Exhibit 5.1


                                 March 27, 2002


INTER-TEL INCORPORATED
1615 South 52nd Street
Tempe, AZ 85281


     RE: REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8


Ladies and Gentlemen:

     In connection with the  registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Securities  Act")  pursuant  to a  Registration  Statement  of  Form  S-8  (the
"Registration  Statement")  of 1,854,161  shares of Common Stock,  of Inter-Tel,
Incorporated,  an Arizona corporation (the "Company"),  under the Company's 1997
Long-Term  Incentive  Plan  (the  "1997  Plan")  and  150,000  shares  under the
Acquisition  Stock  Option Plan (the  "Acquisition  Plan"),  (collectively,  the
"Shares"),  I, as General Counsel of the Company, have examined the Registration
Statement,  such corporate records,  certificates and other documents,  and such
questions of law, as I have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes
of this opinion.  Upon the basis of such  examination,  I advise you that, in my
opinion,  when  issued  and sold in the  manner  described  in the 1997 Plan and
pursuant to the agreements  which  accompany each grant under the 1997 Plan, the
Shares will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and assessable.

     The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the state of Arizona, and I
am expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.

     I do hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.


                                        Sincerely,


                                        /s/ John L. Gardner
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        John L. Gardner, General Counsel
                                        Inter-Tel, Incorporated