HEALTHCARE REALTY TRUST INC
8-K, 1998-03-02
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                         ______________________________

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 Current Report
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 24, 1998
 
                         ______________________________

                      Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


        Maryland                  1-11852                        62-1507028
     (State or Other          (Commission File                (I.R.S. Employer
     Jurisdiction of               Number)                     Identification
      Incorporation)                                                Number)


                              3310 West End Avenue
                                    Suite 700
                           Nashville, Tennessee             37203
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

                                 (615) 269-8175
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

 
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed from Last Report)



<PAGE>
Item 5.  Other Events

     On February 24, 1998,  Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (the "Company")
entered into an underwriting agreement with Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated
(the  "Underwriter")  relating  to the  purchase by the  Underwriter  of 356,347
shares of the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
(c)      Exhibits

 
Exhibit Number                      Description

1.1   Underwriting  Agreement,  dated  February  24,  1998,  between  Healthcare
      Realty Trust Incorporated and Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated.

5.1   Opinion of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, A Professional Limited Liability
      Company.

8.1   Opinion of Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, PLC.
 
23.1  Consent of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, A Professional Limited Liability
      Company (included in Exhibit 5.1).

23.2  Consent of Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, PLC (included in Exhibit 8.1).
 

                                       2

<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       HEALTHCARE REALTY TRUST INCORPORATED

 
                                       By: /s/ ROGER O. WEST
                                           Roger O. West
                                           Executive Vice President
                                           and General Counsel

Date:  March 2, 1998

                                       3
<PAGE>
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

 
Exhibit Number                      Description

1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated February 24,1998, between Healthcare Realty
      Trust Incorporated and Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated.

5.1   Opinion of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, A Professional Limited Liabilit
      Company.

8.1   Opinion of Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, PLC.
 
23.1  Consent of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, A Professional Limited Liability
      Company (included in Exhibit 5.1).

23.2  Consent of Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, PLC (included in Exhibit 8.1).



                                        4

                                                                     Exhibit 1.1
                                 356,347 Shares
                                  Common Stock,
                                ($.01 par value)

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                                                               February 24, 1998

LEGG MASON WOOD WALKER, INCORPORATED
100 Light Street
Baltimore, Maryland  21202

     The  undersigned,   Healthcare  Realty  Trust   Incorporated,   a  Maryland
corporation  (the  "Company"),  hereby  confirms  its  agreement  with  you (the
"Underwriter") as follows:

     1.  Description  of Shares.  The Company  proposes to issue and sell to you
356,347 shares of its Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Shares"). The
Shares are more fully  described  in the  Prospectus  hereinafter  defined.  The
Underwriter  intends (i) to deposit the Shares directly with the Trustee of Legg
Mason REIT Trust, February 1998 Series, a registered unit investment trust under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,  as soon after the execution and
delivery  hereof as in its judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the
Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below).

     2.   Purchase,   Sale  and  Delivery  of  Shares.   On  the  basis  of  the
representations,  warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the
terms and  conditions  herein set forth,  the Company agrees to sell to you, and
you agree to  purchase  from the  Company at a purchase  price of  $26.7997  per
share, 356,347 Shares.

     The Company will  deliver  definitive  certificates  for the Shares at such
place as you shall designate (the "Place of Closing"),  for your account against
payment to the Company of the purchase  price for the Shares sold to you by wire
transfer of immediately  available funds to an account specified by the Company,
at 10:00 a.m.,  New York City time,  on February 27, 1998, or at such other time
and date not later than  three  full  business  days  thereafter  as you and the
Company  may agree,  such time and date of payment  and  delivery  being  herein
called the "Closing Date."

     The  certificates  for the Shares so to be delivered will be made available
to you for  inspection  at such other place as you and the Company may  mutually
agree upon at least one full  business day prior to the Closing Date and will be
in such names and  denominations  as you may request at least two full  business
days prior to the Closing Date.

     3.  Representations,  Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to and agrees with you that:

     (a) The  Registration  Statement  (as defined  below) has become  effective
under the Act; no stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Registration
Statement is in effect,  and no proceedings  for such purpose are pending before
or,  to the  knowledge  of  the  Company,  threatened  by  the  Commission.  The
registration  statement  on Form S-3  (Registration  No.  33-97888)  including a
prospectus,  relating to (i) shares of common  stock of the  Company,  par value
$.01 per share ("Common Stock"),  (ii) warrants to purchase Common Stock,  (iii)
shares of  preferred  stock of the Company,  par value $.01 per share,  and (iv)
debt  securities of the Company  (collectively,  the "Shelf  Securities")  to be
issued  from  time  to time  by the  Company,  as  amended  at the  date of this
Agreement is  hereinafter  referred to as the  Registration  Statement,  and the
related  prospectus  covering the Shelf  Securities in the form contained in the
Registration  Statement at the time it was declared  effective by the Commission
is  hereinafter  referred to as the Basic  Prospectus.  The Basic  Prospectus as
supplemented  by  the  prospectus   supplement  (the  "Prospectus   Supplement")
specifically  relating  to the  offering of the Shares in the form first used to
confirm sales of the Shares is hereinafter  referred to as the  Prospectus.  Any
reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus,
any  preliminary   prospectus  (a  "preliminary   prospectus")  filed  with  the
Commission  pursuant to Rule 424 or the  Prospectus  shall be deemed to refer to
and include the documents  incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12
of Form S-3 under the Act which were filed under the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended,  and the rules and  regulations of the  Commission  thereunder
(collectively,  the "Exchange  Act") on or before the date of this  Agreement or
the date of the Basic Prospectus,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, and any reference to "amend",  "amendment"  or  "supplement"
with  respect  to  the  Registration  Statement,   the  Basic  Prospectus,   any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
any documents filed under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement,  or
the date of the Basic Prospectus,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, which are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

     (b) (i) Each part of the  Registration  Statement,  when  such part  became
effective,  did not contain and each such part, as amended or  supplemented,  if
applicable,  will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary to make the
statements  therein not  misleading,  (ii) the  Registration  Statement  and the
Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in
all material  respects  with the Act and (iii) the  Prospectus  does not contain
and,  as amended or  supplemented,  if  applicable,  will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to make
the statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading,  except that the  representations and warranties set forth
in  this  paragraph  (b)  do  not  apply  to  statements  or  omissions  in  the
Registration  Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to the
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriter expressly for
use therein.

                                       2
<PAGE>

     (c) The documents  incorporated by reference in the  Prospectus,  when they
were  filed with the  Commission,  conformed  in all  material  respects  to the
requirements  of the Exchange  Act, and none of such  documents,  when they were
filed with the Commission,  contained an untrue  statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact  necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
the light of the  circumstances  under which they are made, not misleading;  and
any further  documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
when such documents are filed with the  Commission  will conform in all material
respects to the  requirements  of the Exchange Act, as applicable,  and will not
contain an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary  to make the  statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.

     (d) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement
as originally  filed or as part of any amendment  thereto,  or filed pursuant to
Rule 424 under the Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the
Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or  necessary  to make  the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made, not misleading.

     (e) The Company and each of its  subsidiaries  are  corporations  that have
been duly organized, are validly existing as corporations in good standing under
the laws of the  jurisdiction of incorporation of each such corporation and have
the corporate power and authority to acquire and own their respective properties
and  the  properties  proposed  to  be  invested  in  by  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries  and to lease  such  properties  to  others  and to  conduct  their
business, all as described in the Prospectus,  and, with respect to the Company,
to enter into and perform its obligations  under this  Agreement,  and each such
corporation  is duly  qualified  and in good  standing as a foreign  corporation
authorized  to do  business  in each  jurisdiction  in which  the  nature of its
business or its ownership or leasing of property  requires  such  qualification,
except  where the failure to be so qualified  would not have a material  adverse
effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

     (f) On the date of this Agreement,  the Company has no  subsidiaries  other
than HR of Texas, Inc., a Maryland corporation, HRT of Alabama, Inc., an Alabama
corporation,  HRT of Tennessee, Inc., a Tennessee corporation,  HRT of Virginia,
Inc., a Virginia  corporation,  HRT of Arkansas,  Inc., an Arkansas corporation,
Healthcare  Realty  Management  Incorporated,  an  Alabama  corporation,  HRT of
Florida,  Inc.,  a  Florida  corporation,  HRT  of  Delaware  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation,   Healthcare  Realty  of  Tennessee,   L.P.,  a  Tennessee  limited
partnership, HR Interests, Inc., a Texas corporation,  and HRT of Roanoke, Inc.,
a Virginia corporation and the Company owns all of the outstanding capital stock
of or other ownership  interests in each such subsidiary.  The Company also owns
approximately  99% of the value of the capital  stock of Durham  Medical  Office
Building, Inc., a Texas corporation,  HR Capital, Inc., a Texas corporation,  HR
Assets, Inc., a Texas corporation and HR Funding, Inc. a Texas corporation.  All
of the Shares of capital  stock of, or other  ownership  interests in, each such
subsidiary owned by the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid and non-assessable,  and are owned by the Company, free and clear
of any security interest,  claim,  lien,  encumbrance or adverse interest of any
nature.

                                       3
<PAGE>

     (g) All the  outstanding  shares of capital  stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid,  non-assessable,  and not
subject to any  preemptive  or  similar  rights;  and the Shares  have been duly
authorized  and, when issued and delivered to the  Underwriter  against  payment
therefor as provided by this Agreement,  will be validly issued,  fully paid and
non-assessable,  and the  issuance  of such  Shares  will not be  subject to any
preemptive or similar rights.

     (h) The  authorized  capital  stock  of the  Company  conforms  as to legal
matters to the  description  thereof  contained in, or incorporated by reference
into, the Prospectus.

     (i) Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries is in violation of its
respective  articles of incorporation or bylaws or in default in the performance
of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note
or any other evidence of  indebtedness or in any other  agreement,  indenture or
instrument  material  to the  conduct of the  business  of the  Company  and its
subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a  party  or by  which  it or any of its  subsidiaries  or  their  respective
property is bound.

     (j) The Company or one of its  subsidiaries,  as  applicable,  has good and
indefeasible  title in fee simple to the  properties  listed  under the  caption
"Properties" in the Company's prospectus supplement, dated February 11, 1997, to
the Prospectus (the  "Properties"),  free and clear of all liens,  encumbrances,
claims, mortgages, deeds of trust, restrictions,  security interests and defects
("Property  Encumbrances"),  except  for:  (x) the  Leases  (as  defined  in the
Company's  prospectus  supplement,  dated February 11, 1997, to the Prospectus),
(y) any other  Property  Encumbrances  that  would not,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  have a  material  adverse  effect  on such  Property.  All  Property
Encumbrances  on or affecting the Properties  which are required to be disclosed
or  incorporated by reference in the Prospectus are disclosed or incorporated by
reference therein.

     (k)  Each  of  the  Leases  pertaining  to the  Properties  has  been  duly
authorized by the Company and its  subsidiaries,  as applicable,  and is a valid
and binding agreement of the Company or one of its subsidiaries,  as applicable,
enforceable  in  accordance  with its terms  (except as rights to indemnity  and
contribution  hereunder  may be  limited  by  applicable  law and except as such
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other
similar laws affecting  creditors' rights  generally,  and is subject to general
principals of equity, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law).

                                       4
<PAGE>

     (l) To the best  knowledge of the Company,  no lessee of any portion of any
of the Properties is in default under its respective lease and there is no event
which,  but for the  passage  of time or the  giving of  notice  or both,  would
constitute  a default  under any such lease,  except such  defaults  that would,
individually  or in the  aggregate,  not have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

     (m) The  execution,  delivery  and  performance,  compliance  with  all the
provisions of, and the consummation of all the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement will not require any consent,  approval,  authorization or other order
of any court, regulatory body,  administrative agency or other governmental body
(except as such may be  required  under the  securities  or Blue Sky laws of the
various  states),  except  where the failure to obtain such  consent,  approval,
authorization  or other  order would not have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  and will not conflict with or
constitute a breach of any of the terms or  provisions  of, or a default  under,
the  articles  of  incorporation  or  bylaws  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
subsidiaries or any material  agreement,  indenture or other instrument to which
such  person is a party or by which such  person or its  property  is bound,  or
violate or  conflict  with any laws,  administrative  regulations  or rulings or
court  decrees  applicable  to such  person  or its  properties.  The  foregoing
representation,  to the extent it relates to any person  other than the  Company
and its subsidiaries, is made to the best knowledge of the Company.

     (n) Except as  otherwise  set forth or  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Prospectus,  there are no material legal or governmental  proceedings pending to
which the Company or any seller or sublessee of any Property or portion  thereof
is a party or of which any of the Company's or any of its subsidiaries' property
or, to the best knowledge of the Company,  any Property is the subject,  and, to
the best of the  Company's  knowledge,  no such  proceedings  are  threatened or
contemplated.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries  has, and, to the
best of the Company's  knowledge,  any seller or sublessee of any  Property,  or
portion   thereof  or  any  previous  owner  thereof  has,   received  from  any
governmental authority notice of any material violation of any municipal,  state
or federal law, rule or regulation  (including  without limitation any such law,
rule  or  regulation   applicable  to  the  healthcare  industry  and  including
Environmental   Laws,  as  defined  in  paragraph  (o)  below)   concerning  the
Properties, or any part thereof which has not heretofore been cured, and neither
the  Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  and,  to the  best of the  Company's
knowledge,  each such other person, does not know of any such violation,  or any
occurrence or circumstance  that would give rise to a claim under or pursuant to
any Environmental  Laws, which would,  individually or in the aggregate,  have a
material adverse effect on the Company and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.
Neither  the  Company  nor  any of its  subsidiaries,  nor,  to the  best of the
Company's knowledge, any seller or sublessee of any Property, or portion thereof
has,  received  from  any  governmental  authority  any  written  notice  of any
condemnation of or zoning change  affecting the Properties,  or any part thereof
and the Company does not know of any such condemnation or zoning change which is
threatened and which if consummated  would have a material adverse effect on the
Company and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, or any of the  Properties.  No
contract or document of a character required to be described in the Registration
Statement  or the  Prospectus  or to be filed as an exhibit to the  Registration
Statement is not so described, filed or incorporated by reference as required.

                                       5
<PAGE>

     (o)  Neither  the  Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  nor,  to the best
knowledge  of the  Company,  any seller or  sublessee of any Property or portion
thereof has  violated  any foreign,  federal,  state or local law or  regulation
relating to human health or safety or the environment or Hazardous Materials (as
defined in paragraph (p) below)  ("Environmental  Laws") in connection  with any
Property,  nor has the Company nor any of its subsidiaries  violated any federal
or state law  relating  to  discrimination  in the hiring,  promotion  or pay of
employees  nor any  applicable  federal or state wages and hours  laws,  nor any
provisions  of the  Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act or the rules and
regulations  promulgated  thereunder,  which in any  case  might  result  in any
material  adverse  change in the  business,  prospects,  financial  condition or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

     (p) Except as  otherwise  set forth or  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Prospectus,  neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor to the best of
the  Company's  knowledge,  any seller or  sublessee  of any Property or portion
thereof has knowledge of (i) the presence of any  hazardous or toxic  substances
or wastes,  pollutants or contaminants  ("Hazardous  Materials") at, on or under
any of the  Properties or (ii) any spills,  releases,  discharges or disposal of
Hazardous  Materials at, on or under or occurring in connection  with any of the
Properties,  other  than  those  that  would  not have,  individually  or in the
aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries,  taken
as a whole.

     (q) The  Company  and  each of its  subsidiaries  and,  to the  best of the
Company's  knowledge,  each of the  Lessees or  sublessees  of any  Property  or
portion thereof has such permits, licenses, approvals, certificates,  franchises
and  authorizations  of  governmental  or  regulatory  authorities  ("permits"),
including, without limitation, under any Environmental Laws, as are necessary in
the case of each such party,  as the case may be, to acquire  and own,  lease or
sublease,  lease to  others  and  conduct  its  business,  all as  described  or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,  except where the failure to obtain
such  permits  would not have a material  adverse  effect on the Company and its
subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, or such Property;  each of the Company and each
of its subsidiaries and, to the best of the Company's knowledge,  of the Lessees
or sublessees of any Property or portion thereof has fulfilled and performed all
of its  material  obligations  with  respect  to such  permits  and no event has
occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow,  revocation
or termination  thereof or result in any other material impairment of the rights
of the holder of any such permit;  and,  except as described or  incorporated by
reference in the  Prospectus,  such  permits  contain no  restrictions  that are
materially  burdensome  to the Company and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.
Each of the Properties,  and the current and intended use and occupancy thereof,
complies with all  applicable  zoning laws,  ordinances  and  regulations in all
material  respects,  except where such failure  does not  materially  impair the
value of the  applicable  Property  and  will  not  result  in a  forfeiture  or
reversion of title.

                                       6
<PAGE>

     (r) The Company and each of its subsidiaries  maintains reasonably adequate
insurance for companies of its type, given the nature of its business.

     (s) Ernst & Young LLP are independent  public  accountants  with respect to
the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as required by the Act.

     (t) The financial  statements,  together  with related  schedules and notes
forming part of or incorporated by reference in the  Registration  Statement and
the  Prospectus  (and any amendment or supplement  thereto),  present fairly the
consolidated financial position,  results of operations and changes in financial
position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated or incorporated
by reference in the  Registration  Statement at the respective  dates or for the
respective periods to which they apply and have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted  accounting  principles  consistently  applied throughout the
periods involved, except as disclosed therein. The unaudited pro forma financial
statements  included or incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement
and  the  Prospectus  comply  in  all  material  respects  with  the  applicable
accounting  requirements  of Article 11 of Regulation  S-X of the Commission and
the pro forma  adjustments have been properly applied to the historical  amounts
in the  compilation  of  such  amounts.  The  other  financial  and  statistical
information and data set forth or incorporated by reference in the  Registration
Statement and the  Prospectus  (and any amendment or supplement  thereto) is, in
all material respects,  accurately  presented and prepared on a basis consistent
with such financial  statements and the books and records of the Company and its
subsidiaries.

     (u) The Company is not an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by
an  "investment  company"  within the meaning of the  Investment  Company Act of
1940, as amended.

     (v) The Company meets the requirements for  qualification and taxation as a
REIT under the Code.

     (w) Except as disclosed or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,  no
holder of any security of the Company has any right to require  registration  of
shares of Common Stock or any other security of the Company, except for warrants
to  purchase  152,312  shares of Common  Stock  issued by the Company in 1993 in
connection with the purchase of certain real property.

     (x) The Company has not (i) taken,  directly or indirectly,  any action, in
violation of any securities law,  designed to cause or to result in, or that has
constituted  or  which  might   reasonably  be  expected  to   constitute,   the
stabilization  or  manipulation  of the price of any  security of the Company to
facilitate  the sale or resale of the Shares or (ii) since the initial filing of
the  Registration  Statement  (A) sold,  bid for,  purchased or paid anyone,  in
violation of any securities law, any compensation  for soliciting  purchases of,
the  Shares or (B) paid or  agreed to pay to any  person,  in  violation  of any
securities law, any  compensation  for soliciting  another to purchase any other
securities of the Company.

                                       7
<PAGE>

     4. Additional Covenants. The Company covenants and agrees with you that:

     (a) The Company will (i) prepare a Prospectus  Supplement setting forth the
number of Shares covered thereby and their terms not otherwise  specified in the
Prospectus  pursuant  to which  the  Shares  are being  issued,  the name of the
Underwriter  and the  number  of  Shares  which the  Underwriter  has  agreed to
purchase,  the price at which the Shares are to be purchased by the  Underwriter
from the Company and such other  information as the  Underwriter and the Company
deem  appropriate  in connection  with the offering of the Shares,  and file the
Prospectus  in a form  approved by you  pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act no
later  than the  Commission's  close of  business  on the  second  business  day
following  the date of the  determination  of the offering  price of the Shares;
(ii)  during  any  period  in which  the  Prospectus  is  required  by law to be
delivered in connection  with an offering or sale of Shares by an underwriter or
dealer,  not file any amendment to the  Registration  Statement or supplement to
the Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been advised and furnished
with a copy or to which you shall have  reasonably  objected in writing or which
is not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations; and (iii) during any period
in which the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with an
offering  or sale of Shares by an  underwriter  or dealer,  promptly  notify you
after it shall have  received  notice  thereof of the time when any amendment to
the  Registration  Statement  becomes  effective or when any  supplement  to the
Prospectus has been filed.

     (b) During  any period in which the  Prospectus  is  required  by law to be
delivered in connection  with an offering or sale of Shares by an underwriter or
dealer,  the Company will advise you promptly,  after it shall receive notice or
obtain knowledge thereof,  of any request of the Commission for amendment of the
Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information,  or of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order  suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or the use of the Prospectus or
of the  institution  or  threatening of any  proceedings  for that purpose,  and
during any period in which the  Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in
connection  with an offering or sale of Shares by an underwriter or dealer,  the
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing  or  suspending  the use of the  Prospectus  and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.

     (c) Prior to any public offering of the Shares,  the Company will cooperate
with you and your  counsel in  endeavoring  to qualify the Shares for sale under
the securities laws of such  jurisdictions  as they may have designated and will
make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may
be necessary  for that  purpose,  provided the Company  shall not be required to
qualify  as a foreign  corporation  or to file a general  consent  to service of
process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file
such a  consent  or to  subject  itself to  taxation  as doing  business  in any
jurisdiction  where it is not now so taxed. The Company will, from time to time,
file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to
continue  such  qualifications  in effect for so long a period as  required  for
distribution of the Shares.

                                       8
<PAGE>

     (d) During  the period in which the  Prospectus  is  required  by law to be
delivered in connection with the offering or sale of Shares by an underwriter or
dealer,  the Company will deliver to you,  without  charge as many copies of the
Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein), or as it
thereafter  may be  amended  or  supplemented,  as you  may  from  time  to time
reasonably  request.  The Company consents to the use of such Prospectus by you,
both in  connection  with the  offering or sale of the Shares and for such other
purposes and for such period of time thereafter as the Prospectus is required by
law to be delivered in connection  with the offering or sale of the Shares by an
underwriter or dealer.  The Company will deliver to you at or before the Closing
Date one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto
including all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference  therein and
all documents  incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus and will deliver to
you such number of copies of the Registration  Statement,  without exhibits, and
of all amendments thereto, as you may reasonably request.

     (e) If,  during the period in which a  prospectus  is required by law to be
delivered in connection  with an offering or sale of Shares by an underwriter or
dealer,  any event  shall  occur as a result of which,  in the  judgment  of the
Company  or in your  judgment  or in the  opinion  of your  counsel,  it becomes
necessary to amend or supplement  the Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein,  in light of the  circumstances  existing at the time the Prospectus is
delivered to a purchaser, not misleading,  or, if it is necessary at any time to
amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company  promptly
will  prepare  and file with the  Commission  an  appropriate  amendment  to the
Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as
so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the  circumstances  when it
is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

     (f) The Company will make generally  available to its shareholders and will
file as an exhibit in a report  pursuant to the  Exchange  Act, as soon as it is
reasonably practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months after
the date of the  Prospectus  Supplement,  an earnings  statement  in  reasonable
detail,  covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the
date of the Prospectus  Supplement,  which earnings  statement shall satisfy the
requirements  of  Section  11(a)  of the  Act  and  Rule  158 of the  Rules  and
Regulations  and will advise you in writing when such statement has been so made
available.

     (g) The Company  will,  for a period of five years from the  Closing  Date,
deliver to you at your principal executive offices a reasonable number of copies
of annual reports,  quarterly  reports,  current reports and copies of all other
documents,  reports and information furnished by the Company to its shareholders
or filed by the Company with the Commission  pursuant to the Act or the Exchange
Act.  The  Company  will  deliver to you  similar  reports  with  respect to any
significant subsidiaries,  as that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations,
which  are  not  consolidated  in the  Company  financial  statements;  provided
however,   that  during  any  period  in  which  generally  accepted  accounting
principles  or  related  auditing  standards  do not  require  that a  Specified

                                       9
<PAGE>

Affiliate (as defined below) of the Company be accounted for as a subsidiary for
purposes  of the  consolidated  financial  statements  of the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries,  the term "significant subsidiary" shall not include any Specified
Affiliate  of the  Company for  purposes of this  paragraph  (g).  For  purposes
hereof,  "Specified  Affiliate"  means  any  corporation,  association  or other
business entity formed for the purpose of earning income not qualified as "rents
from real  property"  under  applicable  provisions  of the  Code,  in which the
Company owns substantially all of the economic interest but less than 10% of the
voting interests, and the remaining economic and voting interests are subject to
restrictions  requiring  that  ownership of such  interests be held by officers,
directors or employees of the Company. Any report, document or other information
required to be furnished  under this paragraph (g) shall be furnished as soon as
practicable  after such report,  document or  information  becomes  available or
filed.

     (h) The Company will apply the proceeds  from the sale of the Shares as set
forth in the  description  under  "Use of  Proceeds"  in the  Prospectus,  which
description  complies  in all  respects  with  the  requirements  of Item 504 of
Regulation S-K.

     (i) The Company  will supply you with copies of all  correspondence  to and
from, and all documents  issued to and by, the Commission in connection with the
registration of the Shares under the Act.

     (j) The  Company  will use its best  efforts to obtain  approval  for,  and
maintain the listing of the Shares for a period of at least five years after the
date of the Prospectus Supplement on, the New York Stock Exchange.

     (k)  During  any  period in which a  prospectus  is  required  by law to be
delivered  by an  Underwriter  or dealer,  the Company  will  promptly  file all
documents  required to be filed with the Commission  pursuant to Sections 13, 14
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

     5. Conditions of Underwriter's Obligation. Your obligations, as Underwriter
to purchase and pay for the Shares, as provided herein,  shall be subject to the
accuracy in all material  respects,  as of the date hereof and as of the Closing
Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, and
to the following additional conditions:

     (a) All  filings of the  Prospectus  required  by Rule 424 of the Rules and
Regulations  shall have been made. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued
and no  proceeding  for that  purpose  shall  have  been  initiated  or, to your
knowledge or the  knowledge of the Company,  threatened or  contemplated  by the
Commission,  and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be
included in the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus or otherwise)  shall
have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction.

     (b) You shall not have  disclosed  in writing to the Company on or prior to
the Closing Date, that the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion
of your counsel, is material,  or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of
such counsel,  is material and is required to be stated  therein or is necessary
to make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

                                       10
<PAGE>

     (c) On the Closing Date,  you shall have received one or more opinions from
counsel for the Company  addressed  to you and dated the Closing  Date as to the
respective matters set forth in Schedule I attached hereto.

     (d) You shall have  received on the Closing  Date,  from Hunton & Williams,
your counsel,  such opinion or opinions,  dated the Closing Date with respect to
the incorporation of the Company,  the validity of the Shares,  the Registration
Statement,  the  Prospectus  and other  related  matters  as you may  reasonably
require; the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they
reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass on such matters.

     (e) You shall have  received at or prior to the Closing  Date from Hunton &
Williams a memorandum or memoranda,  in form and substance  satisfactory to you,
with  respect to the  qualification  for  offering and sale by you of the Shares
under state  securities or Blue Sky laws of such  jurisdictions  as you may have
designated to the Company.

     (f) On the date of this  Agreement and on the Closing Date,  you shall have
received  from Ernst & Young LLP,  a letter or  letters,  dated the date of this
Agreement and the Closing Date, respectively, in form and substance satisfactory
to you,  confirming that they are independent public accountants with respect to
the  Company  within  the  meaning  of the  Act  and  the  published  Rules  and
Regulations, and stating to the effect set forth in Schedule II hereto.

     (g)  Except  as  contemplated  in or  incorporated  by  reference  into the
Prospectus,  (i)  neither the  Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial  statements included or
incorporated  by reference in the Prospectus  any material loss or  interference
with its business from fire, explosion,  flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order  or  decree;  and  (ii)  subsequent  to the  respective  dates as of which
information is given in the Registration  Statement and the Prospectus,  neither
the  Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  shall  have  incurred  any  material
liability  or  obligation,  direct  or  contingent,  or  entered  into  material
transactions,  and there shall not have been any change in the capital  stock or
long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries or any material change in the
condition  (financial  or other),  net  worth,  business,  affairs,  management,
prospects  or results of  operations  of the  Company or its  subsidiaries,  the
effect of which,  in any such case  described in clause (i) or (ii),  is in your
judgment so material or adverse as to make it  impracticable  or  inadvisable to
proceed with the public  offering or the delivery of the Shares being  delivered
on  the  Closing  Date  on the  terms  and in  the  manner  contemplated  in the
Prospectus.

                                       11
<PAGE>

     (h) There shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or
material  limitation  in trading in  securities  generally on the New York Stock
Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or the establishing on such exchanges by
the  Commission or by such  exchanges of minimum or maximum prices which are not
in force and effect on the date hereof;  (ii) a general moratorium on commercial
banking  activities  declared by either  federal or New York State  authorities;
(iii) the outbreak or escalation of  hostilities  involving the United States or
the  declaration  by the United  States of a national  emergency  or war, if the
effect of any such event  specified  in this  clause  (iii) in your  judgment is
material and adverse and makes it  impracticable  or inadvisable to proceed with
the public offering or the delivery of the Shares in the manner  contemplated in
the Prospectus;  (iv) any calamity or crisis, change in national,  international
or world affairs,  act of God, change in the  international or domestic markets,
or change in the existing  financial,  political or economic  conditions  in the
United  States or elsewhere,  if the effect of any such event  specified in this
clause (iv) is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed  with the public  offering  or the  delivery of the Shares in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus;  or (v) the enactment,  publication,  decree, or
other promulgation of any federal or state statute,  regulation,  rule, or order
of any court or other governmental authority, or the taking of any action by any
federal,  state or local  government  or agency in respect of fiscal or monetary
affairs,  if the effect of any such event  specified  in this clause (v) in your
judgment is material and adverse and makes it  impracticable  or  inadvisable to
proceed  with the public  offering  or the  delivery of the Shares in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus.

     (i) You shall have received certificates, dated the Closing Date and signed
by the President and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company stating that (i)
they have carefully  examined the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented and all documents  incorporated by reference therein and
nothing has come to their  attention that would lead them to believe that either
the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus,  or any amendment or supplement
thereto  or  any  documents  incorporated  by  reference  therein  as  of  their
respective effective,  issue or filing dates,  contained,  and the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented and all documents  incorporated by reference therein and
when read together with the documents  incorporated by reference therein, at the
Closing  Date,  contains any untrue  statement of a material  fact,  or omits to
state a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not  misleading,  and, that (ii) all  representations  and warranties made
herein by the  Company  are true and  correct in all  material  respects  at the
Closing Date, with the same effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date, and
all agreements  herein to be performed by the Company on or prior to the Closing
Date have been duly performed in all material respects.

     (j) The Company shall not have failed, refused, or been unable, at or prior
to the Closing Date to have performed in all material  respects any agreement on
their  part  to be  performed  or any of the  conditions  herein  contained  and
required to be performed or satisfied by them at or prior to the Closing Date.

                                       12
<PAGE>

     (k) The Company shall have  furnished to you at the Closing Date such other
certificates as you may have reasonably requested as to the accuracy,  on and as
of the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company herein
and as to the performance by the Company of their obligations hereunder.

     (l) The Shares shall have been approved for trading upon official notice of
issuance  on the New  York  Stock  Exchange.  All such  opinions,  certificates,
letters and documents will be in compliance  with the provisions  hereof only if
they are reasonably satisfactory to you and to Chapman and Cutler, your counsel.
The  Company  will  furnish  you with such  conformed  copies of such  opinions,
certificates, letters and documents as you may request.

     6. Indemnification.

     (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the  Underwriter  and
each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter  within the meaning of Section
15 of the Act or Section 20 of the  Exchange  Act,  from and against any and all
losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities  and  judgments  caused  by  any  untrue
statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  of a material  fact  contained  in the
Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus  (as amended or  supplemented  if the
Company shall have  furnished  any  amendments  or  supplements  thereto) or any
preliminary  prospectus,  or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the
statements  therein  not  misleading,  except  insofar as such  losses,  claims,
damages,  liabilities  or judgments  are caused by any such untrue  statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating
to the  Underwriter  furnished  in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the
Underwriter through you expressly for use therein;  provided,  however, that the
foregoing indemnity  agreement with respect to any preliminary  prospectus shall
not inure to the benefit of the Underwriter  from whom the person  asserting any
such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities  purchased  Shares,  or any person
controlling  the  Underwriter,  if a copy of the  Prospectus (as then amended or
supplemented  if the Company shall have  furnished any amendments or supplements
thereto)  was not sent or given to such  person,  if  required by law so to have
been  delivered,  at or prior  to the  written  confirmation  of the sale of the
Shares to such person,  and if the  Prospectus  (as so amended or  supplemented)
would have cured the  defect  giving  rise to such  losses,  claims,  damages or
liabilities.

     (b) In case any action  shall be brought  against  the  Underwriter  or any
person  controlling the Underwriter based upon any preliminary  prospectus,  the
Registration  Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
and with  respect to which  indemnity  may be sought  against the  Company,  the
Underwriter  shall promptly  notify the Company in writing and the Company shall
assume the defense  thereof,  including  the  employment  of counsel  reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses. The
Underwriter  or any such  controlling  person  shall  have the  right to  employ
separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof,  but
the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Underwriter

                                       13
<PAGE>

or such controlling  person unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have
been specifically  authorized in writing by the Company,  (ii) the Company shall
have failed to assume the defense and employ  counsel or (iii) the named parties
to  any  such  action  (including  any  impleaded   parties)  include  both  the
Underwriter or such  controlling  person and the Company and the  Underwriter or
such  controlling  person shall have been advised by such counsel that there may
be one or more  legal  defenses  available  to it which  are  different  from or
additional  to those  available to the Company (in which case the Company  shall
not have the  right to  assume  the  defense  of such  action  on  behalf of the
Underwriter or such controlling person, it being understood,  however,  that the
Company  shall not,  in  connection  with any one such  action or  separate  but
substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same  general  allegations  or  circumstances,  be  liable  for the fees and
expenses of more than one separate  firm of attorneys  (in addition to any local
counsel)  for the  Underwriter  and  controlling  persons,  which  firm shall be
designated  in writing by the  Underwriter  and that all such fees and  expenses
shall be reimbursed as they are  incurred).  The Company shall not be liable for
any settlement of any such action  effected  without its written  consent but if
settled with the written consent of the Company, the Company agrees to indemnify
and hold  harmless  the  Underwriter  and any such  controlling  person from and
against any loss or  liability  by reason of such  settlement.  No  indemnifying
party shall,  without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect
any  settlement of any pending or threatened  proceeding in respect of which any
indemnified  party is or could have been a party and  indemnity  could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party,  unless such settlement  includes an
unconditional  release of such  indemnified  party from all  liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

     (c) The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,  its
directors,  its  officers  who sign the  Registration  Statement  and any person
controlling  the Company  within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing  indemnity  from the
Company to the  Underwriter  but only with reference to information  relating to
such  Underwriter  furnished  in  writing  by or on  behalf  of the  Underwriter
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus.  In case any action shall be brought against the Company, any of its
directors,  any such officer or any person  controlling the Company based on the
Registration  Statement,  the  Prospectus,  any  preliminary  prospectus  and in
respect  of  which  indemnity  may  be  sought  against  the  Underwriter,   the
Underwriter  shall have the rights and duties given to the Company  (except that
if the Company shall have assumed the defense thereof, the Underwriter shall not
be required to do so, but may employ separate counsel therein and participate in
the defense  thereof,  but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of the Underwriter),  and the Company, its directors,  any such officers
and any person controlling the Company shall have the rights and duties given to
the Underwriter, by Section 6(b) hereof.

     (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is unavailable to
an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims,  damages,  liabilities or
judgments  referred  to  therein,  then  each  indemnifying  party,  in  lieu of

                                       14
<PAGE>

indemnifying  such  indemnified  party,  shall  contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,  claims,  damages,
liabilities  and judgments (i) in such  proportion as is  appropriate to reflect
the  relative  benefits  received  by  the  Company  on the  one  hand  and  the
Underwriter  on the other  hand from the  offering  of the Shares or (ii) if the
allocation  provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable  law, in
such  proportion  as is  appropriate  to reflect not only the relative  benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the  relative  fault of the Company and
the Underwriter in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
such losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities or judgments,  as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company
and the  Underwriter  shall be deemed to be in the same  proportion as the total
net  proceeds  from the offering  (before  deducting  expenses)  received by the
Company,  and the total underwriting  discounts and commissions  received by the
Underwriter,  bear to the total price to the public of the Shares,  in each case
as set forth in the  table on the cover  page of the  Prospectus.  The  relative
fault of the Company and the  Underwriter  shall be  determined by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by
the Company or the  Underwriter  and the parties'  relative  intent,  knowledge,
access to  information  and  opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.

     The  Company  and the  Underwriter  agree  that it  would  not be just  and
equitable if  contribution  pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account
of  the  equitable  considerations  referred  to in  the  immediately  preceding
paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the immediately
preceding  paragraph shall be deemed to include,  subject to the limitations set
forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection  with  investigating  or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding  the provisions of this Section 6, the Underwriter  shall not be
required  to  contribute  any  amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Shares  underwritten by it and distributed to the public were
offered to the public  exceeds the amount of any damages  which the  Underwriter
has otherwise  been  required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged  untrue
statement  or  omission  or alleged  omission.  No person  guilty of  fraudulent
misrepresentation  (within  the  meaning of  Section  11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.

     7. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations,
warranties,  and agreements of the Company  contained  herein or in certificates
delivered  pursuant hereto,  and your agreements  contained in Section 6 hereof,
shall  remain  operative  and  in  full  force  and  effect  regardless  of  any
termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on
behalf of you or any  controlling  person,  the Company or any of its  officers,
directors or any controlling  persons,  and shall survive delivery of the Shares
to you hereunder.

                                       15
<PAGE>

     8. Effective Date and Termination.

     (a) This  Agreement  shall become  effective  upon execution by each of the
parties hereto.

     (b) This  Agreement may be terminated by you at any time at or prior to the
Closing  Date by notice to the Company if any  condition  specified in Section 5
hereof shall not have been  satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date.  Any such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as
provided in Sections 6 and 9 hereof.

     If you terminate  this  Agreement as provided in Sections  8(b),  you shall
notify the Company by telephone or telegram, confirmed by letter.

     9. Cost and Expenses.  The Company will bear and pay the costs and expenses
incident  to the  registration  of  the  Shares  and  public  offering  thereof,
including,  without  limitation,  (a) the fees  and  expenses  of the  Company's
accountants  and the fees and  expenses  of  counsel  for the  Company,  (b) the
preparation,  printing,  filing,  delivery  and  shipping  of  the  Registration
Statement,  each Preliminary Prospectus,  the Prospectus,  and any amendments or
supplements  thereto (c) the  furnishing of copies of such documents to you, (d)
the  registration or qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under the
securities  laws of the  various  states,  including  the  reasonable  fees  and
disbursements  of your counsel relating to such  registration or  qualification,
(e) the fees payable to the NASD (if any) and the Commission in connection  with
their  review of the  proposed  offering of the  Shares,  (f) all  printing  and
engraving  costs  related to  preparation  of the  certificates  for the Shares,
including  transfer agent and registrar fees, (g) all initial transfer taxes, if
any, (h) all fees and expenses  relating to the  authorization of the Shares for
trading on the New York Stock Exchange,  (i) all travel expenses,  including air
fare and accommodation expenses, of representatives of the Company in connection
with the  offering  of the  Shares and (j) all of the other  costs and  expenses
incident to the performance by the Company of the  registration  and offering of
the Shares; provided,  however, that you will bear and pay the fees and expenses
of your counsel (other than fees and disbursements  relating to the registration
or  qualification  of the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws
of the various states), your out-of-pocket  expenses,  and any advertising costs
and expenses incurred by you incident to the public offering of the Shares.

     If this Agreement is terminated by you in accordance with the provisions of
Section  8(b),  the  Company  shall  reimburse  you for  all of your  reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses,  including the reasonable fees and disbursements of your
counsel.

     10.  Notices.  All notices or  communications  hereunder,  except as herein
otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and if sent to you shall be
mailed, delivered, sent by facsimile transmission,  or telegraphed and confirmed
c/o Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated,  Attention:  Syndicate Department, 100
Light Street, Baltimore,  Maryland 21202, facsimile number (410) 454-5157, or if
sent to the Company shall be mailed,  delivered, sent by facsimile transmission,
or telegraphed and confirmed to the Company at 3310 West End Avenue,  Suite 700,
Nashville, TN 37203, Attention: President, facsimile number (615) 269-8122.

                                       16
<PAGE>

     11.  Parties.  This Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon you and the Company and their  respective  successors and assigns.  Nothing
expressed or  mentioned  in this  Agreement is intended or shall be construed to
give any person,  corporation or other entity, other than the parties hereto and
their respective  successors and assigns and the controlling  persons,  officers
and directors referred to in Section 6, any legal or equitable right,  remedy or
claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision  herein  contained;
this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and
being  for the sole and  exclusive  benefit  of the  parties  hereto  and  their
respective successors and assigns and said controlling persons and said officers
and  directors,  and for the benefit of no other  person,  corporation  or other
entity.  No  purchaser  of any of the  Shares  from  you  shall be  construed  a
successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

     12. Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the
parties hereto in any number of  counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to
be an original,  but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the
same instrument.

     13. Pronouns. Whenever a pronoun of any gender or number is used herein, it
shall, where appropriate, be deemed to include any other gender and number.

     14.  Applicable  Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

                                       17
<PAGE>


     If the  foregoing  is in  accordance  with  your  understanding,  please so
indicate in the space  provided  below for that purpose,  whereupon  this letter
shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and you.

                                     HEALTHCARE REALTY TRUST
                                     INCORPORATED

                                     By: /s/ David R. Emery 
                                         Name: David R. Emery
                                         Title: Chief Executive Officer

LEGG MASON WOOD WALKER, INCORPORATED

By: /s/ Edwin J. Bradley                                      
Name: Edwin J. Bradley                                        
Title: Vice President                                         

                                       18


                                                                     Exhibit 5.1


                          WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS
                    A Professional Limited Liability Company
                              Nashville City Center
                          511 Union Street, Suite 2100
                             Post Office Box 198966
                         Nashville, Tennessee 37219-8966
                                 (615) 244-6380

                                  March 2, 1998

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

                                    Re:     Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     In our capacity as special  securities  counsel to Healthcare  Realty Trust
Incorporated,  a Maryland  corporation  (the  "Company"),  we have  examined the
Registration  Statement on Form S-3  (Registration  No.  33-97888)  filed by the
Company under the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  the related  Prospectus
dated  November 2, 1995 and the  Prospectus  Supplement  dated February 24, 1998
(the "Prospectus  Supplement") relating to the offering of 356,347 shares of the
common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock").  In
this regard, we have examined and relied upon such records,  documents and other
instruments  as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate in order to express
the opinions hereinafter set forth.

     Based upon the foregoing,  we are of the opinion that the 356,347 shares of
Common Stock referred to in the Prospectus  Supplement,  to the extent  actually
issued  and sold in the  manner  and on the terms  described  in the  Prospectus
Supplement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares
of the Common Stock of the Company.

     We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement  and further  consent to the  reference  to us under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus Supplement.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    /s/ Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, PLLC


                                                                     Exhibit 8.1


                                February 27, 1998



Legg Mason Wood Walker
100 Light Street
Baltimore, Maryland  21202

                                   Re:      Form S-3 Registration

Gentlemen:

     We  have  acted  as  special  tax  counsel  to   Healthcare   Realty  Trust
Incorporated,  a Maryland  corporation (the  "Company"),  in connection with the
Registration  Statement  on Form  S-3  (File  No.  33-97888)  and the  documents
incorporated by reference therein (the  "Incorporated  Documents") and Amendment
No.  1  thereto  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission   (the
"Commission")  pursuant to the  provisions  of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended  (the "Act")  relating to the  registration  of shares of Common  Stock,
warrants to purchase Common Stock,  shares of preferred stock of the Company and
debt  securities of the Company (the "Shelf  Securities") to be issued from time
to time by the  Company.  The  Company's  registration  statement,  as  amended,
including  the  Incorporated  Documents,  is  hereinafter  referred  to  as  the
"Registration  Statement"  and the  related  prospectus  dated  November 2, 1995
(including  the  Incorporated  Documents),  relating to the Shelf  Securities is
hereinafter  referred to as the "Basic  Prospectus".  The Basic  Prospectus,  as
supplemented by the prospectus  supplement dated February 24, 1998,  relating to
the offering of up to 356,347  shares of common stock,  par value $.01 per share
of the Company  (the  "Shares") by the  Underwriters,  in the form first used to
confirm sales of the Shares, is hereinafter referred to as the "Prospectus".  In
connection with the Registration Statement,  you have requested our opinions (A)
that the Company was and is organized in conformity  with the  requirements  for
qualification  as a real estate  investment  trust  ("REIT")  under Sections 856
through 860 of the Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended (the "Code") and
that its method of operation as described in the  Prospectus  permits it to meet
the  requirements for  qualification  and taxation as a REIT, and (B) confirming
the  statements   made  under  the  caption   "Federal   Income  Tax  and  ERISA
Considerations" in the Basic Prospectus and "Federal Income Tax  Considerations"
in the Prospectus  Supplement.  All capitalized  terms in this opinion which are
defined in the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus  shall have the same
respective  meanings  as  set  forth  in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
Prospectus.
<PAGE>

February 27, 1998
Page 2


     In rendering  our opinion,  we have  examined and relied upon the following
documents and other materials:

     1.  Schedules  prepared and  delivered by officials of the Company  setting
forth:

     (a) REIT  taxable and gross  income for the fiscal year ended  December 31,
1997,  together with a schedule of actual  dividends  distributed  and projected
dividends to be distributed  in accordance  with Code Section 858 and compliance
with the distribution requirements of Code Section 857(a); and

     (b) Compliance with the applicable REIT ratios or tests for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997, including:

         Income tests:

         (1)      95% gross income test for the year;
         (2)      75% gross income test for the year;
         (3)      30% gross income test for the year;

         Asset tests:

         (1)      75% asset test at the end of each quarter;
         (2)      25% asset test at the end of each quarter;
         (3)      10% asset test at the end of each quarter;
         (4)      5% asset test at the end of each quarter.

     2. The Company's certificate, dated as of February 25, 1998.

     In  addition,   we  have  examined  such  additional  records,   documents,
certificates and other instruments and made such  investigations of fact and law
as in our  judgment  are  necessary  or  appropriate  to enable us to render the
opinion expressed below.

     In rendering our opinion, we have made the following assumptions:

     1. Five or fewer shareholders have not owned,  directly or indirectly under
the rules of Code Section 544, as modified by Code Section  856(h),  at any time
since the  completion of the initial public  offering,  over 50% in value of the
outstanding stock of the Company;  and "Excess Shares" (defined in the Company's
Second  Articles of Amendment and  Restatement to be shares of a value exceeding
9.9% in value of the  outstanding  shares of the Company) held or deemed held by
any person  (pursuant to applicable  rules of attribution) are deemed to have no
value or voting rights.

                                       2
<PAGE>

February 27, 1998
Page 3


     2. The Company has and will comply with any and all procedural requirements
for REIT status set forth in Code  Sections 856 through 860 and the  regulations
thereunder,  including the timely making of such elections and the obtaining and
disclosing of such  information  as is required on the federal tax returns to be
filed by the Company.

     3. The Company will operate in accordance with its past and proposed method
of  operation  as  described  in its filings  with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.

     4. All  partnerships  in which the Company may have an  ownership  interest
will own only "real estate  assets" and cash  reserves.  All activities of those
partnerships  will consist of  activities  permitted to be undertaken by a REIT,
and income of such  partnerships,  other than interest  income on cash reserves,
shall be "rents from real property".

     5. Each corporation in which the Company has acquired or acquires an equity
interest shall either be a "Qualified REIT Subsidiary" under Code Section 856(i)
or a  corporation  in which the  Company  will not own over ten  percent  of the
outstanding voting securities,  and the securities owned of any such corporation
which is not a Qualified REIT  Subsidiary will not be greater in value than five
percent (5%) of the value of the total assets of the Company.

     On the basis of and in  reliance  on the  foregoing,  we wish to advise you
that under current law, including  relevant  statutes,  regulations and judicial
and  administrative  precedent  (which law is subject to change on a retroactive
basis),  in our opinion the Company was and is organized in conformity  with the
requirements  for  qualification as a REIT under the Code and that its method of
operation as described in the Prospectus permits it to meet the requirements for
qualification and taxation as a REIT.

     In addition,  we also hereby confirm the statements  made under the caption
"Federal Income Tax and ERISA Considerations" in the Basic Prospectus, including
Item 5 of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June
30, 1996,  incorporated by reference therein, under the heading "Certain Federal
Income  Tax and ERISA  Considerations"  and as  supplemented  under the  heading
"Federal Income Tax Considerations" contained in the Prospectus Supplement.

     Since actual  qualification  as a REIT is  dependent  upon future facts and
circumstances,  it is possible that future events, operations,  distributions or
other  actions will cause the Company not to qualify or continue to qualify as a
REIT.

                                       3
<PAGE>

February 27, 1998
Page 4


     We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement.  We also consent to  references  to Farris,  Warfield &
Kanaday, PLC in the Prospectus Supplement.

     The  foregoing  opinions  are  limited to the  federal  income tax  matters
addressed  herein,  and no other  opinions  are  rendered  with respect to other
federal  tax matters or to any issues  arising  under the tax laws of any state,
locality or foreign  country.  We undertake no obligation to update the opinions
expressed herein after the date of this letter.

                                     Sincerely,

                                     /s/ Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, PLC

                                       4


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