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                                                                  EXHIBIT 5.01
                                                                  ------------

                   [ROBINSON BRADSHAW & HINSON LETTERHEAD]

                                June 12, 2003

Caraustar Industries, Inc.
3100 Joe Jerkins Boulevard
Austell, Georgia 30106

Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Caraustar Industries, Inc.
         relating to the Caraustar Industries, Inc. Employees' Savings Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have served as counsel to Caraustar Industries, Inc., a North
Carolina corporation (the "Corporation"), in connection with the preparation by
the Corporation of a registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Act") relating to the offer and sale
of up to 800,000 shares of the Corporation's common stock, $0.10 par value per
share (the "Shares") and the preferred stock purchase rights associated with
the Shares, to be issued by the Corporation pursuant to the Caraustar
Industries, Inc. Employees' Savings Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan is subject to
the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA"). The Internal Revenue Service issued a Determination Letter
dated July 29, 2002, with respect to amendments to the Plan executed on
February 6, 2002 (the "Determination Letter").

         This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is based on facts and
conditions presently known and laws and regulations presently in effect, and is
being delivered pursuant to Item 8 of Form S-K and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation
S-K under the Act.

         We have examined the Plan, including the amendments to the Plan that
were adopted subsequent to February 6, 2002 (the "Amendments," which are the
EGTRRA amendment executed April 26, 2002, the Plan amendment executed December
15, 2002, the First Amendment executed February 7, 2003, and the Second
Amendment executed March 21, 2003). We have also examined the Determination
Letter, the Registration Statement, the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation listed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement (the "Charter"), the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation
listed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the "Bylaws"), and such
other corporate and other documents and records and certificates of public
officials as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this
opinion.

         We have assumed (i) the authority and genuineness of all signatures,
(ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, (iv) the conformity to authentic
original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or
photostatic copies; and (v) the taking of all required corporation action in
relation


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to the Plan.

         Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications and
limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the provisions of the
Amendments comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of ERISA
pertaining to the Amendments. This opinion does not speak to any issues not
expressly addressed above, including but not limited to the Plan's compliance
with ERISA in operation.

         Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and
limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares, if and
when originally issued and sold by the Corporation pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Plan, and upon payment of the consideration payable therefor
pursuant to the Plan, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We have assumed that the Corporation and those officers and employees
who may purchase Shares under the Plan will have complied with the relevant
requirements of the Plan and that all prescribed filings with regulatory
authorities, including any stock exchanges having jurisdiction, will be
effected in accordance with their respective requirements and that the
approvals of such regulatory authorities, including any stock exchanges having
jurisdiction, will have been granted prior to the issuance of any of the Shares.

         The opinions expressed herein are contingent upon the Registration
Statement becoming effective under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Charter
and Bylaws not being further amended prior to the issuance of the Shares.

         The foregoing opinions are limited to ERISA and the laws of the State
of North Carolina, and we express no opinion with respect to the effect of any
other law.

         This opinion is being furnished to you solely for your benefit in
connection with the filing of the Registration Statement and pursuant to the
Act and is not to be used, circulated, quoted, relied upon or otherwise
referred to for any other purpose, without our prior written consent.

         We hereby consent to the filing of a copy of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not
thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Act.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        ROBINSON, BRADSHAW & HINSON, P.A.

                                        /s/ Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.


