EX-5.2 3 d168267dex52.htm EX-5.2 EX-5.2

Bermuda Office

Appleby (Bermuda)

Limited

Canon’s Court

22 Victoria Street

PO Box HM 1179

Hamilton HM EX

Bermuda

Tel +1 441 295 2244

Fax +1 441 292 8666

applebyglobal.com

 

 

 

Appleby (Bermuda) Limited (the Legal Practice) is a limited liability company incorporated in Bermuda and approved and recognised under the Bermuda Bar (Professional Companies) Rules 2009. “Partner” is a title referring to a director, shareholder or an employee of the Legal Practice. A list of such persons can be obtained from your relationship partner.

Exhibit 5.2

 

LOGO

 

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P.    Email clangley@applebyglobal.com
73 Front Street   
Hamilton Bermuda    Direct Dial +1 441 298 3202
HM 11   

Appleby Ref

136873.0032

By Email

5 April 2021

Ladies and Gentlemen

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P.

We have acted as legal advisers as to matters of Bermuda law to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P., an exempted limited partnership organized under the laws of the Islands of Bermuda (Partnership). We have been requested to render this opinion in connection with the filing by the Partnership and Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation (BIPC) of:

 

1.

a shelf registration statement on Form F-3 dated as of 5 April 2021 (as may be amended, the Registration Statement) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), relating to the issuance by the Partnership or the delivery by Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM) or BIPC from time to time of the Partnership’s non-voting limited partnership units (Units), in each case, in connection with the exchange, redemption or acquisition, as applicable, from time to time of class A subordinate voting shares (Class A Shares) of BIPC to be offered or sold by BIPC and/or the selling securityholder named in the Prospectus (selling securityholder); and

 

2.

the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement (as may be amended, the Prospectus).

For the purposes of this opinion we have examined and relied upon the documents listed (which in some cases, are also defined) in the Schedule to this opinion (Documents).

 

 

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ASSUMPTIONS

In stating our opinion we have assumed:

 

1.

the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of all Documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original Documents of all Documents submitted to us as certified, conformed, notarised or photostatic copies;

 

2.

the genuineness of all signatures on the Documents;

 

3.

the authority, capacity and power of persons signing the Documents;

 

4.

that any representation, warranty or statement of fact or law, other than the laws of Bermuda made in any of the Documents, is true, accurate and complete;

 

5.

that there are no provisions of the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction other than Bermuda which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein;

 

6.

that there are no provisions of the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction other than Bermuda which would be contravened by any actions taken by the Partnership in connection with the Registration Statement or which would have any implication in relation to the opinion expressed herein and that, in so far as any obligation under, or action to be taken under, the Registration Statement is required to be performed or taken in any jurisdiction outside Bermuda, the performance of such obligation or the taking of such action will constitute a valid and binding obligation of each of the parties thereto under the laws of that jurisdiction and will not be illegal by virtue of the laws of that jurisdiction;

 

7.

the accuracy, completeness and currency of the records and filing systems maintained at the public offices where we have searched or enquired or have caused searches or enquiries to be conducted, that such search and enquiry did not fail to disclose any information which had been filed with or delivered to the relevant body but had not been processed at the time when the search was conducted and the enquiries were made, and that the information disclosed by BIPL and Partnership Searches, Registry General Searches and the Litigation Search is accurate and complete in all respects and such information has not been materially altered since the date and time of the BIPL and Partnership Searches, Registry General Searches and the Litigation Search; and

 

8.

any amendment to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is properly authorized by the Partnership and the terms and transactions contemplated by any such amendment adopted would not be inconsistent with the Resolutions and the terms and transactions contemplated by the Prospectus and the Registration Statement as of the date hereof.

 

 

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OPINION

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and subject to the reservations set out below and to any matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.

The Partnership is an exempted limited partnership established and existing under the laws of Bermuda. The Partnership possesses the capacity to sue and be sued in its own name and is in good standing under the laws of Bermuda. All suits in respect of the business of the Partnership shall be prosecuted by and against Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Limited (BIPL) in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership.

 

2.

When duly authorized, allotted, issued and fully paid for pursuant to the terms of the Resolutions and in accordance with the terms and conditions referred to or summarized in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement (including any documents incorporated by reference therein), the Units to be issued by the Partnership upon exchange, redemption or acquisition, as applicable, of Class A Shares to be issued or sold by BIPC and/or the selling securityholder, as applicable, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable units of the Partnership.

 

3.

When duly authorized, allotted, issued and fully paid for pursuant to the terms of the Resolutions and in accordance with the terms and conditions referred to or summarized in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement (including any documents incorporated by reference therein), the Units to be issued by the Partnership upon the redemption of redeemable partnership units of Brookfield Infrastructure L.P. and delivered by BAM upon exchange of Class A Shares to be issued or sold by BIPC and/or the selling Securityholder, as applicable, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable units of the Partnership.

RESERVATIONS

We have the following reservations:

 

1.

In opinion 1. above, the term “good standing” means only that the Partnership has received a Certificate of Compliance from the Registrar of Companies in Hamilton, Bermuda which confirms that it has neither failed to make any filing with any Bermuda governmental authority nor to pay any Bermuda government fee or tax.

 

2.

We express no opinion as to any law other than Bermuda law and none of the opinions expressed herein relates to compliance with or matters governed by the laws of any jurisdiction except Bermuda. This opinion is limited to Bermuda law as applied by the courts of Bermuda at the date hereof.

 

 

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3.

Where an obligation is to be performed in a jurisdiction other than Bermuda, the courts of Bermuda may refuse to enforce it to the extent that such performance would be illegal under the laws of, or contrary to public policy of such other jurisdiction.

 

4.

Any reference in this opinion to Units being “non-assessable” shall mean, in relation to fully-paid Units of the Partnership and subject to any contrary provision in any agreement in writing between the Partnership and the holder of Units, that: no holder shall be obliged to contribute further amounts to the capital of the Partnership, either in order to complete payment for their Units, to satisfy claims of creditors of the Partnership, or otherwise.

 

5.

The Limited Partnership Act 1883 (the Act) provides that a limited partner shall be liable as a general partner if he takes part in the management of the partnership.

 

6.

A limited partner is liable to the Partnership, or to its creditors, for any amount in respect of such limited partner’s contribution to the Partnership to the extent such contribution has not been contributed in full, or to the extent such contribution is either released or returned to the limited partner contrary to the restrictions on reductions of capital contained in the Act.

 

7.

A limited partner is liable for damages on account of misrepresentation in respect of false statements contained in the certificate of limited partnership, any supplementary certificates or certificate of cancellation in respect of the Partnership, to the extent a limited partner signed such certificate, or caused another to sign it on his/her behalf, and knew such statement to be false at the time of signature.

 

8.

Every partner of the Partnership who is guilty of any fraud in the affairs of the Partnership shall be liable civilly to the party injured to the extent of his damage and shall be liable for penalties applicable to offences committed against the Act.

 

9.

With respect to opinions 2 and 3, we have relied upon statements and representations made to us in the Secretary’s Certificate provided to us by an authorised officer of BIPL for the purposes of this opinion. We have made no independent verification of the matters referred to in the Secretary’s Certificate, and we qualify such opinions to the extent that the statements or representations made in the Secretary’s Certificate are not accurate in any respect.

 

10.

In order to issue this opinion we have remotely received the BIPL and Partnership Searches and Registry General Searches as referred to in the Schedule to this opinion and have not enquired as to whether there has been any change since the date of receipt.

 

 

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11.

In order to issue this opinion we would typically conduct a search of the entries and filings shown in respect of BIPL and the Partnership on the files maintained in the Register of Companies at the office of the Registrar of Companies and at the office of the Registry General, as applicable, in Hamilton, Bermuda. However, due to the situation with coronavirus COVID-19, our protocols prevent us from carrying out those searches.

DISCLOSURE

This opinion is addressed to you in connection with the registration of the Units with the SEC and is not to be used, quoted or relied upon for any other purpose. We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of the Partnership and further consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement.

This opinion is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with Bermuda law. Further, this opinion speaks as of its date and is strictly limited to the matters stated in it and we assume no obligation to review or update this opinion if applicable law or the existing acts or circumstances should change.

Yours faithfully

/s/ Appleby (Bermuda) Limited

Appleby (Bermuda) Limited

 

 

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SCHEDULE

 

1.

The extract provided in respect of BIPL and the Partnership by the office of the Registrar of Companies on 1 April 2021 (BIPL and Partnership Searches).

 

2.

The response provided in respect of BIPL and the Partnership by the office of the Registry General on 1 April 2021 (Registry General Searches).

 

3.

A copy of the results of a search of the entries and filings shown and available for inspection in respect of BIPL and the Partnership in the Cause and Judgement Book of the Supreme Court maintained at the Registry of the Supreme Court in Hamilton, Bermuda, as revealed by a search conducted on 1 April 2021 (Litigation Search).

 

4.

Certified copies of the following documents in respect of the Partnership: Certificate of Registration for a Partnership to be Registered as an Exempted Partnership and Limited Partnership dated 13 June 2007, Certificate of Deposit of Supplementary Certificate (Change of Name) dated 10 July 2007, Certificate of Deposit of Supplementary Certificate (Change of Registered Office) dated 8 December 2011, Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated 16 February 2018, First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated 12 September 2018, Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated 27 February 2020, Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated 21 September 2020 and Fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated 21 January 2021 (collectively, Limited Partnership Documents).

 

5.

Certified copies of the following documents in respect of BIPL: Certificate of Incorporation dated 21 May 2007, memorandum of association dated 17 May 2007, Bye-laws adopted on 4 August 2015, Bermuda Monetary Authority Consent and Conditions Dated 18 May 2007, and Tax Assurance Certificate dated 18 December 2012 (collectively, GP Documents, and collectively with Limited Partnership Documents, Constitutional Documents).

 

6.

Copy of the unanimous written resolutions of the Board of Directors of BIPL on behalf of the Partnership dated effective 5 April 2021 (including the annexures thereto) (Resolutions).

 

7.

Copy of a secretary certificate dated 5 April 2021 and signed by the secretary of BIPL in respect of the Resolutions (Secretary’s Certificate).

 

8.

Certificates of Compliance each dated 5 April 2021 issued by the Registrar of Companies in respect of BIPL and the Partnership.

 

9.

The Registration Statement.

 

10.

The Prospectus.

 

 

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