SUMMIT BANCORP/NJ/
S-8, 2000-04-12
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS
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     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2000

                                                      Registration No. 333-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 SUMMIT BANCORP.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        New Jersey                                    22-1903313
(State or other jurisdiction of              (I.R.S. Employer Identification
incorporation or organization)                Number)

      301 Carnegie Center, P.O. Box 2066, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-2066
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices)     (Zip Code)


                 SUMMIT BANCORP. 1999 NON-EXECUTIVE OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)


                           Richard F. Ober, Jr., Esq.
             Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                       301 Carnegie Center, P.O. Box 2066
                           Princeton, N.J. 08543-2066
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (609) 987-3430
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Calculation of Registration Fee

                                                   Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities to          Amount to be      Offering Price Per      Aggregate Offering          Amount of
be Registered                    Registered              Unit(2)                Price(2)           Registration Fee(2)
<S>                               <C>               <C>                   <C>                        <C>

Common Stock,                    8,650,000             Various              $245,315,090.90            $64,764
$.80 par value
(and associated
stock purchase
rights)(1)


<FN>
(1)  Prior to the occurrence of certain  events,  the stock purchase rights will
     not be evidenced separately from the common stock.

(2)  Exhibit  (99) sets forth in full the manner in which the  registration  fee
     was calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h). The table sets forth only a summary
     of the calculation fully set forth in Exhibit (99).
</FN>
</TABLE>



<PAGE>
                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS


Item 1.  Plan Information.

     Omitted as permitted by the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

Item 2.  Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

     Omitted as permitted by the Note to Part I of Form S-8.



                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     Summit  Bancorp.  ("Summit"  or  the  "Company"),  the  Registrant,  hereby
incorporates by reference in this Registration Statement the following documents
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"):

        (a) Summit's  Annual Report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to Section 13(a)
of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1999;

        (b) The description of the Common Stock of Summit  contained in Summit's
Registration  Statement  on Form 10  filed  pursuant  to  Section  12 (b) of the
Exchange  Act,  dated  August 31, 1970,  including  all  amendments  thereto and
reports  filed  under  the  Exchange  Act  for  the  purpose  of  updating  such
description (File No. 1-6451).

        (c) The description of the preferred  stock purchase rights  appurtenant
to the Common Stock of Summit  contained in Summit's  Registration  Statement on
Form 8-A filed July 29, 1999,  filed  pursuant to Section  12(b) of the Exchange
Act,  including all amendments  thereto and reports filed under the Exchange Act
for the purpose of updating such description (File No. 1-6451).



                                        2

<PAGE>



        All  documents  filed by Summit with the SEC pursuant to Section  13(a),
13(c),  14 or 15(d) of the  Exchange  Act after the date hereof and prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which  deregisters all securities then remaining  unsold shall
likewise  be deemed to be  incorporated  herein  by  reference  and to be a part
hereof from and as of the respective dates of filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

        This item is not  applicable  inasmuch as the class of  securities to be
offered is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

        The legality of the shares  offered  hereby is being passed upon for the
Company by Richard F.  Ober,  Jr.,  Esq.,  who is  employed  as  Executive  Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary of Summit. As of April 7, 2000 Mr. Ober
owned  57,215  shares of Summit  Common  Stock and options to  purchase  138,569
shares of Summit Common Stock at a weighted average exercise price of $23.11.

        The consolidated  financial  statements of Summit and subsidiaries as of
December  31, 1999 and 1998 and for each of the years in the  three-year  period
ended December 31, 1999, included in Summit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended  December  31, 1999,  incorporated  by  reference  herein,  have been
incorporated  by  reference  herein  in  reliance  upon the  report of KPMG LLP,
independent certified public accountants,  incorporated by reference herein, and
upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        With respect to the indemnification of directors and officers, Section 5
of Article IX of the By-Laws of the Company provides:

        Section 5. Indemnification and Insurance.  (a) Each person who was or is
made a  party  or is  threatened  to be made a party  to or is  involved  in any
proceeding,  by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a corporate agent of
the  Corporation,  whether the basis of such  proceeding is alleged action in an
official capacity as a corporate agent or in any other capacity while serving as
a corporate agent,  shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to
the fullest extent authorized by the laws of the State of New Jersey as the same
exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only
to the extent that such amendment  permits the  Corporation  to provide  broader
indemnification  rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior
to such amendment), against all expenses and liabilities in connection therewith
and such  indemnification  shall  continue as to a person who has ceased to be a
corporate agent and shall inure to the benefit of such corporate  agent's heirs,
executors,  administrators and other legal representatives;  provided,  however,
that except as provided in Section 5(c) of this By-Law,  the  Corporation  shall
indemnify  any  such  person  seeking   indemnification  in  connection  with  a
proceeding (or part thereof) initiated

                                        3

<PAGE>



by such person only if such  proceeding  (or part thereof) was authorized by the
Board of Directors. The right to indemnification  conferred in this By-Law shall
be a contract  right and shall  include the right to be paid by the  Corporation
the expenses  incurred in defending any such  proceeding in advance of its final
disposition,  such advances to be paid by the  Corporation  within 20 days after
the receipt by the  Corporation  of a statement or statements  from the claimant
requesting such advance or advances from time to time; provided,  however,  that
the  advancement  of counsel fees to a claimant  other than a claimant who is or
was a director or  Executive  Vice  President or higher  ranking  officer of the
Corporation  shall be made  only  when the  Board of  Directors  or the  General
Counsel  of  the  Corporation  determines  that  arrangements  for  counsel  are
satisfactory to the Corporation;  and provided, further, that if the laws of the
State of New Jersey so  require,  the  payment of such  expenses  incurred  by a
corporate agent in such corporate agent's capacity as a corporate agent (and not
in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a
corporate agent, including,  without limitation,  service to an employee benefit
plan) in advance of the final  disposition  of a  proceeding  shall be made only
upon  delivery  to the  Corporation  of an  undertaking  by or on behalf of such
corporate  agent to repay all  amounts so  advanced  if it shall  ultimately  be
determined  that such corporate  agent is not entitled to be  indemnified  under
this By-Law or otherwise.

        (b) To obtain indemnification under this By-Law, a claimant shall submit
to the  Corporation  a written  request,  including  therein or  therewith  such
documentation and information as is reasonably  available to the claimant and is
reasonably  necessary  to  determine  whether and to what extent the claimant is
entitled  to   indemnification.   Upon   written   request  by  a  claimant  for
indemnification  pursuant  to  the  first  sentence  of  this  Section  5(b),  a
determination,  if required by applicable  law,  with respect to the  claimant's
entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (1) if requested by a claimant who
is or was a director of Executive  Vice  President  or high ranking  officers of
this Corporation,  by independent counsel (as hereinafter  defined) in a written
opinion to the Board of  Directors,  a copy of which shall be  delivered  to the
claimant; or (2) if the claimant is not a person described in Section 5(b)(1) or
is  such  a  person  and  if no  request  is  made  by  such  a  claimant  for a
determination  by  independent  counsel,  (A) by the  Board  of  Directors  by a
majority vote of a quorum consisting of disinterested  directors (as hereinafter
defined),  or  (B)  if  a  quorum  of  the  Board  of  Directors  consisting  of
disinterested directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of
disinterested  directors so directs, by independent counsel in a written opinion
to the Board of  Directors,  a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant.
In the event the determination of entitlement to  indemnification  is to be made
by independent  counsel at the request of the claimant,  the independent counsel
shall be selected by the Board of Directors and paid by the  Corporation.  If it
is determined that the claimant is entitled to  indemnification,  payment to the
claimant shall be made within 20 days after such determination.

        (c) If a claim under  Section 5(a) of this By-Law is not paid in full by
the  Corporation  within thirty days after a written  claim  pursuant to Section
5(b) of this By-Law has been  received by the  Corporation,  the claimant may at
anytime  thereafter  bring suit  against the  Corporation  to recover the unpaid
amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part,  the claimant  shall
be  entitled to be paid also the expense of  prosecuting  such claim,  including
attorney's  fees.  It shall be a defense to any such act  (other  than an action
brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending

                                        4
<PAGE>

any  proceeding  in  advance  of  its  final   disposition  where  the  required
undertaking,  if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the
claimant has not met the standard of conduct  which makes it  permissible  under
the  laws of the  State of New  Jersey  for the  Corporation  to  indemnify  the
claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be
on the Corporation.  Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board
of Directors or independent  counsel) to have made a determination  prior to the
commencement  of such action that  indemnification  of the claimant is proper in
the  circumstances  because  the  claimant  has met the  applicable  standard of
conduct  set  forth  in the  laws of the  State  of New  Jersey,  nor an  actual
determination   by  the  Corporation   (including  its  Board  of  Directors  or
independent  counsel) that the claimant has not met such applicable  standard of
conduct,  shall be a defense  to the  action or  create a  presumption  that the
claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

        (d) If a determination  shall have been made pursuant to Section 5(b) of
this By-Law that the claimant is entitled to  indemnification,  the  Corporation
shall  be bound  by such  determination  in any  judicial  proceeding  commenced
pursuant to Section 5(c) of this By-Law.

        (e) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in
defending a  proceeding  in advance of its final  disposition  conferred in this
By-Law  shall not be  exclusive of any other rights which any person may have or
hereafter   acquire  under  any  statute,   provisions  of  the  Certificate  of
Incorporation,   By-Laws,  agreement,  vote  of  shareholders  or  disinterested
directors or otherwise.  No repeal or  modification  of this By-Law shall in any
way  diminish  or  adversely  affect  the rights of any  corporate  agent of the
Corporation  hereunder in respect of any  occurrence or matter  arising prior to
any such repeal or modification.

        (f) The Corporation may maintain  insurance,  at its expense, to protect
itself and any corporate  agent of the corporation or other  enterprise  against
any expense or liability, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to
indemnify  such person  against such expense or liability  under the laws of the
State of New Jersey.

        (g) If any  provision or  provisions  of this By-Law shall be held to be
invalid,  illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:  (1) the validity,
legality  and  enforceability  of  the  remaining   provisions  of  this  By-Law
(including,  without  limitation,  each  portion of any  section of this  By-Law
containing  any such  provision  held to be invalid,  illegal or  unenforceable)
shall not in any way be  affected or  impaired  thereby;  and (2) to the fullest
extent possible,  the provisions of this By-Law (including,  without limitation,
each such portion of any section of this By-Law  containing  any such  provision
held to be invalid,  illegal or unenforceable)  shall be construed so as to give
effect to the  intent  manifested  by the  provision  held  invalid,  illegal or
unenforceable.

        (h) For purposes of this By-Law:

                (1)      "disinterested   director"  means  a  director  of  the
                         Corporation  who is  not  and  was  not a  party  to or
                         otherwise  involved  in the  matter in respect of which



                                        5

<PAGE>
                         indemnification is sought by the claimant.

                (2)      "independent  counsel"  means a law firm, a member of a
                         law  firm,  or  an  independent  practitioner  that  is
                         experienced  in  matters of  corporation  law and shall
                         include any person who, under the applicable  standards
                         of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have
                         a  conflict  of  interest  in  representing  either the
                         Corporation  or the  claimant in an action to determine
                         the claimant's rights under this By-Law.

                (3)      "corporate  agent"  means  any  person  who is or was a
                         director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation
                         or of  any  constituent  corporation  absorbed  by  the
                         Corporation in a consolidation or merger and any person
                         who is or was a director, officer, trustee, employee or
                         agent of any  subsidiary of the  Corporation  or of any
                         other  enterprise,  serving  as such at the  request of
                         this   Corporation,   or  of   any   such   constituent
                         corporation,  or the legal  representative  of any such
                         director, officer, trustee, employee or agent;

                (4)      "other   enterprise"  means  any  domestic  or  foreign
                         corporation,   other  than  the  Corporation,  and  any
                         partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship,  trust
                         or other enterprise,  whether or not for profit, served
                         by a corporate agent;

                (5)      "expenses" means reasonable  costs,  disbursements  and
                         counsel fees;

                (6)      "liabilities"   means   amounts  paid  or  incurred  in
                         satisfaction  of  settlements,  judgements,  fines  and
                         penalties;

                (7)      "proceeding" means any pending, threatened or completed
                         civil,    criminal,    administrative,     legislative,
                         investigative   or   arbitrative    action,   suit   or
                         proceeding,  and any appeal  therein and any inquiry or
                         investigation  which could lead to such action, suit or
                         proceeding; and

                (8)      References  to  "other  enterprises"  include  employee
                         benefit plans; references to "fines" include any excise
                         taxes  assessed on a person with respect to an employee
                         benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request
                         of the indemnifying corporation" include any service as
                         a corporate  agent which imposes duties on, or involves
                         services  by, the  corporate  agent with  respect to an
                         employee   benefit   plan,   its    participants,    or
                         beneficiaries;  and a person who acts in good faith and
                         in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in the
                         interest of the  participants  and  beneficiaries of an
                         employee  benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in
                         a  manner  "not  opposed  to the best  interest  of the
                         corporation."





                                       6
<PAGE>

        (i) Any notice,  request or other communication required or permitted to
be given to the  Corporation  under this  By-Law  shall be in writing and either
delivered in person or sent by facsimile,  telex,  telegram,  overnight  mail or
courier  service,  or certified or  registered  mail,  postage  prepaid,  return
receipt  requested,  to the Secretary of the  Corporation and shall be effective
only upon receipt by the Secretary.

        (j) This  By-Law  shall be  implemented  and  construed  to provide  any
corporate  agent described above who is found to have acted in good faith and in
a manner  such  person  reasonably  believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests  of  the  Corporation  the  maximum  indemnification,  advancement  of
expenses, and reimbursement for liabilities and expenses allowed by law.

        Such  provision  is  consistent  with  Section  14A:3-5 of the  Business
Corporation Act of the State of New Jersey, the state of Summit's incorporation,
which  permits the  indemnification  of officers and  directors,  under  certain
circumstances and subject to specified limitations,  against liability which any
officer or director may incur in such capacity.

        Article 7 of Summit's  Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation  provides
that:

        Except to the extent  prohibited  by law,  no Director or officer of the
Corporation  shall be personally  liable to the Corporation or its  shareholders
for damages for breach of any duty owed to the  Corporation or its  shareholders
provided that a Director or officer shall not be relieved from liability for any
breach of duty based upon an act or omission  (a) in breach of such persons duty
of  loyalty to the  Corporation  or its  shareholders,  (b) not in good faith or
involving a knowing  violation of law or (c) resulting in receipt of an improper
personal  benefit.  Neither the  amendment  or repeal of this Article 7, nor the
adoption  of  any  provision  of  this  Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation
inconsistent  with this Article 7, shall  eliminate or reduce the effect of this
Article 7 in respect of any matter which occurred,  or any cause of action, suit
or claim  which but for this  Article 7 would have  accrued or arisen,  prior to
such amendment, repeal or adoption.

        Summit carries  officers' and directors'  liability  insurance  policies
which provide coverage against  judgments,  settlements and legal costs incurred
because of actual or asserted  acts of such  officers  and  directors  of Summit
arising out of their duties as such, subject to certain  exceptions,  including,
but not limited to, damages based upon illegal  personal  profits or adjudicated
dishonesty of the person seeking indemnification.  The policies provide coverage
of $50,000,000 in the aggregate.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

        Not Applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

        This Registration Statement includes the following exhibits:


                                        7

<PAGE>

     5    Opinion of Richard F. Ober, Jr., Esq. regarding legality.


     10   Summit  Bancorp.  1999  Non-Executive  Option  Plan  (incorporated  by
          reference  to Appendix A to the Proxy  Statement of  Registrant  dated
          March 9, 1999).

    23(a) Consent of Richard F. Ober, Jr., Esq. (included as part of Exhibit 5).

      (b) Consent of KPMG LLP..

     24   Power  of  Attorney   (contained  on  the  signature   pages  to  this
          Registration Statement).

     99   Calculation of Registration Fee.

Item 9.  Undertakings.

        The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file,  during any period in which  offers or sales are being made
of  the  securities  registered  hereby,  a  post-effective  amendment  to  this
Registration Statement:

                (i) to include any  prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3) of
        the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act");

                (ii) to reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising
        after the  effective  date of this  Registration  Statement (or the most
        recent post-effective  amendment thereof) which,  individually or in the
        aggregate,  represent a fundamental  change in the information set forth
        in this Registration Statement;

                (iii) to include any  material  information  with respect to the
        plan of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in this  Registration
        Statement  or  any  material   change  to  such   information   in  this
        Registration Statement;  provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii)
        above  shall not apply if the  information  required to be included in a
        post- effective  amendment by those  paragraphs is contained in periodic
        reports  filed  with  or  furnished  to  the   Securities  and  Exchange
        Commission by the Registrant  pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of
        the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (the  "Exchange  Act")  that are
        incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

        (2)  That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities  Act,  each  post-effective  amendment  shall be  deemed  to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.


                                        8

<PAGE>


        (3) To remove from  registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
any of the  securities  being  registered  hereby  which  remain  unsold  at the
termination of the offering.

        (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
Act, each filing of the Registrant's  annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that is  incorporated  by  reference in the
Registration  Statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  registration  statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (5)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under  the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions  described in Item 6, or otherwise,
the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the  opinion of the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission such  indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the  Securities  Act and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event that a
claim for  indemnification  against such liabilities  (other than the payment by
the  Registrant  of  expenses  incurred  or  paid  by  a  director,  officer  or
controlling  person of the Registrant in the  successful  defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will, unless
in the  opinion  of its  counsel  the matter  has been  settled  by  controlling
precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether
such  indemnification  by it is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in  the
Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.






                                        9

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES


        Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the Township of West Windsor and the State of New Jersey on this
12th day of April, 2000.

                                      SUMMIT BANCORP.


                                      By: /s/ T. Joseph Semrod
                                          --------------------
                                            T. Joseph Semrod
                                            Chairman of the Board of Directors
                                            and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints T. Joseph Semrod, William J. Healy and Richard F.
Ober, Jr., and each of them, the undersigned's true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and  agents,  with  full  power  of  substitution  and  resubstitution,  for the
undersigned  and in the  undersigned's  name,  place and  stead,  in any and all
capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective  amendments)
to this Registration  Statement,  and to file the same with all exhibits thereto
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission,  granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing  requisite  and necessary to be done
in ratifying and confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, or any
of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has been signed below on the 12th day of April, 2000 by
the following persons in the capacities indicated.

        Signatures                            Titles


/s/  T. Joseph Semrod                Chairman of the Board of Directors
- ---------------------------          (Chief Executive Officer)
     T. Joseph Semrod

/s/  William J. Healy                Executive Vice President-Finance
- ---------------------------          (Principal Financial Officer)
     William J. Healy

/s/  Paul V. Stahlin                 Senior Vice President and Comptroller
- ---------------------------          (Principal Accounting Officer)
     Paul V. Stahlin

/s/  Robert L. Boyle                 Director
- ---------------------------
     Robert L. Boyle

/s/  James C. Brady                  Director
- ---------------------------
     James C. Brady


                                       10

<PAGE>



        Signatures                                          Titles


/s/  John G. Collins                       Director
- ---------------------------
     John G. Collins

/s/ T.J. Dermot Dunphy                     Director
- ---------------------------
     T.J. Dermot Dunphy

/s/  Anne Evans Estabrook                  Director
- ---------------------------
     Anne Evans Estabrook

/s/  Elinor J. Ferdon                      Director
- ---------------------------
     Elinor J. Ferdon

                                           Director
- ---------------------------
     William J. Freeman

/s/  Thomas H. Hamilton                    Director
- ---------------------------
     Thomas H. Hamilton

/s/  Fred G. Harvey                        Director
- ---------------------------
     Fred G. Harvey

/s/  Arthur J. Kania                       Director
- ---------------------------
     Arthur J. Kania

/s/  Francis J. Mertz                      Director
- ---------------------------
     Francis J. Mertz

/s/  George L. Miles, Jr.                  Director
- ---------------------------
     George L. Miles, Jr.

/s/  William R. Miller                     Director
- ---------------------------
     William R. Miller

/s/  Raymond Silverstein                   Director
- ---------------------------
     Raymond Silverstein

/s/  Orin R. Smith                         Director
- ---------------------------
     Orin R. Smith

/s/ Joseph M. Tabak                        Director
- ---------------------------
     Joseph M. Tabak

/s/  Douglas G. Watson                     Director
- ---------------------------
     Douglas G. Watson





                                       11

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.               Description


5      Opinion of Richard F. Ober, Jr., Esq. regarding legality.

10     Summit Bancorp. 1999 Non-Executive Option Plan (incorporated by reference
       to Appendix A to the Proxy Statement of Registrant dated March 9, 1999).

23(a)  Consent of Richard F. Ober, Jr., Esq. (included as part of Exhibit 5).

  (b)  Consent of KPMG LLP.

24     Power of Attorney (contained on the signature pages to this Registration
              Statement).

99(a)  Calculation of Registration Fee








                                       12





                                                                       Exhibit 5





March 31, 2000


Summit Bancorp.
301 Carnegie Center
P.O. Box 2066
Princeton, New Jersey 08543

     Re:  Registration  Statement  on Form S-8 of Summit  Bancorp.  Relating  to
          8,650,000  Shares of Summit  Bancorp.  Common Stock Issuable under the
          Summit Bancorp. 1999 Non-Executive Option Plan.

Gentlemen:

         This opinion is given in connection with the filing of the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement") by Summit  Bancorp.  (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange  Commission under the Securities Act
of 1933,  as amended,  with respect to an  aggregate of 8,650,000  shares of the
Company's  Common Stock,  par value $.80 per share (the "Shares"),  which may be
offered  pursuant to the Summit  Bancorp.  1999  Non-Executive  Option Plan (the
"Plan") through exercise of stock options granted under the Plan ("Options"), to
certain employees of the Company and of any subsidiary or parent  corporation of
the Company.

         I have acted as counsel for the Company in  connection  with the filing
of the Registration  Statement.  In so acting,  I have made such  investigation,
including  the  examination  of  originals  or copies,  certified  or  otherwise
identified to my satisfaction,  of such corporate documents and instruments as I
have deemed  relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion  hereinafter  set
forth. In connection  therewith I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures
and the  authenticity  of all  documents  submitted to me as  originals  and the
conformity to original  documents of all documents  submitted to me as certified
or photostatic  copies. As to questions of fact material to such opinion, I have
relied upon representations of officers or representatives of the Company.

         Based upon the foregoing,  I am of the opinion that the Shares will be,
when issued , delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Options
under the Plan, be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         I  hereby  consent  to the use of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration Statement. I further consent to any and all references to me in the
Prospectus which is part of said Registration Statement, should there be any.

                                           Very truly yours,



                                           /s/ Richard F. Ober, Jr.








                                                                   Exhibit 23(b)

                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT



The Board of Directors
Summit Bancorp.:


We consent to the use of our report  dated  January  18,  2000  relating  to the
consolidated  balance sheets of Summit Bancorp and  subsidiaries  as of December
31,  1999  and  1998,  and  the  related  consolidated   statements  of  income,
shareholders  equity  and cash  flows  for each of the  years in the  three-year
period ended  December 31, 1999,  which report  appears in the December 31, 1999
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Summit  Bancorp.  incorporated by reference in the
Registration  Statement  on Form S-8 of Summit  Bancorp.  We also consent to the
reference  to our  firm  under  the  caption  "Interests  of Named  Experts  and
Counsel".



/s/ KPMG LLP


Short Hills, New Jersey



April 5, 2000





                                                                   Exhibit (99)


                                   Proposed Maximum           Proposed Maximum
     Amount to be                  Offering Price                  Aggregate
     Registered                    Per Unit                    Offering Price

           823,500                    $42.1875                 $34,741,406.25
               500                     42.625                       21,312.50
               200                     41.625                        8,325.00
             1,200                     41.5313                      49,837.56
               500                     38.0313                      19,015.65
            15,500                     37.50                       581,250.00
               500                     36.4063                      18,203.15
             1,575                     42.0923                      66,295.37
               500                     33.1563                      16,578.15
               500                     33.4688                      16,734.40
               500                     33.5938                      16,796.90
             1,000                     29.8125                      29,812.50
             1,900                     30.9375                      58,781.27
               500                     34.50                        17,250.00
               750                     33.3125                      24,984.38
             2,500                     30.50                        76,250.00
               500                     29.75                        14,875.00
               500                     28.6250                      14,312.50
             2,000                     29.9375                      59,875.00
               900                     29.7188                      26,746.92
         1,693,240                     26.5938                  45,029,687.63
             1,950                     24.3750                      47,531.25
            47,500                     24.3125                   1,154,844.12
             1,500                     24.1250                      36,187.50
         6,050,258 (1)                 26.9688 (2)             163,168,197.90
       -----------                                            ---------------
Total    8,650,000                                            $245,315,090.90



(1)  Option  shares  as to  which  option  exercise  prices  have  not yet  been
determined.

(2) The average of the high and low sale prices of Summit  common stock on April
5, 2000.







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