Exhibit 5

                          Letterhead of Law Offices of
                          Vincent P. Cacciottoli, P.C.

                                 April 25, 2003



West Coast Bancorp
5335 Meadows Road, Suite 201
Lake Oswego, Oregon  97035

Reference:  Registration Statement on Form S-8 of West Coast Bancorp Relating to
            the West Coast Bancorp  Executives'  Deferred  Compensation Plan and
            the  West  Coast  Bancorp  Directors'  Deferred   Compensation  Plan
            (collectively, the "Plans")

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      I have acted as counsel to West Coast Bancorp,  an Oregon corporation (the
"Company"),  in connection with the  preparation of a registration  statement on
Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement")  to be filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  under the  Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), relating to the offering of up to 100,000 shares
(the "Shares") of the Company's Common Stock, no par value, and up to $2,500,000
in principal amount of deferred  compensation  obligations  (the  "Obligations")
which may be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Plans. I, or the attorneys
under my  supervision  and control upon whom I have relied,  have  examined such
records, documents,  statutes and decisions as I or they have deemed relevant in
rendering this opinion.

      On the basis of the foregoing  examination and review, I am of the opinion
that:

            1. The Company is a corporation  validly  existing under the laws of
      the state of Oregon; and

            2. The  Obligations  have been  duly  authorized  and when  deferred
      amounts are credited to the accounts of  participants  in accordance  with
      the terms and conditions of the Plans,  the Obligations  will be valid and
      binding  obligations  of the Company or its  subsidiaries,  enforceable in
      accordance  with  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the  Plans,  except  as
      enforcement  may be limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or other laws of
      general  applicability  relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors'
      rights or by general principles of equity.

      I am admitted to the Bar of the state of Oregon.  The  opinions  expressed
herein are limited in all respects to the federal  laws of the United  States of
America and the laws of the state of Oregon.






      I hereby consent to the use of this opinion in the Registration  Statement
and in any amendments  thereof.  In giving such opinion,  I do not thereby admit
that I am acting within the category of persons whose consent is required  under
Section 7 of the  Securities  Act or the rules or  regulations of the Commission
thereunder.

                              Sincerely,


                              /s/ Vincent P. Cacciottoli
                              --------------------------
                              Vincent P. Cacciottoli