EX-99.i

                                   Law Offices

                       STRADLEY RONON STEVENS & YOUNG, LLP

                            2600 One Commerce Square
                      Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-7098
                                 (215) 564-8000


Direct Dial: (215) 564-8027

                                October 23, 2001

The Brinson Funds
209 South LaSalle Street
Chicago IL 60604-1295


                  Re:      LEGAL OPINION - SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  We have examined the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as
amended (the "Declaration of Trust") of the The Brinson Funds (the "Trust"), a
business trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 9,
1993, the By-Laws of the Trust and the resolutions adopted by the Trust's Board
of Trustees organizing the business of the Trust, all as amended to date, and
the various pertinent proceedings that we deem material. We have also examined
the Notification of Registration and the Registration Statements filed under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act") and the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), all as amended to date, as well as other
items we deem material to this opinion.

                  The Trust is authorized by its Declaration of Trust to issue
an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001
per share. The Trust issues shares of the series designated as the Emerging
Markets Debt Fund, Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Global Balanced Fund (formerly,
Global Fund), Global Biotech Fund, Global Bond Fund, Global Equity Fund, Global
Technology Fund, High Yield Fund, International Equity Fund (formerly, Global
(Ex-U.S.) Equity Fund), U.S. Balanced Fund, U.S. Bond Fund, U.S. Equity Fund,
U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, U.S. Large Cap Growth Fund, U.S. Real Estate Equity
Fund, U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, U.S. Small Cap Growth Fund and U.S. Value
Equity Fund.

                  The Declaration of Trust designates, or authorizes the
Trustees to designate, one or more series or classes of shares of the Trust, and
allocates, or authorizes the Trustees to allocate, shares of beneficial interest
to each such series or class. The Declaration of Trust also empowers the
Trustees to designate any additional series or classes and allocate shares to
such series or classes.

                  The Trust has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"), a Registration Statement under the Securities
Act, which Registration Statement is deemed to register an indefinite number of
shares of the Trust pursuant to the provisions of Rule 24f-2 under the
Investment Company Act. You have further advised us that the Trust has filed,
and each year hereafter will timely file,



a Notice pursuant to Rule 24f-2 perfecting the registration of the shares sold
by the Trust during each fiscal year during which such registration of an
indefinite number of shares remains in effect.

                  You have also informed us that the shares of the Trust have
been, and will continue to be, sold in accordance with the Trust's usual method
of distributing its registered shares, under which prospectuses are made
available for delivery to offerees and purchasers of such shares in accordance
with Section 5(b) of the Securities Act.

                  Based upon the foregoing information and examination, so long
as the Trust remains a valid and subsisting trust under the laws of the State of
Delaware, and the registration of an indefinite number of shares of the Trust
remains effective, the authorized shares of the Trust when issued for the
consideration set by the Board of Trustees pursuant to the Declaration of Trust,
and subject to compliance with Rule 24f-2, will be legally outstanding,
fully-paid, and non-assessable shares, and the holders of such shares will have
all the rights provided for with respect to such holding by the Declaration of
Trust and the laws of the State of Delaware.

                  We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement of the Trust, and any amendments thereto, covering
the registration of the shares of the Trust under the Securities Act and the
applications, registration statements or notice filings, and amendments thereto,
filed in accordance with the securities laws of the several states in which
shares of the Trust are offered, and we further consent to reference in the
registration statement of the Trust to the fact that this opinion concerning the
legality of the issue has been rendered by us.



                                  Very truly yours,

                                  STRADLEY, RONON, STEVENS & YOUNG, LLP


                                  BY:   /s/ Mark A. Sheehan
                                        -----------------------------
                                         Mark A. Sheehan, a Partner