--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
among
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC.,
EMERGENT MORTGAGE HOLDINGS CORPORATION,
EMERGENT MORTGAGE CORP.,
EMERGENT GROUP, INC.,
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES SECURED FINANCING CORPORATION
and
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
Dated as of June 1, 1997
Emergent Home Equity Loan Pass-Through
Certificates, Series 1997-2
$121,209,000 Class A Certificates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
Section 1. Definitions....................................................... 1
Section 2. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of
Financial Security............................................. 3
Section 3. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of
the Underwriter................................................ 5
Section 4. Indemnification................................................... 6
Section 5. Indemnification Procedures........................................ 6
Section 6. Contribution...................................................... 7
Section 7. Miscellaneous..................................................... 8
EXHIBIT
Exhibit A Opinion of General Counsel
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT dated as of June 1, 1997, among
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. ("Financial Security"), PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
SECURED FINANCING CORPORATION (the "Depositor"), EMERGENT GROUP, INC. (the
"Company"), EMERGENT MORTGAGE HOLDINGS CORPORATION (the "Seller"), EMERGENT
MORTGAGE CORP. (the "Originator") and PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED (the
"Underwriter"):
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms shall have the meanings provided below:
"Agreement" means this Indemnification Agreement, as amended
from time to time.
"Company Party" means any of the Company, its parent,
subsidiaries and affiliates and any shareholder, director, officer, employee,
agent or "controlling person" (as such term is used in the Securities Act) of
any of the foregoing.
"Depositor Party" means any of the Depositor, its parent,
subsidiaries and affiliates and any shareholder, director, officer, employee,
agent or "controlling person" (as such term is used in the Securities Act) of
any of the foregoing.
"Financial Security Agreements" means this Agreement and the
Insurance Agreement.
"Financial Security Information" has the meaning provided in
Section 2(g) hereof.
"Financial Security Party" means any of Financial Security,
its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, and any shareholder, director, officer,
employee, agent or "controlling person" (as such term is used in the Securities
Act) of any of the foregoing.
"Indemnified Party" means any party entitled to any
indemnification pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
"Indemnifying Party" means any party required to provide
indemnification pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
"Insurance Agreement" means the Insurance and Indemnity
Agreement, dated as of June 1, 1997, by and among Financial Security, the
Depositor, the Company, the Originator and the Seller.
"Losses" means (a) any actual out-of-pocket damages incurred
by the party entitled to indemnification or contribution hereunder, (b) any
actual out-of-pocket costs or actual expenses
-2-
reasonably incurred by such party, including reasonable fees or expenses of its
counsel and other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or
defending any claim, action or other proceeding which entitle such party to be
indemnified hereunder (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5
hereof), to the extent not paid, satisfied or reimbursed from funds provided by
any other Person other than an affiliate of such party (provided that the
foregoing shall not create or imply any obligation to pursue recourse against
any such other Person), plus (c) interest on the amount paid by the party
entitled to indemnification or contribution from the date of such payment to the
date of payment by the party who is obligated to indemnify or contribute
hereunder at the statutory rate applicable to judgments for breach of contract.
"Offering Circular" means the Prospectus dated June 10, 1997,
including the Prospectus Supplement thereto dated June 17, 1997, relating to the
Securities, including, without limitation, Derived Information, as defined in
the Underwriting Agreement (which includes but is not limited to any
Computational Materials).
"Offering Document" means the Offering Circular and any
amendments or supplements thereto and any other material or documents delivered
by the Underwriter to any Person in connection with the offer or sale of the
Securities.
"Originator Party" means any of the Originator, its parent,
subsidiaries and affiliates and any shareholder, director, officer, employee,
agent or "controlling person" (as such term is used in the Securities Act) of
any of the foregoing.
"Person" means any individual, partnership, joint venture,
corporation, trust, unincorporated organization or other organization or entity
(whether governmental or private).
"Policy" means the financial guaranty insurance policy
delivered by Financial Security with respect to the Securities.
"Securities" means the Class A-1 Certificates, Class A-2
Certificates, Class A-3 Certificates, Class A-4 Certificates and the Class A-5
Certificates issued pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of
June 1, 1997 by and among, the Depositor, the Originator and First Union
National Bank, as trustee.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
from time to time.
"Seller Party" means any of the Seller, its parent,
subsidiaries and affiliates, and any shareholder, director, officer, employee,
agent or "controlling person" (as such term is used in the Securities Act) of
any of the foregoing.
"Underwriting Agreement" means the Underwriting Agreement
dated as of June 17, 1997, between the Depositor and the Underwriter in respect
of the Securities.
-3-
"Underwriter Information" has the meaning provided in
Section 3(c) hereof.
"Underwriter Party" means any of the Underwriter, its parent,
subsidiaries and affiliates and any shareholder, director, officer, employee,
agent or "controlling person" (as such term is used in the Securities Act) of
any of the foregoing.
Section 2. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of
Financial Security. Financial Security represents, warrants and agrees, as of
the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as follows:
(a) Organization, Etc. Financial Security is a stock
insurance company duly organized, validly existing, in good standing and
authorized to transact financial guaranty insurance business under the laws of
the State of New York.
(b) Authorization, Etc. The Policy and the Financial
Security Agreements have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
Financial Security.
(c) Validity, Etc. The Policy and the Financial Security
Agreements constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of Financial
Security, enforceable against Financial Security in accordance with their terms,
subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, rehabilitation, moratorium and other similar laws affecting the
enforceability of creditors' rights generally applicable in the event of the
bankruptcy or insolvency of Financial Security and to the application of general
principles of equity and subject, in the case of this Agreement, to principles
of public policy limiting the right to enforce the indemnification provisions
contained herein.
(d) Exemption From Registration. The Policy is exempt from
registration under the Securities Act.
(e) No Conflicts. Neither the execution or delivery by
Financial Security of the Policy or the Financial Security Agreements, nor the
performance by Financial Security of its obligations thereunder, will conflict
with any provision of the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws of
Financial Security nor result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any
material agreement or other instrument to which Financial Security is a party or
by which any of its property is bound nor violate any judgment, order or decree
applicable to Financial Security of any governmental or regulatory body,
administrative agency, court or arbitrator having jurisdiction over Financial
Security (except that, in the published opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the indemnification provisions of this Agreement, insofar as they
relate to indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, are
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and are therefore
unenforceable).
(f) Financial Information. The consolidated balance sheets
of Financial Security as of December 31, 1996 and December 31, 1995 and the
related consolidated statements of income,
-4-
changes in shareholder's equity and cash flows for the fiscal years then ended
and the interim consolidated balance sheet of Financial Security as of March 31,
1997, and the related statements of income, changes in shareholder's equity and
cash flows for the interim period then ended, furnished by Financial Security
for use in the Offering Circular, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition of Financial Security as of such dates and for such periods
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
except as noted therein (subject as to interim statements to normal year-end
adjustments) and since the date of the most current interim consolidated balance
sheet referred to above there has been no change in the financial condition of
Financial Security which would materially and adversely affect its ability to
perform its obligations under the Policy.
(g) Financial Security Information. The information in the
Offering Circular set forth under the caption "The Insurer" (as revised from
time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof, the "Financial Security
Information") is limited and does not purport to provide the scope of disclosure
required to be included in a prospectus with respect to a registrant in
connection with the offer and sale of securities of such registrant registered
under the Securities Act. Within such limited scope of disclosure, however, as
of the date of the Offering Circular and as of the date hereof, the Financial
Security Information does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact,
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(h) Additional Information. Financial Security will furnish
to the Underwriter, the Company, the Originator or the Depositor, upon request
of the Underwriter, the Company, the Originator or the Depositor, as the case
may be, copies of Financial Security's most recent financial statements (annual
or interim, as the case may be) which fairly present in all material respects
the financial condition of Financial Security as of the dates and for the
periods indicated, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied except as noted therein (subject, as to interim statements,
to normal year-end adjustments); provided, however, that, if the Underwriter,
the Company, the Seller, the Originator or the Depositor shall require a
manually signed report or consent of Financial Security's auditors in connection
with such financial statements, such report or consent shall be at the expense
of the Underwriter, the Company, the Originator, the Seller or the Depositor, as
the case may be. In addition, if the delivery of an Offering Circular relating
to the Securities is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months
after the time of issue of the Offering Circular in connection with the offering
or sale of the Securities, the Depositor or the Underwriter will notify
Financial Security of such requirement to deliver an Offering Circular and
Financial Security will promptly provide the Underwriter and the Depositor with
any revisions to the Financial Security Information that are in the judgment of
Financial Security necessary to prepare an amended Offering Circular or a
supplement to the Offering Circular which will correct such statement or
omission.
(i) Opinion of Counsel. Financial Security will furnish to
the Seller, the Originator, the Depositor, the Underwriter and the Company on
the closing date for the sale of the Securities an opinion of its Associate
General Counsel, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, dated
-5-
such closing date and addressed to the Seller, the Originator, the Depositor,
the Underwriter and the Company.
(j) Consents and Reports of Independent Accountants.
Financial Security will furnish to the Underwriter, the Company, the Originator
and the Depositor, upon request, as comfort from its independent accountants in
respect of its financial condition, (i) at the expense of the Person specified
in the Insurance Agreement, a copy of the Offering Circular, including either a
manually signed consent or a manually signed report of Financial Security's
independent accountants and (ii) the quarterly review letter by Financial
Security's independent accountants in respect of the most recent interim
financial statements of Financial Security.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as a
representation or warranty by Financial Security concerning the rating of its
claims-paying ability by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services or Xxxxx'x Investors
Service, Inc. or any other rating agency (collectively, the "Rating Agencies").
The Rating Agencies, in assigning such ratings, take into account facts and
assumptions not described in the Offering Circular and the facts and assumptions
which are considered by the Rating Agencies, and the ratings issued thereby, are
subject to change over time.
Section 3. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the
Underwriter. The Underwriter represents, warrants and agrees, as of the date
hereof and as of the Closing Date, as follows:
(a) Compliance With Laws. The Underwriter will comply in all
material respects with all legal requirements in connection with offers and
sales of the Securities and make such offers and sales in the manner provided in
the Offering Circular.
(b) Offering Document. The Underwriter will not use, or
distribute to other broker-dealers for use, any Offering Document in connection
with the offer and sale of the Securities unless such Offering Document includes
such information as has been furnished by Financial Security for inclusion
therein and the information therein concerning Financial Security has been
approved by Financial Security in writing. Financial Security hereby consents to
the information in respect of Financial Security included in the Offering
Circular. Each Offering Document will include the following statement: "The
Policy is not covered by the property/casualty insurance security fund specified
in Article 76 of the New York Insurance Law".
(c) Underwriting Information. All material provided by the
Underwriter for inclusion in the Offering Documents, insofar as such information
relates to the Underwriter, and any Derived Information (as defined in the
Underwriting Agreement) (as revised from time to time, collectively the
"Underwriter Information") is true and correct in all material respects. In
respect of the Offering Documents, the Underwriter Information is limited to the
information set forth under the caption "Plan of Distribution" in the Offering
Documents.
-6-
Section 4. Indemnification. (a) Financial Security agrees,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions provided herein, to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless each Depositor Party, each Company Party, each Seller
Party, each Originator Party and each Underwriter Party against (i) any and all
Losses incurred by them with respect to the offer and sale of the Securities and
resulting from Financial Security's breach of any of its representations,
warranties or agreements set forth in Section 2 hereof and (ii) any and all
Losses to which any Depositor Party, Company Party, Seller Party, Originator
Party or Underwriter Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or
otherwise, insofar as such Losses arise out of or result from an untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Offering Document or the omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only
to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission was made in the Financial
Security Information included therein in accordance with the provisions hereof.
(b) The Underwriter agrees, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions provided herein, to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each
Financial Security Party against (i) any and all Losses incurred by them with
respect to the offer and sale of the Securities and resulting from the
Underwriter's breach of any of its representations, warranties or agreements set
forth in Section 3 hereof and (ii) any and all Losses to which any Financial
Security Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such Losses arise out of or result from an untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Offering Document or the omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the
extent, that such untrue statement or omission was made in the Underwriter
Information included therein.
(c) Upon the incurrence of any Losses for which a party is
entitled to indemnification hereunder, the Indemnifying Party shall reimburse
the Indemnified Party promptly upon establishment by the Indemnified Party to
the Indemnifying Party of the Losses incurred.
Section 5. Indemnification Procedures. Except as provided
below in Section 6 with respect to contribution or in Section 7(e), the
indemnification provided herein by an Indemnifying Party shall be the exclusive
remedy of any and all Indemnified Parties for the breach of a representation,
warranty or agreement hereunder by an Indemnifying Party; provided, however,
that each Indemnified Party shall be entitled to pursue any other remedy at law
or in equity for any such breach so long as the damages sought to be recovered
shall not exceed the Losses incurred thereby resulting from such breach. In the
event that any action or regulatory proceeding shall be commenced or claim
asserted which may entitle an Indemnified Party to be indemnified under this
Agreement, such party shall give the Indemnifying Party written or telegraphic
notice of such action or claim reasonably promptly after receipt of written
notice thereof. The Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in and,
upon notice to the Indemnified Party, assume the defense of any such action or
claim in reasonable cooperation with, and with the reasonable cooperation of,
the Indemnified Party. The Indemnified Party will have the right to employ its
own counsel in any such action in addition to the counsel of the Indemnifying
Party, but the fees and expenses of such counsel will be at the expense of such
Indemnified Party, unless (a) the employment of counsel by the Indemnified Party
at its expense has been authorized in writing by the Indemnifying Party, (b) the
-7-
Indemnifying Party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of
such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement
of the action, or (c) the named parties to any such action or proceeding
(including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Party and one or
more Indemnified Parties, and the Indemnified Parties shall have been advised by
counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to them which are
different from or additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party (it
being understood, however, that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection
with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or
related actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all
Depositor Parties, one such firm for all Underwriter Parties, one such firm for
all Company Parties, one such firm for all Seller Parties, one such firm for all
Originator Parties and one such firm for all Financial Security Parties, as the
case may be, which firm shall be designated in writing by the Depositor in
respect of the Depositor Parties, by the Underwriter in respect of the
Underwriter Parties, by the Company in respect of the Company Parties, by the
Seller in respect of the Seller Parties, by the Originator in respect of the
Originator Parties and by Financial Security in respect of the Financial
Security Parties), in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel will
be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party and all such fees and expenses will
be reimbursed promptly as they are incurred. The Indemnifying Party shall not be
liable for any settlement of any such claim or action unless the Indemnifying
Party shall have consented thereto or be in default in its obligations
hereunder. Any failure by an Indemnified Party to comply with the provisions of
this Section shall relieve the Indemnifying Party of liability only if such
failure is prejudicial to the position of the Indemnifying Party and then only
to the extent of such prejudice.
Section 6. Contribution. (a) To provide for just and
equitable contribution if the indemnification provided by any Indemnifying Party
is determined to be unavailable for any Indemnified Party (other than due to
application of this Section), each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the
Losses arising from any breach of any of its representations, warranties or
agreements contained in this Agreement in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect (i) the benefits received by such Indemnifying Party relative to the
benefits received by the Indemnified Party 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 Indemnifying Party on the one hand and
the Indemnified Party on the other in connection with such Loss; provided,
however, that an Indemnifying Party shall in no event be required to contribute
to all Indemnified Parties an aggregate amount in excess of the Losses incurred
by such Indemnified Parties resulting from the breach of representations,
warranties or agreements contained in this Agreement.
(b) The relative fault of each Indemnifying Party, on the
one hand, and of each Indemnified Party, on the other, shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the breach of, or alleged breach of,
any representations, warranties or agreements contained in this Agreement
relates to information supplied by, or action within the control of, the
Indemnifying Party
-8-
or the Indemnified Party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such breach.
(c) The parties agree that Financial Security shall be solely
responsible for the Financial Security Information, the Underwriter shall be
solely responsible for the Underwriter Information and that, as and to the
extent provided in the Insurance Agreement, the balance of the Offering Document
shall be the responsibility of the Company, the Originator, the Seller and the
Depositor.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6 to the
contrary, the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute an amount greater
than the excess, if any, of (x) the purchase prices paid by investors to the
Underwriter for the Certificates over (y) the purchase price paid by the
Underwriter for the Certificates.
(e) No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within
the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
(f) Upon the incurrence of any Losses entitled to
contribution hereunder, the contributor shall reimburse the party entitled to
contribution promptly upon establishment by the party entitled to contribution
to the contributor of the Losses incurred.
(g) The provisions relating to contribution set forth in this
Section 6 do not limit the rights of any party to indemnification under Section
4.
Section 7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Notices. All notices and other communications provided
for under this Agreement shall be delivered to the address set forth below or to
such other address as shall be designated by the recipient in a written notice
to the other party or parties hereto.
If to Financial Security:
Financial Security Assurance Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Surveillance Department
Re: Emergent Home Equity Loan
Pass-Through Certificates, Series 1997-2
If to the Depositor: Prudential Securities Secured Financing Corporation
Xxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Attention: Managing Director, Asset-Backed
Finance Group
-9-
If to the Company: Emergent Group, Inc.
00 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxx
If to the Underwriter: Prudential Securities Incorporated
One Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Manager-Asset Finance Group
If to the Seller: Emergent Mortgage Holdings Corporation
00 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx.
If to the Originator: Emergent Mortgage Corp.
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
(b) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(c) Assignments. This Agreement may not be assigned by any party
without the express written consent of each other party. Any
assignment made in violation of this Agreement shall be null and void.
(d) Amendments. Amendments of this Agreement shall be in writing
signed by each party hereto.
(e) Survival, Etc. The indemnity and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force
and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Indemnifying Party, (ii) the issuance of the Securities or
(iii) any termination of this Agreement or the Policy. The
indemnification provided in this Agreement will be in addition to any
liability which the parties may otherwise have and shall in no way
limit any obligations of the Company, the Depositor, the Seller, the
Originator, Financial Security or the Underwriter under the
Underwriting Agreement or the Insurance Agreement, as applicable.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts
by the parties hereto, and all such counterparts shall constitute one
and the same instrument.
-10-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC.
By___________________________
Name:________________________
Authorized Officer
EMERGENT MORTGAGE HOLDINGS
CORPORATION
By___________________________
Name:
Title:
EMERGENT GROUP, INC.
By___________________________
Name:
Title:
EMERGENT MORTGAGE CORP.
By___________________________
Name:
Title:
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES SECURED
FINANCING CORPORATION
By___________________________
Name:
Title:
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
INCORPORATED
By___________________________
Name:
Title:
EXHIBIT A
OPINION OF GENERAL COUNSEL
Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:
1. Financial Security is a stock insurance company duly
organized, validly existing and authorized to transact financial guaranty
insurance business under the laws of the State of New York.
2. The Policy and the Agreements have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by Financial Security.
3. The Policy and the Agreements constitute valid and binding
obligations of Financial Security, enforceable against Financial Security in
accordance with their terms, subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, rehabilitation, moratorium and other
similar laws affecting the enforceability of creditors' rights generally
applicable in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of Financial Security
and to the application of general principles of equity and subject, in the case
of the Indemnification Agreement, to principles of public policy limiting the
right to enforce the indemnification provisions contained therein insofar as
they relate to indemnification for liabilities arising under applicable
securities laws.
4. The Policy is exempt from registration under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act").
5. Neither the execution or delivery by Financial Security of the
Policy or the Agreements, nor the performance by Financial Security of its
obligations thereunder, will conflict with any provision of the certificate of
incorporation or the by-laws of Financial Security or, to the best of my
knowledge, result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any agreement
or other instrument to which Financial Security is a party or by which it or any
of its property is bound or, to the best of my knowledge, violate any judgment,
order or decree applicable to Financial Security of any governmental or
regulatory body, administrative agency, court or arbitrator having jurisdiction
over Financial Security (except that in the published opinion of the Securities
and Exchange Commission the indemnification provisions of the Indemnification
Agreement, insofar as they relate to indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Act, are against public policy as expressed in the Act and are
therefore unenforceable).
In addition, please be advised that I have reviewed the
description of Financial Security under the caption "The Insurer" in the
Prospectus Supplement dated June 17, 1997 (the "Offering Document") of the
Depositor with respect to the Securities. The information provided in the
Offering Document with respect to Financial Security is limited and does not
purport to provide the scope of disclosure required to be included in a
prospectus with respect to a registrant under the Act in connection with a
public offering and sale of securities of such registrant. Within such limited
scope of disclosure, however, there has not come to my attention any information
which would cause me to believe that the description of Financial Security
referred to above, as of the date of the Offering Document or as of the date of
this opinion, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted or omits 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 I express no opinion with respect to any financial
statements or other financial information contained or referred to therein).