[KAUFMAN & CANOLES LETTERHEAD]




                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

March 14, 2002


Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc.
201 Volvo Parkway
Chesapeake, VA  23320

         Registration Statement on Form S-3D

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel for Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc., a Virginia
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of the
above-described registration statement (the "Registration Statement"), filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), to register up to 2,500,000 shares of common
stock, par value $0.625 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"), to be
issued as described in the Registration Statement. In connection with this
opinion, we have reviewed (a) the Registration Statement; (b) the Company's
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws; (c) the Company's Dividend Reinvestment
and Optional Cash Purchase Plan (the "Plan"); and (d) certain records of the
Company's corporate proceedings as reflected in its minute and stock books. In
our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity
with the original of all documents submitted to us as copies thereof.

         In our opinion, the 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock to be issued by
the Company as described in the Registration Statement, when and to the extent
issued in accordance with the terms of the Plan contained in the Registration
Statement, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         We hereby consent to use of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement and to all references to our firm in the Registration
Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are acting
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Act and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     /s/ Kaufman & Canoles

                                                     Kaufman & Canoles,
                                                     a Professional Corporation