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                                                                       EXHIBIT 5





     TRENAM, KEMKER, SCHARF, BARKIN, FRYE, O'NEILL & MULLIS
                    PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
                        ATTORNEYS AT LAW
                           
      TAMPA OFFICE                      ST. PETERSBURG OFFICE
    2700 BARNETT PLAZA                    2100 BARNETT TOWER
 101 EAST KENNEDY BOULEVARD               ONE PROGRESS PLAZA
   POST OFFICE BOX 1102                  POST OFFICE BOX 2245
 TAMPA, FLORIDA  33601-1102   ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA 33731-2245
  TELEPHONE (813) 223-7474             TELEPHONE (813) 898-7474
   TELEFAX (813) 229-6553               TELEFAX (813) 821-0407


                                PLEASE REPLY TO
                                     TAMPA

June 4, 1997

Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 5th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC  20549


                  Re:      Lamalie Associates, Inc.
                  Registration Statement on Form S-1
                  File No. 333-26027    
                  ----------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have represented Lamalie Associates, Inc. (the "Company") in
connection with the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-26027), as amended (the "Registration Statement") relating to the proposed
public offering by the Company of up to 2,000,000 shares (2,300,000 shares if
the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised)(the "Shares") of the
Company's Common Stock (the "Offering").  This opinion is being provided as
Exhibit 5 to the S-1 Registration Statement.

         In our capacity as counsel to the Company in connection with the
Registration Statement and the Offering, we have examined and are familiar
with:  the Company's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, as currently in
effect, the Registration Statement and  such other corporate records,
documents and instruments as in our opinion are necessary or relevant as the
basis for the opinions expressed below.

         As to various questions of fact material to our opinion, we have
relied without independent investigation on statements or certificates of
officials and representatives of the Company, the Department of State of the
State of Florida and others. In all such examinations, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures on original and certified documents and the
conformity
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to original and certified documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed,
photostatic or other exact copies.  We express no opinion as to the law of any
jurisdiction other than the general corporate law of the State of Florida and
the Federal laws of the United States of America.

         Based upon and in reliance on the foregoing, we are of the opinion
that:

         1.      The Company is a duly organized and validly existing as a
corporation under the laws of the State of Florida and its status as such is
active.

         2.      When the following events shall have occurred:

                 a.       the Registration Statement shall have become
                          effective in accordance with the Securities Act of
                          1933, as amended;

                 b.       the Shares shall have been offered and sold as
                          provided in the Registration Statement, and the
                          consideration specified in the Registration Statement
                          shall have been received by the Company; and

                 c.       the certificates representing the Shares shall have
                          been duly executed, countersigned and issued by or on
                          behalf of the Company,

         the Shares so offered and sold in the Offering will be duly
         authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non- assessable shares of
         the capital stock of the Company.

         This firm hereby consents to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit
to the Registration Statement and to the reference to it under the heading
"Legal Matters."

                                   Sincerely,

                                        TRENAM, KEMKER, SCHARF, BARKIN, 
                                        FRYE, O'NEILL & MULLIS,
                                          Professional Association


                                        By: /s/ Richard M. Leisner
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