Exhibit 8.1
One Atlantic Center
1201 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424
404-881-7000
Fax: 404-881-7777
www.alston.com
FORM OF TAX OPINION
_______________, 200_
Graphic Packaging Corporation
814 Livingston Court
Marietta, Georgia 30067
Re: Combination of Graphic Packaging Corporation and Altivity Packaging LLC
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Graphic Packaging Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(Graphic), in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement
and Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 9, 2007 (the Transaction Agreement),
by and among Graphic, Bluegrass Container Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(BCH), TPG Bluegrass IV, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (TPG IV), TPG
Bluegrass IV AIV 2, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (TPG IV AIV), TPG
Bluegrass V, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (TPG V), TPG Bluegrass V AIV 2,
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (TPG V AIV), Field Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (Field Holdings), TPG FOF V-A, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
(FOF-VA), TPG FOF V-B, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (FOF V-B), and BCH
Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (BCH Management and together with
Field Holdings, TPG IV, TPG IV AIV, TPG V, TPG V AIV, FOF V-A, FOF V-B, and each owner of the
BCH Equity Interests, the Sellers), New Giant Corporation, a newly organized Delaware
corporation (New Graphic), and Giant Merger Sub, Inc., a newly organized Delaware
corporation (Merger Sub). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meanings specified in the Transaction Agreement.
Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement: (a) Merger Sub shall be merged with and into Graphic,
with Graphic surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of New Graphic, and each share of Graphic
common stock shall be converted into the right to receive one validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable share of New Graphic common stock (the Merger); and (b) the Sellers shall
contribute to New Graphic all of the BCH Equity Interests in exchange for newly issued common stock
of New Graphic (the Exchange) (the Merger together with the Exchange, the
Transactions).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One Atlantic Center
1201 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309-3424
404-881-7000
Fax: 404-881-7777
|
|
90 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-210-9400
Fax: 212-210-9444
|
|
3201 Beechleaf Court,
Suite 600
Raleigh, NC 27604-1062
919-862-2200
Fax: 919-862-2260
|
|
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
North Building, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20004-2601
202-756-3300
Fax: 202-756-3333 |
Graphic Packaging Corporation
_____________________, 2007
Page 2
This opinion letter is being delivered in connection with, and as of the date of the
consummation of the Transactions and the declaration of effectiveness by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the SEC) of the registration statement on Form S-4 and any
amendments thereto (the Registration Statement), as filed with the SEC to which this
opinion letter appears as an exhibit. In that connection, you have requested our opinion regarding
(i) certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Merger, and (ii) the accuracy of the
discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to the stockholders of New Graphic
under the heading The Transactions Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Graphic
Stockholders in the Registration Statement.
In rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have examined the Transaction Agreement, the
Registration Statement, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for
purposes of our opinions. We have not, however, undertaken any independent investigation of any
factual matter set forth in any of the foregoing. In addition, we have assumed with your consent
that:
(i) The Transaction Agreement and Registration Statement accurately and completely describe
the Transactions, the Transactions will be consummated in accordance with the provisions of the
Transaction Agreement and the Registration Statement, and the Transactions will be effective under
the laws of the State of Delaware;
(ii) The statements concerning the Transactions set forth in the Transaction Agreement and the
Registration Statement are true, complete and correct and will remain true, complete and correct at
all times up to and including the Effective Time;
(iii) The parties have complied with and, if applicable, will continue to comply with, the
covenants contained in the Transaction Agreement;
(iv) The representations made by Graphic, New Graphic and BCH, in their respective letters
delivered to us for purposes of this opinion letter (the Representation Letters) are
true, complete and correct and will remain true, complete and correct at all times up to and
including the Effective Time;
(v) Any representations made in the Representation Letters to the knowledge of or similarly
qualified are correct without such qualification; and
(vi) All documents submitted to us as photocopies faithfully reproduce the originals thereof,
such originals are authentic, all such documents have been or will be duly executed to the extent
required, and all statements set forth in such documents are accurate.
If any of the above described assumptions are untrue for any reason or if the Transactions are
consummated in a manner that is different from the manner in which they are
Graphic Packaging Corporation
_____________________, 2007
Page 3
described in the Transaction Agreement or the Registration Statement, our opinions as expressed
below may be adversely affected and may not be relied upon.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions set forth herein, for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, we are of the opinion that:
(i) The Merger, together with the Exchange, will constitute an exchange under Section 351 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), or the Merger will constitute a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, or both;
(ii) No gain or loss will be recognized by Graphic as a result of the Transactions;
(iii) No gain or loss will be recognized by holders of Graphic common stock on the exchange of
their Graphic common stock for New Graphic common stock as a result of the Transactions; and
(iv) The statements under the heading The Transactions Material U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences to Graphic Stockholders in the Registration Statement, to the
extent that they describe matters of law or legal conclusions and subject to the
qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated therein, are accurate in all material respects.
Our opinions are based on current provisions of the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder, published pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service and case law, any of which may
be changed at any time, possibly with retroactive effect. Any change in applicable laws or the
facts and circumstances surrounding the Transactions, or any inaccuracy in the statements, facts,
assumptions or representations upon which we have relied, may affect or change our opinions as set
forth herein. We assume no responsibility to inform you of any such change or inaccuracy that comes
to our attention, and we have no obligation to update our opinions. Finally, our opinions are
limited to the tax matters specifically covered hereby, and we have not been asked to address, nor
have we addressed, any other tax consequences of the Transactions.
We express our opinion herein only as to those matters specifically set forth above and no
opinion should be inferred as to the tax consequences of the Transactions under any state, local or
foreign law, or with respect to other areas of United States federal taxation. We are members of
the Bar of the State of Georgia, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other
than the federal law of the United States. Our opinions are not binding upon the Internal Revenue
Service or the courts and there is no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will not assert a
contrary position.
Graphic Packaging Corporation
_____________________, 2007
Page 4
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration Statement,
and to the use of our name under the caption The Transactions Material U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences to Graphic Stockholders in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do
not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sincerely,
ALSTON & BIRD LLP
|
|
|
By: |
|
|
|
|
Gerald V. Thomas II, Partner |
|
|
|
|
|
|