EX-5.1 2 dex51.txt OPINION OF KELLER ROHRBACK LLP LAW OFFICES OF KELLER ROHRBACK L.L.P. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KAREN E. BOXX 000 MARK A. GRIFFIN RYAN M. RODENBERG GEORGE KAHIN (1965) JOHN H. BRIGHT AMY N.L. HANSON** CARMEN R. ROWE JOHN D. CARMODY (1966) GRETCHEN FREEMAN CAPPIO IRENE M. HECHT DAVID J. RUSSELL ERLE W. HORSWILL (1978) KATHLEEN KIM COGHLAN+ SCOTT C. HENDERSON LYNN LINCOLN SARKO**+++ ROBERT K. KELLER (1992) T. DAVID COPLEY 0 STEPHEN J. HENDERSON FREDERICK W. SCHOEPFLIN PINCKNEY M. ROHRBACK (1994) CLAIRE CORDON BENJAMIN J. LANTZ WILLIAM C. SMART ROB J. CRICHTON*** ELIZABETH A. LELAND THOMAS A. STERKEN * ALSO ADMITTED IN CALIFORNIA JENNEFER A. FALLAT 00 DAVID R. MAJOR BRITT L. TINGLUM** ** ALSO ADMITTED IN WISCONSIN HAROLD FARDAL JOHN MELLEN++ LAURENCE R. WEATHERLY *** ALSO ADMITTED IN NEW YORK JULI E. FARRIS*+++ ALEXANDER PERKINS MARGARET E. WETHERALD + ALSO ADMITTED IN HAWAII DANIEL S. FRIEDBERG** PAULETTE E. PETERSON MICHAEL WOERNER ++ ALSO ADMITTED IN ILLINOIS GLEN P. GARRISON ERIN M. RILEY** BENSON D. WONG +++ ALSO ADMITTED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 0 ALSO ADMITTED IN ARIZONA 00 ALSO ADMITTED IN FLORIDA 000 OF COUNSEL
July 23, 2001 Exhibit 5.1 The Board of Directors AmericanWest Bancorporation 9506 North Newport Highway Spokane, WA 99218-1200 Re: Form S-8 Registration Statement; 2001 Incentive Stock Plan Ladies and Gentlemen: We have acted as counsel to you in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which you are filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to 200,000 shares of common stock, no par value per share (the "Shares"), which may be issued pursuant to the AmericanWest Bancorporation 2001 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan"). We have examined the Registration Statement and such documents and records of AmericanWest Bancorporation and other documents as we have deemed necessary for the purpose of this opinion. In giving this opinion, we are assuming the authenticity of all instruments presented to us as originals, the conformity with originals of all instruments presented to us as copies, and the genuineness of all signatures. Based upon, and subject to, the foregoing, we are of the opinion that upon the issuance of the Shares of AmericanWest Bancorporation in accordance with the terms of the Plan, such Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable. We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and further consent to the use of our name when appearing on the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto. Very truly yours, /s/ Keller Rohrback L.L.P. RMR:rmr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1201 Third Avenue Suite 3200 Seattle, Washington 98101-3052 Telephone: (206) 623-1900 Fax: (206) 623-3384 www.kellerrohrback.com