<PAGE>
Exhibit 5.1
[Letterhead]
June 6, 2000
Startec Global Communications Corporation
10411 Motor City Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
Re: REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3
Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Startec Global Communications Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") filed on
June 6, 2000 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"). The Registration
Statement relates to the offer and sale of up to 2,897,988 shares (the
"Shares") of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, which may
be offered and sold from time to time by certain selling securityholders
named in the Prospectus contained in the Registration Statement or in
amendments or supplements thereto.
As counsel to the Company, we have examined the Registration Statement,
and originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our
satisfaction, of such other documents, corporate records, certificates of
public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary for the
purposes of rendering this opinion. In our examination, we have, with your
approval and without independent investigation, assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the legal capacity of all individuals who have executed the
aforesaid documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us
as copies (and the authenticity of the originals of such copies), and that
all public records reviewed are accurate and complete. As to various
questions of fact material to such opinion, we have relied, to the extent we
deemed appropriate, upon representations, statements and certificates of
officers and representatives of the Company and others. We have not
independently verified such information or assumptions.
<PAGE>
[Letterhead] Startec Global Communications Corporation
June 6, 2000
Page 2
Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing and the other
qualifications herein, we are of the opinion and advise you that the Shares
have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.
The foregoing opinion is rendered as of the date hereof. We assume no
obligation to update opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances which may
hereafter come to our attention or changes in the law which may hereafter
occur.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement, and we consent to the use of our name under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In
giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ PIPER MARBURY RUDNICK & WOLFE LLP
