EXHIBIT 5(A)


                                ALSTON&BIRD LLP

                              One Atlantic Center
                           1201 West Peachtree Street
                          Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424

                                  404-881-7000
                               Fax: 404-881-7777
                                 www.alston.com


                                 July 23, 2003


Renal Care Group, Inc.
2525 West End Avenue, Suite 600
Nashville, Tennessee 37203

         Re:      Form S-8 Registration Statement --
                  Renal Care Group, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel for Renal Care Group, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Corporation"), in connection with the referenced Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by the
Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and covering 4,000,000 shares of
the Corporation's common stock, $0.01 par value ("Common Stock"), that may be
issued pursuant to the Renal Care Group, Inc. 1999 Long-Term Incentive Plan
(the "Plan"). This Opinion Letter is rendered pursuant to Item 8 of Form S-8
and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K.

         In the capacity described above, we have considered such matters of
law and of fact, including the examination of originals or copies, certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such records and documents of the
Corporation, certificates of public officials and such other documents as we
have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth. The
opinions set forth herein are limited to the laws of the State of Delaware as
expressed in the Delaware General Corporation Law, in reliance solely on
published general compilations thereof as of the date hereof.


                                                                        
1211 East Morehead Street            3605 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 310          601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
   P. O. Drawer 34009                       P. O. Drawer 31107                  North Building, 11th Floor
Charlotte, NC 28234-4009                  Raleigh, NC 27622-1107                Washington, DC 20004-2601
      704-331-6000                             919-420-2200                            202-756-3300
    Fax: 704-334-2014                       Fax: 919-420-2260                       Fax: 202-756-3333





Renal Care Group, Inc.
July 23, 2003
Page 2


         Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that the 4,000,000 shares
of Common Stock covered by the Registration Statement and to be issued pursuant
to the Plan, when issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Plan, will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         This Opinion Letter is provided to you for your benefit and for the
benefit of the Commission, in each case, solely with regard to the Registration
Statement, may be relied upon by you and the Commission only in connection with
the Registration Statement, and may not be relied upon by any other person or
for any other purpose without our prior written consent.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever
appearing in the Registration Statement.


                                        Very truly yours,

                                        ALSTON & BIRD LLP


                                        By: /s/STEVEN L. POTTLE
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Steven L. Pottle, Esq.