EX-5.2 6 a2225207zex-5_2.htm EX-5.2

Exhibit 5.2

[LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP]

June 26, 2015

Senior Housing Properties Trust

Two Newton Place

255 Washington Street

Suite 300

Newton, Massachusetts 02158-1634

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have served as Maryland counsel to Senior Housing Properties Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration of the following securities of the Company (collectively, the “Securities”): (i) debt securities (“Debt Securities”); (ii) preferred shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“Preferred Shares”); (iii) depositary shares representing whole or fractional interests in Preferred Shares (“Depositary Shares”); (iv) common shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“Common Shares”); and (v) warrants to purchase from or sell to the Company, or to receive from the Company the cash value of the right to purchase or sell, Debt Securities, Preferred Shares, Depositary Shares or Common Shares (“Warrants”), covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement, and all amendments thereto (the “Registration Statement”), to be filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on or about the date hereof.

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the “Documents”):

1. The Registration Statement and the related form of prospectus included therein;

2. The Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended and supplemented, of the Company (the “Declaration of Trust”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

3. The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

4. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;

Senior Housing Properties Trust

June 26, 2015

Page 2

5. Resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Company (the “Board”) relating to the registration of the Securities, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

6. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

7. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.

In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:

1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.

4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all such Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.

5. The issuance of, and certain terms of, the Securities to be issued by the Company from time to time will be authorized and approved by the Board, or a duly authorized committee thereof, in accordance with the Maryland REIT Law, the Declaration of Trust, the Bylaws and the Resolutions (such approval referred to herein as the “Trust Proceedings”).

6. Articles Supplementary creating and designating the number of shares and the terms of any class or series of Preferred Shares to be issued by the Company will be filed with and accepted for record by the SDAT prior to the issuance of such Preferred Shares.

Senior Housing Properties Trust

June 26, 2015

Page 3

7. Upon the issuance of any Securities that are Common Shares (“Common Securities”), including Common Securities which may be issued upon conversion or exercise of any other Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Securities, the total number of Common Shares issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of Common Shares that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Declaration of Trust.

8. Upon the issuance of any Securities that are Preferred Shares (“Preferred Securities”), including (i) Preferred Securities which may be issued upon conversion or exercise of any other Securities convertible into or exercisable for Preferred Securities and (ii) Preferred Securities represented by Depositary Shares, the total number of Preferred Shares issued and outstanding, and the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the applicable class or series of Preferred Shares designated pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, will not exceed the total number of Preferred Shares or the number of shares of such class or series of Preferred Shares that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Declaration of Trust.

9. The Securities will not be issued or transferred in violation of any restriction or limitation contained in Article VII (Restriction on Transfer and Ownership of Shares) of the Declaration of Trust.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:

1. The Company is a real estate investment trust duly formed and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.

2. Upon the completion of all Trust Proceedings relating to the Debt Securities, the issuance of the Debt Securities will be duly authorized.

3. Upon the completion of all Trust Proceedings relating to the Preferred Securities, the issuance of the Preferred Securities will be duly authorized and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions and the Trust Proceedings, the Preferred Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

4. Upon the completion of all Trust Proceedings relating to the Depositary Shares, the issuance of the Depositary Shares will be duly authorized.

5. Upon the completion of all Trust Proceedings relating to the Common Securities, the issuance of the Common Securities will be duly authorized and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Registration Statement, the

Senior Housing Properties Trust

June 26, 2015

Page 4

Resolutions and the Trust Proceedings, the Common Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

6. Upon the completion of all Trust Proceedings relating to the Warrants, the issuance of the Warrants will be duly authorized.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to compliance with, or the applicability of, federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland.

The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act. Sullivan & Worcester LLP, counsel to the Company, may rely on this opinion in connection with an opinion of even date herewith to be issued by it relating to the issuance of the Securities.

| Very truly yours,
| /s/ Venable LLP