EXHIBIT 5.1

 

[LETTERHEAD OF PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP]

 

March 30, 2022

 

Clear Secure, Inc.
65 East 55th Street

17th Floor

New York, New York 10022

 

Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Clear Secure, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) of the Company, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Rules”). You have asked us to furnish our opinion as to the legality of the securities being registered under the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement relates to the registration under the Act of 5,693,082 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, that are reserved for issuance under the Clear Secure, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan”).

 

PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP 
Clear Secure, Inc.2 

In connection with the furnishing of this opinion, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the “Documents”):

1.       the Registration Statement;

2.       the 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the forms of award agreements (collectively, the “Agreements”) relating to awards granted under the 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan;

3.       the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, included as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement; and

4.       the First Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, included as Exhibit 4.2 to the Registration Statement.

In addition, we have examined (i) such corporate records of the Company that we have considered appropriate, including copies of resolutions of the board of directors of the Company relating to the issuance of the Shares, certified by the Company and (ii) such other certificates, agreements and documents that we deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion expressed below. We have also relied upon certificates of public officials and the officers of the Company.

In our examination of the documents referred to above, we have assumed, without independent investigation, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all individuals who have executed any of the documents reviewed by us, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic, reproduced or conformed copies of valid existing agreements or other documents, the authenticity of all the latter documents and that the statements regarding matters of fact in the certificates, records, agreements, instruments and documents that we have examined are accurate and complete.

 

PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP 
Clear Secure, Inc.3 

Based upon the above, and subject to the stated assumptions, exceptions and qualifications, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan and any applicable Agreement under the 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

The opinion expressed above is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Our opinion is rendered only with respect to the laws, and the rules, regulations and orders under those laws, that are currently in effect.

We hereby consent to use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required by the Act or the Rules.

  Very truly yours,  
     
  /s/ Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP  
  PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP