SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of New York, United States of America on the 26th day of
August, 2008.
WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
By: /s/ Adam G. Ciongoli
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Name: Adam. G. Ciongoli
Title: General Counsel
Exhibit 5
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Bermuda Office
Canon's Court
22 Victoria Street
PO Box HM 1179
Hamilton HM EX
Bermuda
Tel +1 441 295 2244
Fax +1 441 292 8666
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e-mail:
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direct dial:
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Fax 298 3374
Securities and Exchange Commission
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Washington DC 20549
USA
your ref:
appleby ref:
ERM/124997.50
26 August 2008
Dear Sirs
Willis Group Holdings Limited (the "Company")
We have acted as legal counsel in Bermuda to the Company in connection with the
filing of the S-8 Registration to register 8,000,000 of the Company's common
shares of par value US$0.000115 each (the "Shares"), available for issue under
the Plan (as defined herein). The Company has requested that we provide this
opinion in connection with the S-8 Registration.
For the purposes of this opinion we have examined and relied upon the documents
listed, and in some cases defined, in the Schedule to this opinion (the
"Documents").
Assumptions
In stating our opinion we have assumed:
(a) the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of all Documents
examined by us submitted to us as originals and the conformity
to authentic original documents of all Documents and other
such documentation submitted to us as certified, conformed,
notarised, faxed or photostatic copies;
(b) that each of the Documents which was received by electronic
means is complete, intact and in conformity with the
transmission as sent;
(c) the genuineness of all signatures on the Documents;
Securities and Exchange Commission
26 August 2008
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(d) the authority, capacity and power of each of the persons
signing the Documents (other than the Company);
(e) that any representation, warranty or statement of fact or law,
other than as to the laws of Bermuda made in any of the
Documents is true, accurate and complete;
(f} that the Resolutions are in full force and effect, have not
been rescinded, either in whole or in part, and accurately
record the resolutions passed by the Baud of Directors of the
Company and Shareholders in meetings which were duly convened
and at which a duly constituted quorum was present and voting
throughout and that there is no matter affecting the authority
of the Directors to effect entry by the Company into the
Subject Agreements, not disclosed by the Constitutional
Documents or the Resolutions, which would have any adverse
implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein;
(g) that the records which were the subject of the Company Search
were complete and accurate at the time of such search and
disclosed all information which is material for the purposes
of this opinion and such information has not since the date of
the Company Search been materially altered; and
(h) that the records which were the subject of the Litigation
Search were complete and accurate at the time of such search
and disclosed all information which is material for the
purposes of this opinion and such information has not since
the date of the Litigation Search been materially altered.
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 Company is an exempted company incorporated with limited
liability and existing under the laws of Bermuda. The Company
possesses the capacity to sue and be sued. in its own name and
is in good standing under the faws of Bermuda.
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(2) All necessary corporate action required to be taken by the
Company in connection with the issue by the Company of the
Shares pursuant to Bermuda law has been taken by or on behalf
of the Company, and all necessary approvals of Governmental
authorities in Bermuda have been duly obtained for the issue
by the Company of the Shares.
(3) When issued pursuant to the Resolutions and delivered against
payment therefor in the circumstances referred to or
summarised in the S-8 Registration and the Plan, the Shares
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares
in the capital of the Company.
(4) There are no taxes, duties or other charges payable to or
chargeable by the Government of Bermuda, or any authority or
agency thereof in respect of the issue of the Shares.
Reservations
We have the following reservations:
(a) 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,
(b) Searches of the Register of Companies at the office of the
Registrar of Companies and of the Supreme Court Causes Book at
the Registry of the Supreme Court are not conclusive and it
should be noted that the Register of Companies and the Supreme
Court Causes Book do not reveal:
(i) details of matters which have been lodged for filing or
registration which as a matter of best practice of the
Registrar of Companies or the Registry of the Supreme Court
would have or should have been disclosed on the public file,
the Causes Book or the judgment Book, as the ease may be, but
for whatever reason have not actually been filed or registered
or are not disclosed or which, notwithstanding filing or
registration, at the date and time the search is concluded are
for whatever reason not disclosed or do not appear on the
public file, the Causes Book or judgment Book;
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(ii) details of matters which should have been lodged for filing or
registration at the Registrar of Companies or the Registry of
the Supreme Court but have not been lodged for filing or
registration at the date the search is concluded;
(iii) whether an application to the Supreme Court for a winding-up
petition or for the appointment of a receiver or manager has
been prepared but not yet been presented or has been presented
but does not appear in the Causes Book at the date and time
the search is concluded;
(iv) whether any arbitration or administrative proceedings are
pending or whether any proceedings are threatened, or whether
any arbitrator has been appointed; or
(v) whether a receiver or manager has been appointed privately
pursuant to the provisions of a debenture or other security,
unless notice of the fact has been entered in the Register of
Charges in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
(c) In order to issue this opinion we have carried out the Company
Search 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 such search.
(d) In order to issue this opinion we have carried out the
Litigation Search 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 such search.
(e) In paragraph (1) above, the term "good standing" means that
the Company has received a Certificate of Compliance from the
Registrar of Companies.
(f) Any reference in this opinion to shares being "non-assessable"
shall mean, in relation to fully paid shares of the Company
and subject to any contrary provision in any agreement in
writing between such company and the holder of
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such shares, that no shareholder shall be bound by an alteration to the
Memorandum of Association or Bye--laws of the Company after the date on
which he became a shareholder, if and so far as the alteration requires
him to take, or subscribe for additional shares, or in any way
increases his liability to contribute to the share capital of, or
otherwise to pay money to, the Company.
Disclosure
This opinion is addressed to you in connection with the filing by the Company of
the S-8 Registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
We consent to the inclusion of this opinion as an exhibit to the S-8
Registration.
This opinion speaks as of its date and is strictly limited to the matters stated
herein and we assume no obligation to review or update this opinion if
applicable law or the existing facts or circumstances should change.
This opinion is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with Bermuda
law, It is given on the basis that it will not give rise to any legal
proceedings with respect thereto in any jurisdiction other than Bermuda.
Yours faithfully
/s/ Appleby
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Appleby
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SCHEDULE
1. The entries and filings shown in respect of the Company on the file of
the Company maintained in the Register of Companies at the office of
the Registrar of Companies in Hamilton, Bermuda, as revealed by a
search conducted on 25 August 2008 (the "Company Search").
2. The entries and filings shown in respect of the Company in the Supreme
Court Causes Book maintained at the Registry of the Supreme Court in
Hamilton, Bermuda, as revealed by a search conducted on 25 August 2008
(the "Litigation Search").
3. Certified copies of the Memorandum of Association and Bye-Laws of the
Company (collectively referred to as the "Constitutional Documents").
4. Certified copy of minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Company
held on 23 April 2008 together with a certified copy minutes of the
meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company held on 23 July 2008
(together "the "Resolutions").
5. A Certificate of Compliance, dated 20 August 2008 issued by the
Registrar of Companies in respect of the Company.
6. A copy of the Registration Statement on Form S-8. filed by the Company
on 26 August 2008 with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 (the "S-8
Registration").
7. A copy of the Willis Group Holdings Limited 2008 Share Purchase and
Option Plan (the "Plan").
8. A copy of the letter of permission dated 1 May 2001 issued by the
Bermuda Monetary Authority in relation to the Company and a copy of the
general permission of the Bermuda Monetary Authority dated 1 June 2005
(together the "Permission").
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Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on
Form S-8 of our report dated February 27, 2008 (July 11, 2008 as to the
Consolidated Statement of Operations and Notes 2, 20, 22, and 23), relating to
the consolidated financial statements appearing in the Current Report on Form
8-K of Willis Group Holdings Limited and financial statement schedule appearing
in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Willis Group Holdings Limited for the year
ended December 31, 2007 and of our report dated February 27, 2008 relating to
the effectiveness of Willis Group Holdings Limited's internal control over
financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Willis Group
Holdings Limited for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
London, United Kingdom
August 26, 2008
Exhibit 24
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Adam G. Ciongoli, Patrick C.
Regan, Michael P. Chitty and Shaun K. Bryant and each of them, as his or her
true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution
and re-substitution, for him or her in his or her name, place and stead, in any
and all capacity, in connection with this Registration Statement, including to
sign and file in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as director or
officer of the Registrant any and all amendments or supplements (including any
and all stickers and post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable securities exchange or
securities self-regulatory body, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents,
and each of them full power and authority to do and perform each and every act
and things requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully
to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.
Signature Title Date
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/s/ Joseph J. Plumeri Chairman and Chief Executive Officer August 26, 2008
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Joseph J. Plumeri
/s/ Patrick C. Regan Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial August 26, 2008
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Patrick C. Regan
/s/ William W. Bradley Director August 26, 2008
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William W. Bradley
/s/ Joseph A. Califano Director August 26, 2008
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Joseph A. Califano
/s/ Anna C. Catalano Director August 26, 2008
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Anna C. Catalano
/s/ Eric G. Friberg Director August 26, 2008
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Eric G. Friberg
/s/ Sir Roy Gardner Director August 26, 2008
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Sir Roy Gardner
/s/ Sir Jeremy Hanley Director August 26, 2008
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Sir Jeremy Hanley
/s/ Robyn S. Kravit Director August 26, 2008
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Robyn S. Kravit
/s/ Jeffrey B. Lane Director August 26, 2008
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Jeffrey B. Lane
/s/ Wendy E. Lane Director August 26, 2008
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Wendy E. Lane
/s/ James F. McCann Director August 26, 2008
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James F. McCann
/s/ Douglas Roberts Director August 26, 2008
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Douglas B. Roberts