November 8, 2000
PaineWebber Incorporated
1200 Harbor Blvd.
Weehawken, New Jersey 07087
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have served as counsel for PaineWebber Incorporated as
sponsor and depositor (the "Depositor") of PaineWebber
Equity Trust, Growth Stock Series 20
(hereinafter referred to as the "Trust"). It is proposed that
Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Trust's registration statement
("Post-Effective Amendment No. 3") will be filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission and dated as of the date hereof in connection
with the continued issuance by the Trust of an indefinite number of
units of fractional undivided interest in the Trust (hereinafter referred
to as the "Units") pursuant to Rule 24f-2 promulgated under the
provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
In this regard, we have examined executed originals or copies of the
following:
(a) The Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the
By-Laws of the Depositor, as amended;
(b) Resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Depositor adopted on
December 3, 1971 relating to the Trust and the sale of the Units;
(c) Resolutions of the Executive Committee of the Depositor adopted
on September 24, 1984;
(d) Powers of Attorney referred to in the Amendment;
(e) Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on
Form S-6 (File No. 333-15797) to be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") in accordance with
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder
(collectively, the "1933 Act") proposed to be filed on or about the
date hereof (the "Amendment");
(f) The Notification of Registration of the Trust filed with the
Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (collectively, the "1940 Act") on Form N-8A, as
amended;
(g) The registration of the Trust filed with the Commission under the
1940 Act on Form N-8B-2 (File No. 811-4158), as amended;
(h) The prospectus included in the Amendment (the "Prospectus");
(i) The Standard Terms and Conditions of the Trust dated as of
July 10, 1990, as amended, among the Depositor, and
Investors Bank & Trust Company and Bank One Corporation
(the "Co-Trustees"), as successor Co-Trustee, (the "Standard
Terms");
(j) The Trust Indenture dated as of the Initial Date of Deposit, among
the Depositor, the Co-Trustees and the Evaluator (the "Trust
Indenture" and, collectively with the Standard Terms, the
"Indenture and Agreement");
(k) The form of certificate of ownership for units (the "Certificate") to
be issued under the Indenture and Agreement; and
(l) Such other pertinent records and documents as we have deemed
necessary.
With your permission, in such examination, we have assumed
the following: (a) the authenticity of original documents and the
genuineness of all signatures; (b) the conformity to the originals of
all documents submitted to us as copies; (c) the truth, accuracy,
and completeness of the information, representations, and warranties
contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we
have reviewed; (d) except as specifically covered in the opinions set
forth below, the due authorization, execution, and delivery on behalf
of the respective parties thereto of documents referred to herein and
the legal, valid, and binding effect thereof on such parties; and (e)
the absence of any evidence extrinsic to the provisions of the written
agreement(s) between the parties that the parties intended a
meaning contrary to that expressed by those provisions. However,
we have not examined the securities deposited pursuant to the
Indenture and Agreement (the "Securities") nor the contracts for the
Securities.
We express no opinion as to matters of law in jurisdictions other
than the State of New York (except "Blue Sky" laws) and the federal laws
of the United States, except to the extent necessary to render the
opinion as to the Depositor in paragraph (i) below with respect to
Delaware law. As you know we are not licensed to practice law in the
State of Delaware, and our opinion in paragraph (i) and (iii) as to
Delaware law is based solely on review of the official statutes of the
State of Delaware.
Based upon such examination, and having regard for legal
considerations which we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:
(i) The Depositor is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and
in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with full
corporate power to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus;
(ii) The Depositor is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in
good standing as such within the State of New York;
(iii)The terms and provisions of the Units conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
(iv) The consummation of the transactions contemplated under the
Indenture and Agreement and the fulfillment of the terms thereof
will not be in violation of the Depositor's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, or By-Laws, as amended and will not
conflict with any applicable laws or regulations applicable to the
Depositor in effect on the date hereof; and
(v) The Certificates to be issued by the Trust, when duly executed by
the Depositor and the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture
and Agreement, upon delivery against payment therefor as
described in the Prospectus will constitute fractional undivided
interests in the Trust enforceable against the Trust in accordance
with their terms, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
and Agreement and will be fully paid and non-assessable.
Our opinion that any document is valid, binding, or enforceable in
accordance with its terms is qualified as to:
(a) limitations imposed by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium, or other laws
relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally;
(b) rights to indemnification and contribution which may be limited by
applicable law or equitable principles; and
(c) general principles of equity, regardless of whether such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
We hereby represent that the Amendment contains no disclosure
which would render it ineligible to become effective immediately
upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485 of the
Commission.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to
the Amendment and to the use of our name wherever it appears in
the Amendment and the Prospectus.
Very truly yours,
/s/ CARTER, LEDYARD & MILBURN