Exhibit 5.1

                                                                     May 8, 2001

Board of Directors of
WorldCom, Inc.
500 Clinton Center Drive
Clinton, MI 39056

Ladies and Gentlemen:

   I am General Counsel--Corporate Development of WorldCom, Inc., a Georgia
corporation (the "Company"), and am familiar with the Registration Statement on
Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), relating to the merger (the "Merger") of
Wildcat Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company ("Merger Sub"), with and into Intermedia Communications Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("Intermedia"), and to the registration under the
Securities Act of (i) a maximum of 98,110,430 shares of WorldCom, Inc.--
WorldCom Group common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "WorldCom Group
Stock"), and associated preferred stock purchase rights of the Company and (ii)
a maximum of 3,599,217 shares of WorldCom, Inc.--MCI Group common stock, par
value $0.01 per share ("MCI Group Stock"), of the Company that are issuable, or
to be reserved for issuance, in the Merger, including (x) 3,791,649 shares of
WorldCom Group Stock issuable in lieu of cash during the two-year period
commencing on the effective date of the Registration Statement as dividends on
the WorldCom Series D Preferred Stock ("WorldCom Series D Preferred Stock"),
WorldCom Series E Preferred Stock ("WorldCom Series E Preferred Stock"),
WorldCom Series F Preferred Stock ("WorldCom Series F Preferred Stock") and
WorldCom Series G Preferred Stock ("WorldCom Series G Preferred Stock") (the
WorldCom Series D Preferred Stock, WorldCom Series E Preferred Stock, WorldCom
Series F Preferred Stock and WorldCom Series G Preferred Stock are collectively
referred to as the "WorldCom Preferred Stock") and (y) 151,667 shares of MCI
Group Stock issuable in lieu of cash during the two-year period commencing on
the effective date of the Registration Statement as dividends on the WorldCom
Preferred Stock. 108,753,276 shares of the Company's common stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "Existing Common Stock"), 3,791,649 shares of Existing
Common Stock issuable in lieu of cash during the two-year period commencing on
the effective date of the Registration Statement as dividends on the WorldCom
Preferred Stock, 53,724 shares of WorldCom Series D Preferred Stock, 64,047
shares of WorldCom Series E Preferred Stock, 79,600 shares of WorldCom Series F
Preferred Stock and 200,000 shares of WorldCom Series G Preferred Stock were
previously registered under the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4
(File No. 333-48012). These securities are being included as part of the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act.

   In connection herewith, I have examined and relied without investigation as
to matters of fact upon the Registration Statement, including the proxy
statement/prospectus contained therein, the Second Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Articles of Amendment, the Restated
Rights Plan, the Restated Bylaws of the Company, the Company's Registration
Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-52920), including the exhibits thereto,
certificates, statements and results of inquiries of public officials and
officers and representatives of the Company, and such other documents,
corporate records, opinions and instruments as I have deemed necessary or
appropriate to enable me to render the opinions expressed below. I have assumed
the genuineness of all signatures appearing on documents examined by me, the
legal competence and capacity of each person that executed documents, the
authenticity of documents submitted to me as originals and the conformity to
authentic original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified or
photostatic copies. I have also assumed the due authorization, execution and
delivery of all documents.

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   Based upon the foregoing, in reliance thereon and subject to the exceptions,
qualifications and limitations stated herein and the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement under the Securities Act, I am of the following
opinions:

     1. The Company is a corporation validly existing under the laws of the
  State of Georgia.

     2. When the conditions to consummation of transactions contemplated by
  the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 1, 2000, as amended
  on February 15, 2001, by and among the Company, Intermedia and Merger Sub
  (the "Merger Agreement") shall have been satisfied or waived, the Company's
  Articles of Amendment have been filed and become effective and the shares
  of (a) either (i) Existing Common Stock or (ii) WorldCom Group Stock and
  MCI Group Stock and (b) the WorldCom Preferred Stock, in each case, to be
  issued in connection with the Merger shall have been issued in accordance
  with the terms of the Merger Agreement, then:

       (A) the shares of (x) either (I) Existing Common Stock or (II)
    WorldCom Group Stock and MCI Group Stock and (y) WorldCom Preferred
    Stock issuable in the Merger will be validly issued, fully paid and
    non-assessable; and

       (B) the shares of (x) Existing Common Stock or (y) WorldCom Group
    Stock and MCI Group Stock issuable upon conversion of WorldCom
    Preferred Stock have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued,
    will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

   This opinion is not rendered with respect to any laws other than the latest
codification of the Georgia Business Corporation Code (the "GBCC") available to
me. I note that the Merger Agreement provides that it shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, regardless of
the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflict of
laws. In rendering the opinions expressed herein I have assumed that such
matters are governed exclusively by the GBCC and I express no opinion as to
which law any court construing the Merger Agreement would apply. This opinion
has not been prepared by an attorney admitted to practice in Delaware or
Georgia.

   I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
aforesaid Registration Statement. I also consent to your filing copies of this
opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement with agencies of such
states as you deem necessary in the course of complying with the laws of such
states regarding the offering and sale of the securities referred to herein. In
giving this consent, I do not admit that I am in the category of persons whose
consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations of the Commission.

                                          Very truly yours,

                                          /s/ P. Bruce Borghardt
                                          P. Bruce Borghardt
                                          General Counsel-- Corporate
                                          Development

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