March 22, 2000

White Pine Software, Inc.
542 Amherst Street
Nashua, New Hampshire 03063

Re: Registration Statement on Form SB-2

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         This opinion is furnished to you in connection with a Registration
Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-95541) (the "Registration Statement") filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), for the registration
of an aggregate of 1,302,084 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
(the "Shares"), of White Pine Software, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), all of which will be sold by certain stockholders of the Company
(the "Selling Stockholders").

         We are acting as counsel for the Company in connection with the sale by
the Selling Stockholders of the Shares. We have examined signed copies of the
Registration Statement as filed with the Commission. We have also examined and
relied upon minutes of meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors
of the Company as provided to us by the Company, stock record books of the
Company as provided to us by the Company, the Certificate of Incorporation and
By-Laws of the Company, each as restated and/or amended to date, and such other
documents as we have deemed necessary for purposes of rendering the opinions
hereinafter set forth.

         In our examination of the foregoing documents, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us
as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to
us as copies, the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents and the
legal competence of all signatories to such documents.

         Our opinion below, insofar as it relates to the Selling Stockholders'
shares being fully paid, is based solely on a certificate of the Chief Financial
Officer of the Company confirming the Company's receipt of the consideration
called for by the applicable resolutions authorizing the issuance of such
shares.



White Pine Software, Inc.
March 22, 2000
Page 2


         We assume that the appropriate action will be taken, prior to the offer
and sale of the Shares in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, to
register and qualify the Shares for sale under all applicable state securities
or "blue sky" laws.

         We express no opinion herein as to the laws of any state or
jurisdiction other than the state laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the
United States of America.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the
Shares to be issued and sold by the Selling Stockholders have been duly
authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         It is understood that this opinion is to be used only in connection
with the offer and sale of the Shares while the Registration Statement is in
effect.

         Please note that we are opining only as to the matters expressly set
forth herein, and no opinion should be inferred as to any other matters. This
opinion is based upon currently existing statutes, rules, regulations and
judicial decisions, and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of any change
in any of these sources of law or subsequent legal or factual developments which
might affect any matters or opinions set forth herein.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of
Regulation S-B under the Securities Act and to the use of our name therein and
in the related Prospectus under the caption "Legal Matters." In giving such
consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose
consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations of the Commission.


                                           Very truly yours,


                                           HALE AND DORR LLP