to any  Environmental  Law against the
Company,  the  Bank  or any of  their  respective  subsidiaries  and  (D) to the
knowledge  of the  Company  there  are no  events or  circumstances  that  might
reasonably  be  expected  to  form  the  basis  of  an  order  for  clean-up  or
remediation,  or  an  action,  suit  or  proceeding  by  any  private  party  or
governmental body or agency,  against or affecting the Company,  the sank or any
of  their  respective  subsidiaries  relating  to  Hazardous  Materials  or  any
Environmental Laws.

      (xxi) In the event the Company shall become either  directly or indirectly
a bank  holding  company  for  purposes  of the BHC Act and the BHC  Rules,  the
current  activities of the Company and its  subsidiaries  (as defined in the BHC
Rules) would be activities  permissible for a bank holding company under the BHC
Act and the BHC Rules.

      (xxii) No filing  with,  or  authorization,  approval,  consent,  license,
order,  registration,  qualification  or decree  of,  any court or  governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign including,  without limitation, the OTS
and FDIC is necessary or required by federal  banking laws and  regulations  for
the  performance  by the  Company  of its  obligations  under  the  Underwriting
Agreement  in  connection  with the offering or sale of the Stock by the Company
under the  Underwriting  Agreement  or the  consummation  by the  Company of the
transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement.

      Nothing has come to my  attention  that would lead me to believe  that the
Registration  Statement or any  amendment  thereto,  including  the  information
included in any prospectus that was omitted from such Registration  Statement at
the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such  Registration
Statement at the time it became effective  (except for financial  statements and
schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom,  as to
which I make no statement),  at the time such Registration Statement or any such
amendment became effective,  contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to
make the statements  therein not misleading or that the Final  Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement  thereto (except for financial  statements and schedules
and other financial data included  therein or omitted  therefrom,  as to which I
make no statement), at the time the Final Prospectus was issued, at the time any
such amended or supplemented  Final  Prospectus was issued or at either Delivery
Date,  included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
omits to  state a  material  fact  necessary  in  order  to make the  statements
therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were  made,  not
misleading.


                                                                               6


      In  rendering  such  opinion,  such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
(but  not  as to  legal  conclusions),  to  the  extent  they  deem  proper,  on
certificates of responsible  officers of the Company and public officials.  Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions,  including,  without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA  Section of  Business  Law  (1991).  All terms used but not  defined in this
exhibit should have the meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting  Agreement
and should be defined accordingly in the form of opinion to be delivered.