EXHIBIT 5.2
[Letterhead of Richards, Layton & Finger]
February 5, 1997
Aon Capital A
c/o Aon Corporation
123 N. Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Re: Aon Capital A
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel for Aon Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Aon Capital A, a Delaware business
trust (the "Trust"), in connection with the matters set forth herein. At your
request, this opinion is being furnished to you.
For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our
examination of documents has been limited to the examination of originals or
copies of the following:
(a) The Certificate of Trust of the Trust, dated December 27,
1996 (the "Certificate"), as filed in the office of the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware (the "Secretary of State") on December 27, 1996;
(b) The Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of December 27,
1996, among the Company, as Depositor, and the trustees of the Trust named
therein;
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February 5, 1997
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(c) The Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust,
dated as of January 13, 1997, including Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, I and J thereto)
(the "Trust Agreement"), among the Company, as Depositor, the trustees of the
Trust named therein, and the holders, from time to time, of undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Trust;
(d) The Registration Statement on Form S-4, including a
preliminary prospectus ("Prospectus"), relating to the 8.205% Capital Securities
of the Trust representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Trust (each, a "Capital Security" and collectively, the "Capital Securities"),
as proposed to be filed by the Company and the Trust with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on or about February 5, 1997; and
(e) A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated
February 5, 1997, obtained from the Secretary of State.
Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined
are used as defined in the Trust Agreement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents
other than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) above. In
particular, we have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed
in paragraphs (a) through (e) above) that is referred to in or incorporated by
reference into the documents reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists
no provision in any document that we have not reviewed that is inconsistent with
the opinions stated herein. We have conducted no independent factual
investigation of our own but rather have relied solely upon the foregoing
documents, the statements and information set forth therein and the additional
matters recited or assumed herein, all of which we have assumed to be true,
complete and accurate in all material respects.
With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i)
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii)
the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or
forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that the Trust
Agreement and the Certificate are in full force and effect and have not been
amended, (ii) except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due
creation or due organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid
existence in good standing of each party to the documents examined by us under
the laws of the jurisdiction governing its creation, organization or formation,
(iii) the legal capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents
examined by us, (iv) that each of the parties to the documents examined by us
has the power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its
obligations under, such documents, (v) the due
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February 5, 1997
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authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto of all documents
examined by us, (vi) the receipt by each Person to whom a Capital Security is to
be issued by the Trust (collectively, the "Capital Security Holders") of a
Capital Securities Certificate for such Capital Security and the payment for the
Capital Security acquired by it, in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the
Registration Statement, and (vii) that the Capital Securities are issued and
sold to the Capital Security Holders in accordance with the Trust Agreement and
the Registration Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of the
Registration Statement and assume no responsibility for its contents.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware
(excluding the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not
considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction,
including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions
are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and
orders thereunder that are currently in effect.
Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such
questions of law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered
necessary or appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications,
limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in
good standing as a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act.
2. The Capital Securities will represent valid and, subject to
the qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 below, fully paid and nonassessable
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
3. The Capital Security Holders, as beneficial owners of the
Trust, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to
stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We note that the Capital Security
Holders may be obligated to make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.
We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In addition, we
hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading "Validity of Securities"
in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing consents, we do not thereby admit
that we come within the category of Persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. Except as
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stated above, without our prior written consent, this opinion may not be
furnished or quoted to, or relied upon by, any other Person for any purpose.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Richards, Layton & Finger