EXHIBIT 5.1 - CONSENT
Published on January 23, 2009
Exhibit
5.1
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January
21, 2009
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Jenner
& Block llp
330
N. Wabash Avenue
Chicago,
IL 60611
Tel 312-222-9350
www.jenner.com
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Chicago
New
York
Washington,
dc
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EMCORE
Corporation
10420
Research Road, SE
Albuquerque,
NM 87123
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We are acting as special counsel to
EMCORE Corporation, a New Jersey corporation (the “Company”), in connection with
the Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 on Form S-3 to the Registration Statement on
Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-149860) (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”) relating to the
sale by those selling stockholders of the Company named in the Registration
Statement, of an aggregate of up to 9,400,003 shares of common stock of the
Company, no par value per share, of which 8,000,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the
Company’s common stock were issued on February 20, 2008 pursuant to a private
placement to a group of accredited institutional investors and 1,400,003 shares
of the Company’s common stock (the “Warrant Shares”) may be issued pursuant to
Warrants (the “Warrants”) issued in connection with such
transaction.
In connection with this opinion, we
have examined and relied upon the Registration Statement and related prospectus,
the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, its Bylaws, as
amended, and the originals and copies certified to our satisfaction of such
records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our
judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion
expressed below. We have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to originals of all
documents where due execution and delivery are a prerequisite to the
effectiveness thereof.
Based upon and subject to the
qualifications, assumptions and limitations set forth in this letter, we are of
the opinion that the Shares have been legally issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, and the Warrant Shares, when issued upon the exercise of the
Warrants in accordance with the terms of the Warrants, will be legally issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
We express no opinion as to matters
governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey, which we understand are
addressed in an opinion issued in connection with the Registration
Statement.
Our advice on every legal issue
addressed in this letter is based exclusively on the federal law of the United
States, and represents our opinion as to how that issue would be resolved were
it to be considered by the highest court in the jurisdiction which enacted such
law. The manner in which any particular issue would be treated in any actual
court case would depend in part on facts and circumstances particular to the
case and would also depend on how the court involved chose to exercise the wide
discretionary authority generally available to it. This letter is not intended
to guarantee the outcome of any legal dispute which may arise in the future. We
advise you that issues addressed by this letter may be governed in whole or in
part by other laws, but we express no opinion as to whether any relevant
difference exists between the laws upon which our opinions are based and any
other laws which may actually govern.
This opinion is furnished to you in
connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, and is not to be used,
circulated, quoted or otherwise relied upon for any other purposes. This opinion
is limited to the specific issues addressed herein, and no opinion may be
inferred or implied beyond that expressly stated herein. We assume no obligation
to revise or supplement this opinion should the present laws identified above be
changed by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise.
We hereby consent to the filing of this
opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the
reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration
Statement. 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.
Sincerely,
/s/
Jenner & Block LLP
Jenner
& Block LLP