Exhibit (i)

ATTORNEYS AT LAW   777 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE MILWAUKEE, WI 53202-5306 414.271.2400 TEL 414.297.4900 FAX WWW.FOLEY.COM   CLIENT/MATTER NUMBER 035194-0102

March 2, 2015

Parnassus Funds

1 Market Street

Suite 1600

San Francisco, California 94105

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel for you in connection with the preparation of an Amended Registration Statement on Form N-1A relating to the sale by you of an indefinite amount of Parnassus Funds units of beneficial interest (such units of beneficial interest being hereinafter referred to as the “Shares”) in the manner set forth in the Amended Registration Statement to which reference is made. In this connection we have examined: (a) the Amended Registration Statement on Form N-1A; (b) your Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and By-laws, as amended to date; (c) Trust proceedings relative to the authorization for issuance of the Shares; and (d) such other proceedings, documents and records as we have deemed necessary to enable us to render this opinion.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and assuming that (a) the Amended Registration Statement and any amendments thereto are effective and comply with all applicable laws and (b) all Shares are issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Amended Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, we are of the opinion that the Shares when sold as contemplated in the Amended Registration Statement will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Amended Registration Statement on Form N-1A. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are experts within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of said Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Foley & Lardner LLP

FOLEY & LARDNER LLP

BOSTON BRUSSELS CHICAGO DETROIT JACKSONVILLE LOS ANGELES MADISON MIAMI MILWAUKEE NEW YORK ORLANDO SACRAMENTO SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SHANGHAI SILICON VALLEY TALLAHASSEE TAMPA TOKYO WASHINGTON, D.C.