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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1


                                December 17, 1999



Camden Property Trust
Three Greenway Plaza
Suite 1300
Houston, Texas 77046

         Re:      $660,230,000 Aggregate Offering Price of Securities of Camden
                  Property Trust

Gentlemen:

         We are acting as securities counsel to Camden Property Trust, a Texas
real estate investment trust (the "Company"), in connection with the
registration statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by
the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), relating to the
offering from time to time, as set forth in the prospectus contained in the
Registration Statement (the "Prospectus") and as to be set forth in one or more
supplements to the Prospectus (each, a "Prospectus Supplement"), by the Company
of up to $660,230,000 aggregate offering price of (i) one or more series of
senior debt securities (the "Debt Securities"), (ii) one or more series of
preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value of $0.01 per share (the
"Preferred Shares"), (iii) common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01
per share (the "Common Shares"), and/or (iv) warrants to purchase Debt
Securities, Preferred Shares or Common Shares (collectively, the "Securities
Warrants"). The Debt Securities, the Preferred Shares, the Common Shares and the
Securities Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities." Any
Debt Securities and Preferred Shares may be convertible into shares of
beneficial interest of the Company or one or more series of Debt Securities.

         The Debt Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture (the
"Indenture") between the Company and a financial institution identified therein
as trustee (the "Trustee"). The Securities Warrants will be issued under one or
more warrant agreements (each, a "Securities Warrant Agreement"), each to be
between the Company and a financial institution identified therein as warrant
agent (each, a "Warrant Agent").

         In our capacity as your counsel in connection with such registration,
we are familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the
Company in connection with the authorization and issuance of the Securities, and
for the purposes of this opinion, have assumed such proceedings will be timely
completed in the manner presently proposed. In addition, we have made such legal
and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals or
copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such
documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other
instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable in connection with this
opinion, including (a) the Declaration of Trust of the Company and the Bylaws of
the Company, as amended, and (b) the Registration Statement. In our examination,
we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural
persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the
conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified
or photostatic copies, the authenticity of the originals of such copies and the
authenticity of telegraphic or telephonic confirmations of public officials and
others. As to facts material to our opinion, we have relied upon certificates or
telegraphic or telephonic confirmations of public officials and certificates,
documents, statements and other information of the Company or representatives or
officers thereof.

         The opinions set forth below address the effect on the subject
transaction only of the federal laws of the United States and the internal laws
of the State of Texas, and we express no opinion with respect to the
applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other
jurisdiction.

         Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is
our opinion that, as of the date hereof:



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         1. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company, and is the legally valid and binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

         2. The Debt Securities have been duly authorized by the Company, and
when the Debt Securities have been duly established by the Indenture, duly
authenticated by the Trustee and duly executed and delivered on behalf of the
Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of
the Indenture and as contemplated by the Registration Statement and/or the
applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Debt Securities will constitute legally
valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms.

         3. The Preferred Shares have been duly authorized by the Company, and
when the Preferred Shares have been duly established in accordance with the
terms of the Company's Articles Supplementary defining the rights and
preferences of the Preferred Shares, and applicable law, and, upon issuance,
delivery and payment therefor in the manner contemplated by the Registration
Statement and/or the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Preferred Shares will
be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         4. The Common Shares have been duly authorized, and upon issuance,
delivery and payment therefor in the manner contemplated by the Registration
Statement and/or the applicable Prospectus Supplement, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.

         5. The Warrant Agreements have been duly authorized and, when the final
terms thereof have been duly established, and when duly executed and delivered
by the Company will constitute the legally valid and binding agreements of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms.

         6. The Securities Warrants have been duly authorized by the Company,
and when the final terms thereof have been duly established, and when duly
executed and delivered by the Company and countersigned by the applicable
Warrant Agent in accordance with the applicable Warrant Agreement and delivered
to and paid for by the purchasers thereof in the manner contemplated by the
Registration Statement and/or the applicable Prospectus Supplement, will
constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their respective terms.

         The opinions set forth above are subject to the following exceptions,
limitations and qualifications: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect
of general principles of equity whether enforcement is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought, (iii) the unenforceability under certain
circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the
indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where
such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy, (iv) we
express no opinion concerning the enforceability of the waiver of rights or
defenses contained in Section 514 of the Indenture, and (v) we express no
opinion with respect to whether acceleration of Debt Securities may affect the
collectability of any portion of the stated principal amount thereof which might
be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon.

         To the extent that the obligations of the Company under the Indenture
may be dependent upon such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that
the Trustee is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that the Trustee is duly qualified to
engage in the activities contemplated by the Indenture, that the Indenture has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and constitutes the
legally valid and binding obligation of the Trustee enforceable against the
Trustee in accordance with its terms; that the Trustee is in compliance,
generally with respect to acting as a trustee under the Indenture, with all
applicable laws and regulations; and that the Trustee has the requisite
organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under
the Indenture.

         To the extent that the obligations of the Company under each Warrant
Agreement may be dependent upon such matters, we assume for purposes of this
opinion that the Warrant Agent is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that the Warrant
Agent is duly qualified to engage

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in the activities contemplated by the Warrant Agreement; that the Warrant
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent
and constitutes the legally valid and binding obligation of the Warrant Agent
enforceable against the Warrant Agent in accordance with its terms; that the
Warrant Agent is in compliance, generally with respect to acting as a Warrant
Agent under the Warrant Agreement, with all applicable laws and regulations; and
that the Warrant Agent has the requisite organizational and legal power and
authority to perform its obligations under the Warrant Agreement.

         We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the prospectus included therein. In giving this consent, we do not
thereby 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.

         This opinion is rendered only to you and is solely for your benefit in
connection with the transactions covered hereby. This opinion may not be relied
upon by you for any other purpose, or furnished to, quoted to, or relied upon by
any other person, firm or corporation for any purpose, without our prior written
consent.

                                             Very truly yours,


                                             /s/ Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP