EX-5.1 2 dex51.txt OPINION OF STEARNS WEAVER MILLER E X H I B I T 5 ----------------- LAW OFFICES Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. MUSEUM TOWER 150 WEST FLAGLER STREET MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130 _________ MIAMI (305) 789-3200 . BROWARD (954) 463-5440 FAX (305) 789-3395 WWW.STEARNSWEAVER.COM E. RICHARD ALHADEFF JOSEPH K. HALL ELIZABETH G. RICE OWEN S. FREED LOUISE JACOWITZ ALLEN LISHA D. HOGUE GLENN M. RISSMAN SENIOR COUNSEL STUART D. AMES ALICE R. HUNEYCUTT ANDREW L. RODMAN ALEXANDER ANGUEIRA RICHARD B. JACKSON KEITH E. ROUNSAVILLE THOMAS J. QUARLES LAWRENCE J. BAILIN SHARON LEE JOHNSON MIMI L. SALL OF COUNSEL ANA T. BARNETT MICHAEL I. KEYES NICOLE S. SAYFIE CHRISTOPHER L. BARNETT ROBERT T. KOFMAN RICHARD E. SCHATZ DAVID M. SMITH PATRICK A. BARRY CHAD K. LANG DAVID M. SEIFER LAND USE CONSULTANT JEFFREY S. BARTEL DAVID P. LHOTA JOSE G. SEPULVEDA SHAWN BAYNE TERRY M. LOVELL JAY B. SHAPIRO SUSAN FLEMING BENNETT JOY SPILLIS LUNDEEN MARTIN S. SIMKOVIC TAMPA OFFICE LISA K. BERG GEOFFREY MacDONALD CECILIA DURAN SIMMONS SUITE 2200 MARK J. BERNET MONA E. MARKUS CURTIS H. SITTERSON SUNTRUST FINANCIAL CENTRE HANS C. BEYER BRIAN J. McDONOUGH MARK D. SOLOV 401 EAST JACKSON STREET RICHARD I. BLINDERMAN ANDREW D. McNAMEE EUGENE E. STEARNS TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602 MARK D. BOWEN ANTONIO R. MENENDEZ BRADFORD SWING ________ MATTHEW W. BUTTRICK FRANCISCO J. MENENDEZ SUSAN J. TOEPFER JENNIFER STEARNS BUTTRICK ALISON W. MILLER ANNETTE TORRES (813) 223-4800 PETER L. DESIDERIO HAROLD D. MOOREFIELD, JR. DENNIS R. TURNER MARK P. DIKEMAN JIMMY L. MORALES JONATHAN C. VAIR DREW M. DILLWORTH JOHN N. MURATIDES RONALD L. WEAVER FORT LAUDERDALE OFFICE SHARON QUINN DIXON JEFFREY A. NORMAN RORY B. WEINER SUITE 1900 DINO A. DOYLE JOHN K. OLSON ROBERT I. WEISSLER 200 EAST BROWARD BOULEVARD ALAN H. FEIN KARA E. PLUNKETT PATRICIA G. WELLES FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33301 ANGELO M. FILIPPI DAVID C. POLLACK MARTIN B. WOODS ________ ROBERT E. GALLAGHER, JR. DARRIN J. QUAM CHAVA E. GENET JOHN M. RAWICZ (954) 462-9500 PATRICIA K. GREEN PATRICIA A. REDMOND
June 4, 2001 Mr. Alan B. Levan Chief Executive Officer BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc. 1750 East Sunrise Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304 Re: BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc. Offering of Shares of Class A Common Stock ------------------------------------------ Dear Mr. Levan: As counsel to BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc. (the "Corporation"), we have examined the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, and Bylaws of the Corporation as well as such other documents and proceedings as we have considered necessary for the purposes of this opinion. We have also examined and are familiar with the proceedings taken by the Corporation to authorize the issuance of up to 5,175,000 shares of Class A Common Stock of the Corporation (the "Class A Common Stock"). Mr. Alan B. Levan June 4, 2001 Page 2 In addition, we have examined a copy of the Prospectus (the "Prospectus") included in the Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-3 pursuant to which the Class A Common Stock will be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Registration Statement"). In rendering this opinion, we have assumed, without independent investigation: (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals; (ii) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies, (iii) the genuineness of all signatures and (iv) the due authorization and execution of the underwriting agreement relating to the offering of the Class A Common Stock as contemplated by the Prospectus. In addition, as to questions of fact material to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied upon such certificates of public officials, corporate agents and officers of the Corporation and such other certificates as we deemed relevant. Our opinion expressed below is subject to the qualification that we express no opinion as to any law of any jurisdiction other than the law of the State of Florida and the federal law of the United States of America. Based upon the foregoing, and having regard to legal considerations which we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that following the issuance and delivery of the Class A Common Stock against payment of adequate consideration therefore in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus, the Class A Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. We hereby consent to the use of our opinion as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our Firm in the Prospectus included therein under the caption "Legal Matters." Very truly yours, STEARNS WEAVER MILLER WEISSLER ALHADEFF & SITTERSON, P.A.