Exhibit 5.1
May 28,
2021
Inuvo,
Inc.
500
President Clinton Boulevard
Suite
300
Little
Rock, AR 72201
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We have
acted as special Nevada counsel to Inuvo, Inc., a Nevada
corporation (the “Company”), in connection
with the issuance and sale by the Company of shares of its common
stock, par value $0.001, having an aggregate offering price of up
to $35,000,000 (the “Shares”), pursuant to
that certain Registration Statement on Form S-3, as amended
(Registration Statement No. 333-253018) (the “Registration Statement”),
together with the Prospectus contained therein (the
“Prospectus”), filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), on February 12,
2021 and declared effective on March 15, 2021, and the Prospectus
Supplement relating to the Shares filed with the Commission dated
as of the date hereof (“Prospectus Supplement”).
All of the Shares are to be sold by the Company as described in the
Prospectus Supplement.
You
have requested our opinion as to the matters set forth below in
connection with the Prospectus Supplement. For purposes of
rendering that opinion, we have examined the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Company’s Articles of
Incorporation, as amended, and Bylaws, as amended, and the
corporate action of the Company that provides for the issuance of
the Shares, and we have made such other investigation as we have
deemed appropriate. We have examined and relied upon certificates
of public officials and, as to certain matters of fact that are
material to our opinion, we have also relied upon the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in those
certain documents included as Exhibits to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, and the Prospectus Supplement, and on a
certificate of an officer of the Company.
In
connection with our opinion, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the legal capacity of natural personas, the
authenticity of all items submitted to us as originals and the
conformity with originals of all items submitted to us as copies.
In making our examination of documents executed by parties other
than the Company, we have assumed that each other party has the
power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform and
observe the provisions of, such documents and has duly authorized,
executed and delivered such documents, and that such documents
constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each such
party.
We have
further assumed that the Registration Statement and any amendments
thereto, the Prospectus, and the Prospectus Supplement, will comply
with all applicable laws at the time the Shares are offered or sold
as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and
the Prospectus Supplement.
Inuvo, Inc.
May 28, 2021
Page
2
Based upon and subject to the
foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold
in accordance with the terms and conditions described in the
Prospectus Supplement, and when stock certificates or book entry
positions representing the Shares have been duly executed,
registered in the books and records of the Company and delivered,
will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
We are
qualified to practice law in the State of Nevada. The opinions set
forth herein are expressly limited to and based exclusively on the
general corporate laws of the State of Nevada, and we do not
purport to be experts on, or to express any opinion with respect to
the applicability or effect of, the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We express no opinion herein concerning, and we assume no
responsibility as to the laws or judicial decisions related to, or
any orders, consents or other authorizations or approvals as may be
required by, any federal laws, rules or regulations, including,
without limitation, any federal securities or bankruptcy laws,
rules or regulations, any state securities or “blue
sky” laws, rules or regulations or any state laws regarding
fraudulent transfers. Our opinion is rendered as of the date
hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you of changes in law
or fact (or the effect thereof on the opinions expressed herein)
that hereafter may come to our attention.
This
opinion is issued in the State of Nevada. By issuing this opinion,
McDonald Carano LLP (i) shall not be deemed to be transacting
business in any other state or jurisdiction other than the State of
Nevada and (ii) does not consent to the jurisdiction of any state
other than the State of Nevada. Any claim or cause of action
arising out of the opinions expressed herein must be brought in the
State of Nevada. Your acceptance of this opinion shall constitute
your agreement to the foregoing.
We
hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as part of the
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the
Commission for the purpose of including this opinion as part of the
Registration Statement, to the incorporation by reference of this
opinion letter into the Registration Statement and to the reference
to our firm in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption
“Legal Matters.” In giving this consent, we do not
admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is
required by Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of
the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Sincerely,
/s/
McDonald Carano LLP
MCDONALD
CARANO LLP