<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.(L)
<SEQUENCE>12
<FILENAME>b48195isexv99wxly.txt
<DESCRIPTION>OPINION AND CONSENT OF COUNSEL
<TEXT>
<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit (L)


                                     (LOGO)
                                  HALEDORR.COM
                       60 State Street o Boston, MA 02109
                       617-526-6000 o fax 617-526-5000


                                                                October 24, 2003


John Hancock Income Securities Trust
101 Huntington Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02199

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     John Hancock Income Securities Trust (the "Trust") was established as a
Massachusetts business trust under a Declaration of Trust, dated October 5,
1984, as amended and restated on August 26, 2003 (the "Declaration of Trust").
The beneficial interests thereunder are represented by transferable shares of
one series and one or more separate and distinct classes established by the
Trustees.

     The Trustees have the powers set forth in the Declaration of Trust, subject
to the terms, provisions and conditions therein provided. Pursuant to Article V,
Section 5.1 of the Declaration of Trust, the number of shares of beneficial
interest authorized to be issued under the Declaration of Trust is unlimited and
the Trustees are authorized to divide the shares into one or more classes
thereof as they deem necessary or desirable. Pursuant to Article V, Section 5.4
of the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are empowered in their discretion to
issue shares of for such amount and type of consideration, including cash or
property, and on such terms as the Trustees may authorize, all without action or
approval of the shareholders. Pursuant to the By-Laws of the Trust, as amended
and restated on August 26, 2003 (the "By-Laws"), the Trustees have established
two series of preferred shares: Auction Preferred Shares, Series A and Auction
Preferred Shares, Series B (collectively, the "Preferred Shares").

     We have examined the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, each as amended from
time to time, of the Trust, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary
or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion, including, but not limited to,
originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of
such documents, Trust records and other instruments. In our examination of the
above documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to
original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified of photostatic
copies.

     Any reference to "our knowledge," to any matter "known to us," "coming to
our attention" or "of which we are aware" or any variation of any of the
foregoing shall mean the conscious awareness of the attorneys in this firm who
have rendered substantive attention to the preparation of the Trust's
Registration Statement on Form N-2 or any amendments thereto, of the existence
or absence of any facts which would contradict the opinions set forth below. We
have not undertaken any independent investigation to determine the existence or
absence of such facts,


BOSTON  LONDON  MUNICH  NEW YORK  OXFORD  PRINCETON RESTON  WALTHAM  WASHINGTON
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Hale and Dorr LLP is a Massachusetts Limited Liability Partnership
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John Hancock Income Securities Trust
October 24, 2003
Page 2


and no inference as to our knowledge of the existence or absence of such facts
should be drawn from the fact of our representation of the Trust. Without
limiting the foregoing, we have not examined any dockets or records of any
court, administrative tribunal or other similar entity, or any electronic or
computer databases, in connection with our opinions expressed below.

      Our opinions below are qualified to the extent that they may be subject to
or affected by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent
conveyance or transfer, moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors generally, (ii) statutory or decisional law concerning
recourse by creditors to security in the absence of notice or hearing and (iii)
duties and standards imposed on creditors and parties to contracts, including,
without limitation, requirements of good faith, reasonableness and fair dealing.
Further, we do not express any opinion as to (i) the availability of the remedy
of specific performance or any other equitable remedy upon breach of any
provision of any agreement whether applied by a court of law or equity, (ii) the
successful assertion of any equitable defense, or (iii) the right of any party
to enforce the indemnification or contribution provisions of any agreement.

      In rendering the opinion below, insofar as it relates to the good standing
and valid existence of the Trust, we have relied solely on a certificate of the
Secretary of the Commonwealth of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, dated as of
a recent date, and such opinion is limited accordingly and is rendered as of the
date of such certificate.

      This opinion is limited to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
relating to business trusts, and we express no opinion with respect to the laws
of any other jurisdiction or to any other laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. Further, we express no opinion as to compliance with any state or
federal securities laws, including the securities laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.

      Our opinion below, as it relates to the non-assessability of the shares of
the Trust, is qualified to the extent that, under Massachusetts law,
shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust may be held personally liable for
the obligations of the Trust. However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims
shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust. Also, the
Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of Trust property for all
loss and expense of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations
of the Trust.

      Subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Trust is a
validly existing business trust under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and that the Preferred Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust,
when issued in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements and
procedures set forth in the Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws, the Trust's
Registration Statement on Form N-2 and the Underwriting Agreement between the
Trust, John Hancock Advisers, LLC and UBS Securities LLC, as representatives of
the underwriters named therein, will constitute legally and validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable shares of beneficial interest in the Trust,
subject to compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the
applicable state laws regulating the sale of securities.

      We are opining only as to the specific legal issues expressly set forth
herein, and no opinion should be inferred as to any other matters. We are
opining on the date hereof as to the law in effect on the date hereof, and we
disclaim any obligation to advise you of any change in
<PAGE>
John Hancock Income Securities Trust
October 24, 2003
Page 3


any of these sources of law or subsequent legal or factual developments that
might affect any matters of opinions set forth herein.

      We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") as an exhibit to the Trust's Registration
Statement in accordance with the requirements of Form N-2 under the Securities
Act and to the use of our name therein and in the related Prospectus under the
caption "Legal matters". In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we
are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.




                                    Very truly yours,


                                    /s/ Hale and Dorr LLP



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