Exhibits 5.1 and 23.1
[WILLIAMS, MULLEN, CLARK & DOBBINS LETTERHEAD]
November 15, 2000
The Board of Directors
LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc.
101 Gateway Centre Parkway, Gateway One
Richmond, Virginia 23235-5153
Re: LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. Executive Voluntary Deferral Plan
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter is delivered to you in connection with the actions taken
and proposed to be taken by LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc., a Virginia
corporation (the "Company"), with respect to the offer and sale from time to
time pursuant to the LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. Executive Voluntary
Deferral Plan (the "Plan"), of unsecured obligations of the Company to pay
deferred compensation in the future in accordance with the terms of the Plan
(the "Deferred Compensation Obligations"). We have reviewed the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed by the Company
with the Securities and Exchange Commission to effect the registration of the
Deferred Compensation Obligations under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
In this regard, we have examined such corporate proceedings, records
and documents as we have deemed necessary or advisable in connection with the
opinions set forth herein.
Based upon such examination, it is our opinion that the Deferred
Compensation Obligations, when issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and
the terms and conditions of the Plan, will be legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm as counsel to the
Company in the Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
Williams Mullen Clark & Dobbins, P.C.
By: /s/ Robert E. Spicer, Jr.
------------------------------------------
Robert E. Spicer, Jr.
