SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C. 20549

                            --------------------

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT
                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

     Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)   January 10, 2003

                           NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

          DELAWARE               1-9608              36-3514169
          --------               ------              ----------
       (State of Other         (Commission          (IRS Employer
        Jurisdiction          File Number)       Identification No.)
      of Incorporation)

          29 East Stephenson Street
              Freeport, Illinois                     61032-0943
    (Address Principal Executive Offices)            (Zip Code)

     Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (815) 235-4171







    ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

        The opinion of Schiff Hardin & Waite filed herewith is
   incorporated by reference into the Company's Registration Statement on
   Form S-3 (Nos. 333-88050).


   ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND
             EXHIBITS

             (c)  Exhibits.

                  (99) Opinion of Schiff Hardin & Waite








































                                      2







                                 SIGNATURES
                                 ----------

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
   1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
   behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                      NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.


   Date:  January 10, 2003            By:  /s/ Dale L. Matschullat
                                           -----------------------------
                                           Dale L. Matschullat
                                           Vice President - General
                                             Counsel






































                                      3







                                EXHIBIT INDEX
                                -------------


    EXHIBIT NO.     DESCRIPTION
    ----------      -----------

    99              Opinion of Schiff Hardin & Waite













































                                      4









                                                                EXHIBIT 99
                                                                ----------

   Stuart L. Goodman
   (312) 258-5711
   Email: sgoodman@schiffhardin.com



                              January 10, 2003

   Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
   29 East Stephenson Street
   Freeport, Illinois  61032

   Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We have acted as counsel to Newell Rubbermaid Inc., a Delaware
   corporation (the "Company"), in connection with a Registration
   Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement"), filed by the
   Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 10, 2002
   under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
   registering securities of the Company, including the Company's common
   stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock").  We have also
   acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the issuance and
   sale of 6,670,000 shares (the "Shares") of Common Stock in an
   underwritten public offering pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement
   dated as of January 6, 2003 between the Company and the underwriters
   named therein (the "Underwriting Agreement").

        This opinion is being delivered in accordance with the
   requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities
   Act.

        In connection with our opinion, we have examined the Registration
   Statement, including the exhibits thereto, and such other documents,
   corporate records, and instruments and have examined such laws and
   regulations as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of this
   opinion.  In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all
   signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
   originals, the conformity to the original documents of all documents
   submitted to us as copies and the authenticity of the originals of
   such latter documents.

        Based on the foregoing and subject to the qualifications set
   forth below, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and
   sold in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will be duly
   authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

        The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of
   Illinois, the General Corporation Law of Delaware, and the federal
   laws of the United States of America, and we express no opinion as to
   the laws of any other jurisdiction.








   Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
   January 10, 2003
   Page 2

        The opinions expressed in this opinion letter are as of the date
   of this opinion letter only and as to the laws covered hereby only as
   they are in effect on that date.  The opinions herein are limited to
   the matters expressly set forth in this opinion letter, and no opinion
   is given or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly set forth in
   this opinion letter.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 99 to
   the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K and to the reference to us
   under the caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus contained in the
   Registration Statement.

                                      Very truly yours,

                                      SCHIFF HARDIN & WAITE



                                      By:  /s/ Stuart L. Goodman
                                           ---------------------------
                                           Stuart L. Goodman