EXHIBIT 5.1
LEGAL OPINION
RICHARDSON & ASSOCIATES
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
WILSHIRE PALISADES BUILDING
1299 OCEAN AVENUE
SUITE 900
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA 90401
TELEPHONE (310) 393-9992
FACSIMILE (310) 393-2004
May 12, 2000
Environmental Products & Technologies Corporation
5380 North Sterling Center Drive
Westlake Village, California 91361
Re: Environmental Products & Technologies Corporation - Validity of
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Issuance of Shares
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to you in connection with the
registration on Form S-8 (File No. 33-______) under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended ("Registration Statement"), of a total of 492,728 shares of the
Common Stock of Environmental Products & Technologies Corporation, par value
$.01 per share (the "Shares"). You have requested our opinion in connection with
the registration of the Shares covered by the Registration Statement. In
connection with our acting as counsel, we have examined the laws of the State of
California together with certain other documents and instruments prepared on
behalf of Environmental Products & Technologies Corporation as we have deemed
necessary and relevant in the preparation of our opinion as hereinafter set
forth.
In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures
on original documents and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us
as certified, conformed or photostatic copies of originals, the authenticity of
such latter documents, and the proper execution, delivery and filing of the
documents referred to in this opinion.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares to be
issued by Environmental Products & Technologies Corporation have been and will
be duly created and have been and will be validly issued shares of the Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share, of Environmental Products & Technologies
Corporation. Upon issuance of the Shares, the Shares will be fully paid and
nonassessable.
For the purposes of this opinion, we are assuming that the appropriate
certificates are duly filed and recorded in every jurisdiction in which such
filing and recordation is required in accordance with the laws of such
jurisdictions. We express no opinion as to the laws of any state or jurisdiction
other than California.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus which is a part of said Registration Statement.
Respectfully submitted,
By: /s/ Richardson & Associates
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Richardson & Associates