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DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS
1775 Eye Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 261-3300
July 31, 2000
The Coventry Group
3435 Stelzer Road
Columbus, OH 43219
Re: The Coventry Group - The 1st Source Monogram Funds
Dear Sirs:
We have acted as counsel for The Coventry Group ("Registrant")
and four of its investment series, the 1st Source Monogram Income Equity Fund,
the 1st Source Monogram Diversified Equity Fund, the 1st Source Monogram Special
Equity Fund and the 1st Source Monogram Income Fund ("Funds"), and are familiar
with Registrant's registration statement with respect to the Funds under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and with the registration statement
relating to its shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(collectively, "Registration Statement"). Registrant is organized as a business
trust under the laws of Massachusetts.
We have examined Registrant's Declaration of Trust and other
materials relating to the authorization and issuance of shares of beneficial
interest of Registrant, Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to the Registration
Statement and such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary to
enable us to give this opinion.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that each
Fund's shares proposed to be sold pursuant to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to
the Registration Statement, when it is made effective by the Securities and
Exchange Commission, will have been validly authorized and, when sold in
accordance with the terms of such Amendment and the requirements of applicable
federal and state law and delivered by Registrant against receipt of the net
asset value of the shares of the Funds, as described in Post-Effective Amendment
No. 74 to the Registration Statement, will have been legally and validly issued
and will be fully paid and non-assessable by Registrant.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to the Registration Statement, to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the continuous
offering of the Funds' shares of beneficial interest, as indicated above, and to
references to our firm, as counsel to Registrant, in the Funds' prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information to be dated as of the effective date of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to the Registration Statement and in any revised
or amended versions thereof, until such time as we revoke such consent.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Dechert Price & Rhoads
