[Williams, Mullen, Christian & Dobbins letterhead]


                                February 3, 1998


Board of Directors
Universal Corporation
1501 North Hamilton Street
Richmond, Virginia  23230

         Re:      Employees' Stock Purchase Plan

Gentlemen:

         This letter is delivered to you in  connection  with the actions  taken
and proposed to be taken by Universal  Corporation,  a Virginia corporation (the
"Company"), with respect to the offer and sale from time to time pursuant to the
Universal  Corporation  Employees' Stock Purchase Plan of Universal Leaf Tobacco
Company, Incorporated and Designated Affiliated Companies (the "Plan"), of up to
1,000,000  shares  of  the  Company's  Common  Stock,  without  par  value  (the
"Shares").  As  counsel  to the  Company,  we  have  reviewed  the  registration
statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration  Statement") to be filed by the Company
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission to effect the  registration  of the
Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act").

         In this regard,  we have  examined the  Articles of  Incorporation  and
Bylaws of the Company,  records of  proceedings of the Board of Directors of the
Company,  the  Plan and such  other  records  and  documents  as we have  deemed
necessary or  advisable in  connection  with the opinions set forth  herein.  In
addition,  we have relied as to certain  matters on  information  obtained  from
public officials, officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be
reliable.

         Based upon our  examination  and inquiries,  we are of the opinion that
the Shares which  constitute  original  issuance  securities  will,  when issued
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Plan, be validly issued,  fully paid
and  nonassessable.  The  foregoing  opinion  is  limited  to  the  laws  of the
Commonwealth  of Virginia and we express no opinion as to the effect of the laws
of any other jurisdiction.

         We hereby  consent to the  filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration  Statement  and to the reference to us as counsel to the Company in
the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that
we are persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

                                      Very truly yours,


                                      /s/ Williams, Mullen, Christian & Dobbins