Exhibit 5.1

                                December 14, 2001

Inter-Tel, Incorporated
1615 South 52nd Street
Tempe, Arizona 85281

RE:  REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I have examined the  Registration  Statement on Form S-3 to be filed by you
with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  on or about the date hereof (the
"Registration   Statement")  in  connection  with  the  registration  under  the
Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  of a total of up to 460,851 shares of your
Common Stock (the  "Shares").  All of the Shares are issued and  outstanding and
may be offered for sale for the benefit of the selling shareholders named in the
Registration  Statement.  The  Shares  are to be sold  from  time to time in the
over-the-counter-market  at prevailing  prices or as otherwise  described in the
Registration Statement. As corporate counsel to the Company, I have examined the
proceedings taken by you in connection with the sale of the Shares.

     It is my opinion that the Shares are legally and validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.

     I consent to the use of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the  Registration
Statement  and further  consent to the use of my name wherever it appears in the
Registration  Statement,  including the Prospectus  constituting a part thereof,
and any amendments thereto.

                                        Very truly yours,


                                        /s/ Kristi Bonfiglio
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Kristi Bonfiglio
                                        Corporate Counsel