{"id":43840,"date":"2015-09-17T11:25:58","date_gmt":"2015-09-17T16:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/contracts\/uncategorized\/opinion-letter-outside-counsel-s-3-registered-securities7.html"},"modified":"2015-09-17T11:25:58","modified_gmt":"2015-09-17T16:25:58","slug":"opinion-letter-outside-counsel-s-3-registered-securities7","status":"publish","type":"corporate_contracts","link":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/contracts\/securities\/opinion-letter-outside-counsel-s-3-registered-securities7.html","title":{"rendered":"Opinion Letter – Outside Counsel – S-3 Registered Securities – Safeway Inc."},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n

505 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000<\/p>\n

San Francisco, California 94111-6538<\/p>\n

Tel: +1.415.391.0600 Fax: +1.415.395.8095<\/p>\n

www.lw.com<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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FIRM \/ AFFILIATE OFFICES<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Abu Dhabi<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Moscow<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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New Jersey<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Boston<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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New York<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Brussels<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Chicago<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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December 5, 2011<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Doha<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Riyadh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Frankfurt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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San Diego<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Safeway Inc.<\/p>\n

5918 Stoneridge Mall Road<\/p>\n

Pleasanton, CA 94588<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Hamburg<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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San Francisco<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Houston<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Los Angeles<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Tokyo<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Re: Safeway Inc.<\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Madrid<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Milan<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Ladies and Gentlemen:<\/p>\n

We have acted as special counsel to Safeway Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
\n“Company<\/em><\/strong>“), in connection with the issuance of
\n$400,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Company153s 3.400% Notes due
\n2016 (the “Notes Due 2016<\/em><\/strong>“) and $400,000,000 in
\naggregate principal amount of the Company153s 4.750% Notes due 2021 (the
\n“Notes Due 2021<\/em><\/strong>“, and together with the Notes Due
\n2016, the “Notes<\/em><\/strong>“), under an indenture dated as of
\nSeptember 10, 1997 and officers153 certificates dated December 5, 2011 setting
\nforth the terms of the Notes (collectively, the
\n“Indenture<\/em><\/strong>“) between the Company and The Bank of New
\nYork Mellon Trust Company, N.A., formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust
\nCompany, N.A., as successor to The Bank of New York, as trustee (the
\n“Trustee<\/em><\/strong>“), and pursuant to (i) a Registration
\nStatement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
\n“Act<\/em><\/strong>“), filed with the Securities and Exchange
\nCommission (the “Commission<\/em><\/strong>“) on October 24, 2011
\n(File No. 333-177489) (as so filed and as amended, the
\n“Registration Statement<\/em><\/strong>“); (ii) a prospectus dated
\nOctober 24, 2011 included in the Registration Statement (the “Base
\nProspectus<\/em><\/strong>“), a preliminary prospectus supplement dated November
\n30, 2011 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement<\/em><\/strong>“, and
\ntogether with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary
\nProspectus<\/em><\/strong>“), filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
\nunder the Act and a final prospectus supplement dated November 30, 2011 (the
\n“Prospectus Supplement<\/em><\/strong>“, and together with the Base
\nProspectus, the “Prospectus<\/em><\/strong>“), filed with the
\nCommission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act; and (iii) an underwriting
\nagreement dated November 30, 2011 by and between Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P.
\nMorgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated,
\nas representatives of the several underwriters named therein, and the Company
\n(the “Underwriting Agreement<\/em><\/strong>“). This opinion is being
\nfurnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation
\nS-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter
\npertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus,
\nthe Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, other than as expressly stated
\nherein with respect to the issue of the Notes.<\/p>\n

\n

December 5, 2011 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Page 2 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law
\nas we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your
\nconsent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of
\nthe Company and others as to factual matters without having independently
\nverified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the internal laws of
\nthe State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
\nand we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the
\neffect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of
\nDelaware, any other laws, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of
\nany local agencies within any state.<\/p>\n

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our
\nopinion that, as of the date hereof, the Notes have been duly authorized by all
\nnecessary corporate action of the Company and, upon authentication in accordance
\nwith the terms of the Indenture and delivery against payment therefor in
\naccordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Underwriting Agreement, the
\nNotes will be legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
\nagainst the Company in accordance with their terms.<\/p>\n

Our opinion is subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency,
\nreorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar
\nlaws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the
\neffect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in
\nequity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance
\nor injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and
\nfair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is
\nbrought; (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court
\ndecisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to
\na party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution
\nis contrary to public policy; and (iv) we express no opinion as to (a) any
\nprovision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary
\npenalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such
\nprovisions are deemed to constitute a penalty, (b) consents to, or restrictions
\nupon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies, or judicial
\nrelief, (c) the waiver of rights or defenses contained in Section 4.4 of the
\nIndenture, (d) Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Indenture, (e) any provision
\npermitting, upon acceleration of the Notes, collection of that portion of the
\nstated principal amount thereof which might be determined to constitute unearned
\ninterest thereon, (f) advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by
\nlaw, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of
\nlimitation, trial by jury or at law, or other procedural rights, (g) waivers of
\nbroadly or vaguely stated rights, (h) covenants not to compete, (i) provisions
\nfor exclusivity, election or cumulation of rights or remedies, (j) provisions
\nauthorizing or validating conclusive or discretionary determinations, (k) grants
\nof setoff rights, (l) proxies, powers and trusts, (m) provisions prohibiting,
\nrestricting, or requiring consent to assignment or transfer of any right or
\nproperty, (n) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys153 fees, where such
\npayment is contrary to law or public policy, (o) whether the fourth paragraph of
\nSection 7.7 of the Indenture is sufficient to create a security interest in
\nfavor of the Trustee on any of the assets or property referenced therein and (p)
\nthe severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.<\/p>\n

With your consent, we have assumed (a) that the Indenture and the Notes
\n(collectively, the “Documents<\/em><\/strong>“) have been duly
\nauthorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto other<\/p>\n

\n

December 5, 2011 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Page 3 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

than the Company, (b) that the Documents constitute legally valid and binding
\nobligations of the parties thereto other than the Company, enforceable against
\neach of them in accordance with their respective terms, and (c) that the status
\nof the Documents as legally valid and binding obligations of the parties is not
\naffected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments,
\n(ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders,
\nor (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from,
\nor make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration
\nStatement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it
\npursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this
\nopinion as an exhibit to the Company153s Form 8-K to be filed on December 6, 2011
\nand to the reference to our firm contained in the Prospectus under the heading
\n“Validity of the Securities.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit
\nthat we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7
\nof the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Very truly yours,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

\/s\/ Latham & Watkins LLP<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false},"corporate_contracts_companies":[8740],"corporate_contracts_industries":[9499],"corporate_contracts_types":[9629],"class_list":["post-43840","corporate_contracts","type-corporate_contracts","status-publish","hentry","corporate_contracts_companies-safeway-inc","corporate_contracts_industries-retail__food","corporate_contracts_types-securities"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_contracts\/43840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_contracts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/corporate_contracts"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"corporate_contracts_companies","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_contracts_companies?post=43840"},{"taxonomy":"corporate_contracts_industries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_contracts_industries?post=43840"},{"taxonomy":"corporate_contracts_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_contracts_types?post=43840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}