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8-K - GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPc71910_8-k.htm
EX-4.1 - GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPc71910_ex4-1.htm
EX-4.5 - GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPc71910_ex4-5.htm
EX-1.1 - GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPc71910_ex1-1.htm

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

 

(GIBSON DUNN)

 

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

 

 

 

 

 

200 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10166-0193
Tel 212.351.4000
www.gibsondunn.com

 

 

 

 

 

Client: 32207-00175

December 12, 2012

General Electric Capital Corporation
901 Main Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06851

 

 

Re:

General Electric Capital Corporation

 

Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-178262)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to General Electric Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a Registration Statement on Form S-3, file no. 333-178262 (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the prospectus included therein, the prospectus supplement, dated December 5, 2012, filed with the Commission on December 6, 2012 pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Supplement”), and the offering by the Company pursuant thereto of $300,000,000 Floating Rate Senior Secured Notes due 2015, $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 1.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2015 and $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 2.100% Senior Secured Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”).

The Notes have been issued pursuant to the indenture dated as of December 12, 2012, by and among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon as trustee and Wells Fargo Bank Northwest, N.A. as security trustee (the “Indenture”).

In arriving at the opinions expressed below, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true and complete copies of the originals, of the Indenture, the Notes and such other documents, corporate records, certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable to enable us to render these opinions. In our examination, we have assumed, without independent investigation, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. As to any facts material to these opinions, we have relied to the extent we deemed appropriate and without independent investigation upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Notes are legal, valid and binding

Brussels • Century City • Dallas • Denver • Dubai • Hong Kong • London • Los Angeles • Munich • New York
Orange County • Palo Alto • Paris • San Francisco • São Paulo • Singapore • Washington, D.C.



 

 

(GIBSON DUNN)

 

December 12, 2012
Page 2

obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

The opinions expressed above are subject to the following additional exceptions, qualifications, limitations and assumptions:

                    A. We render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York and to the extent relevant for our opinions herein, the Delaware General Corporation Law. This opinion is limited to the effect of the current state of the laws of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law and the facts as they currently exist. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion in the event of future changes in such laws or the interpretations thereof or such facts.

                    B. The opinions above are subject to (i) the effect of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement or similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors’ generally, including without limitation the effect of statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent transfers or preferential transfers, and (ii) general principles of equity, including without limitation concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

                    C. We express no opinion regarding the effectiveness of (i) any waiver of stay, extension or usury laws or of unknown future rights, (ii) provisions relating to indemnification, exculpation or contribution, to the extent such provisions may be held unenforceable as contrary to public policy or federal or state securities laws or (iii) any waiver of the right to jury trial.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Opinions” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP