Exhibit 5.1

	Goodwin Procter LLP
	Counselors at Law
	Three Embarcadero Center,
	24th Floor
	San Francisco, CA 94111
	T: 415.733.6000
	F: 415.677.9041

November 17, 2010

AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
101 Enterprise, Suite 300
Aliso Viejo, California 92656

     Re: Securities Being Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of up to $15,000,000 of any combination of (i) common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), (ii) preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) debt securities of the Company (“Debt Securities”), and (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities or Units (as defined below ) (“Warrants”). The Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities and Warrants are sometimes referred to collectively herein as the “Securities.” Securities may be issued in an unspecified number (with respect to Common Stock, Preferred Stock and Warrants) or in an unspecified principal amount (with respect to Debt Securities). The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be offered separately or together, in separate series, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more prospectus supplements (each a “Prospectus Supplement”) to the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement.

     We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions expressed below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinions set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.

     The opinions expressed below are limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law (which includes reported judicial decisions interpreting the Delaware General Corporation Law) and the federal law of the United States. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, we express no opinion with respect to (i) state securities or “blue sky” laws, or (ii) state or federal antitrust laws.

     For purposes of the opinions expressed below, without limiting any other exceptions or qualifications set forth herein, we have assumed that after the issuance of any Securities offered pursuant to the Registration Statement, the total number of issued shares of Common Stock or

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Preferred Stock, as applicable, together with the total number of shares of such stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise, exchange, conversion or settlement, as the case may be, of any exercisable, exchangeable or convertible security then outstanding, will not exceed the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and then in effect (the “Charter”).

     For purposes of the opinions expressed below, we refer to the following as the “Future Authorization and Issuance” of Securities:

• with respect to any of the Securities, (a) the authorization by the Company of the terms and issuance of such Securities (the “Authorization”) and (b) the issuance of such Securities in accordance with the Authorization therefor upon the receipt by the Company of the consideration (which, in the case of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, is not less than the par value of such shares) to be paid therefor in accordance with the Authorization;

• with respect to Preferred Stock, (a) the establishment of the terms of such Preferred Stock by the Company in conformity with the Charter and applicable law and (b) the execution, acknowledgement and filing with the Delaware Secretary of State, and the effectiveness of, a certificate of designations to the Charter setting forth the terms of such Preferred Stock in accordance with the Charter and applicable law;

• with respect to Debt Securities, (a) the authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture or a supplemental indenture relating to such Securities by the Company and the trustee thereunder and/or (b) the establishment of the terms of such Securities by the Company in conformity with the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture and applicable law, and (c) the execution, authentication and issuance of such Securities in accordance with the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture and applicable law; and

• with respect to Warrants, (a) the authorization, execution and delivery by the Company and the other parties thereto of any agreement under which such Warrants are to be issued and (b) the establishment of the terms of such Warrants, and the execution and delivery of such Warrants, in conformity with any applicable agreement under which such Warrants are to be issued and applicable law.

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the additional qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that:

(1) Upon the Future Authorization and Issuance of shares of Common Stock, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

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(2)	Upon the Future Authorization and Issuance of shares of Preferred Stock, such shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(3)	Upon the Future Authorization and Issuance of Debt Securities, such Debt Securities will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.
(4)	Upon the Future Authorization and Issuance of Warrants, such Warrants will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.

     The opinions expressed above are subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and to general principles of equity. We express no opinion as to the validity, binding effect and enforceability of provisions in the Indenture or the Warrants relating to the choice of forum for resolving disputes.

     This opinion letter and the opinions it contains shall be interpreted in accordance with the Legal Opinion Principles issued by the Committee on Legal Opinions of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section as published in 53 Business Lawyer 831 (May 1998).

     We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

Very truly yours,
 

/s/ GOODWIN PROCTER LLP  

Goodwin Procter LLP