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                                                                       EXHIBIT 5
            [LETTERHEAD OF CRITCHFIELD, CRITCHFIELD & JOHNSTON, LTD.]











                                   May 4, 1998


FirstFederal Financial Services Corp
135 East Liberty Street
Wooster, Ohio 44691

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-4

Members of the Board of Directors:

         We have examined (i) the Agreement of Affiliation and Plan of Merger,
dated as of February 6, 1998, by and between FirstFederal Financial Services
Corp (the "Company") and First Shenango Bancorp, Inc. (the "Merger Agreement"),
(ii) the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement")
filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act"), and the public offering prospectus (the "Prospectus"), relating to the
issuance by the Company of up to 3,150,000 shares of common stock, par value
$1.00 per share (the "Common Stock"), in the manner set forth in the
Registration Statement and the  Prospectus, (iii) the Company's Articles of
Incorporation and Code of Regulations and (iv) records of the Company's
corporate proceedings relative to its organization and to the issuance of the
Common Stock.

         We have examined originals, or copies identified to our satisfaction,
of such corporate records of the Company and have made such examinations of law
as we have deemed relevant. In our examination, we have assumed and have not
verified (i) the genuineness of all signatures, (ii) the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, (iii) the conformity with the originals
of all documents supplied to us as copies, and (iv) the accuracy and
completeness of all corporate records and documents and all certificates and
statements of fact, in each case given or made available to us by the Company.
We have relied upon certificates and other written documents from public
officials and government agencies and departments and we have assumed the
accuracy and authenticity of such certificates and documents.

         Based upon the foregoing, and having a regard for such legal
considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that the Common Stock
will be, upon issuance, against payment therefor as contemplated in the Merger
Agreement, legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         We consent to the use of this opinion, to the incorporation by
reference of such opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the
reference to our firm and our opinion under the heading "Legal Matters" in the
Registration Statement filed by the Company, and all amendments thereto. In
giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                                Very truly yours,

 
                                CRITCHFIELD, CRITCHFIELD & JOHNSTON, LTD.

                                /s/ Daniel H. Plumly

                                Daniel H. Plumly, Member