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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Registration No. 333-_________</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 27, 2009</font></font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">UNITED STATES<br>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<br>Washington, D.C.&#160;&#160;20549<br>
<br></font>___________________<br>
<br><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">FORM S-8<br>
<br>REGISTRATION STATEMENT<br>UNDER<br>THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.</font></font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Massachusetts</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">20-4652200</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">10 Meridian Street<br>East Boston, Massachusetts 02128<br></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</font></font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> 2008 Equity Incentive Plan<br></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">(Full Title of the Plan)</font></font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Copies to:</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Mr. Richard J. Gavegnano</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Larry Spaccasi, Esquire</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chairman of the Board</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Luse Gorman Pomerenk &amp; Schick, P.C.</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">and Chief Executive Officer</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5335 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Suite 400</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Washington, DC 20015-2035</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">10 Meridian Street</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(202) 274-2000</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">East Boston, Massachusetts 02128</font></div></td>
<td valign="top" width="40%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(617) 567-1500</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Name, Address and Telephone</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Number of Agent for Service)</font></div></td>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of &#8220;large accelerated filer,&#8221; &#8220;accelerated filer&#8221; and &#8220;smaller reporting company&#8221; in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. (Check one):</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Large accelerated filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">o</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; &#160;&#160;&#160;Accelerated filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">&#253;</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Non-accelerated filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">o</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;
&#160;Smaller reporting company&#160;&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Wingdings">o</font></font></div>
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<br>&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Title of</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Securities</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">to be</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Registered</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">to be</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Registered<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">(1)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Maximum</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Offering Price</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Per Share</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Maximum</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Aggregate</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Offering Price</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-TOP: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount of</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Registration</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Fee</font></div></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="top" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Common stock, no par value</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">195,625<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top"> (2)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$9.44 <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">(7)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$1,846,700</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$103</font></div></td></tr><tr bgcolor="white">
<td align="left" valign="top" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Common stock, no par value</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">218,375<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top"> (3)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$9.47 <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">(7)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$2,068,011</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$115</font></div></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="top" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Common stock,&#160;&#160;no par value</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">687,000<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top"> (4)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$9.41 <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">(6)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$6,464,670</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$361</font></div></td></tr><tr bgcolor="white">
<td align="left" valign="top" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Common stock, no par value</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">348,000<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top"> (5)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">&#160;</font>$9.47 <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 70%; VERTICAL-ALIGN: text-top">(7)</font></font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$3,295,560</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$184</font></div></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="top" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">TOTALS</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">1,449,000</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="15%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="17%" style="BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$13,674,941</font></div></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="14%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 2.55pt double; BORDER-LEFT: black 0.85pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$763</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">_______________________</font></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(1)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Together with an indeterminate number of additional shares that may be necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the &#8220;Stock Benefit Plan&#8221;) as a result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar adjustment of the outstanding common stock of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) pursuant
to 17 C.F.R. Section&#160;230.416(a).</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(2)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Represents the number of shares of common stock awarded as restricted stock under the Stock Benefit Plan.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(3)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Represents the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the Stock Benefit Plan for any future grants of restricted stock.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(4)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Represents the number of shares of common stock currently reserved for issuance for options granted pursuant to the Stock Benefit Plan.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(5)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Represents the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the Stock Benefit Plan for any future grants of stock options.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(6)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Determined pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Section 230.457(h)(1).</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 18pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(7)</font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Determined pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Section 230.457(c).</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>This Registration Statement shall become effective upon filing in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and 17 C.F.R. &#167; 230.462.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
<br></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
<div id="FTR">
<div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></div>
<div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2</font></div>
<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
<hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2"></div></div>
<div id="HDR">
<div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></div></div></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PART I.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Items 1 and 2.&#160;&#160;Plan Information and Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The documents containing the information specified in Part I and II of Form S-8 have been or will be sent or given to participants in the Stock Benefit Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;Commission&#8221;) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#8220;Securities
Act&#8221;).</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Such documents are not being filed with the Commission, but constitute (along with the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof) a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PART II.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 3.&#160;&#160; Incorporation of Documents by Reference</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The following documents previously or concurrently filed with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">a)&#160;&#160;The Company&#8217;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 (File No. 001-33898), filed with the Commission on March 16, 2009, and Amendment No. 1 to Form 10-K filed on April 08, 2009, pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">b) All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, since the end of the year covered by the Annual Report on Form 10-K&#160;&#160;referred to in (a) above; and</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">c) The description of the Company&#8217;s common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission&#160;&#160;on December 28, 2007 (File No. 001-33898).</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">All documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date hereof, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part thereof from the date of the filing of such documents.&#160;&#160;Any statement contained in the documents incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference herein or therein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement and the prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or therein or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein or therein modifies or supersedes such statement.&#160;&#160;Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement and the prospectus.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">All information appearing in this Registration Statement and the prospectus is qualified in its entirety by the detailed information, including financial statements, appearing in the documents incorporated herein or therein by reference.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 4.&#160; &#160;Description of Securities</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Not applicable.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 5.&#160; &#160;Interests of Named Experts and Counsel</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">None.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
<div id="FTR">
<div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></div>
<div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">3</font></div>
<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
<hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2"></div></div>
<div id="HDR">
<div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></div></div></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 6.&#160;&#160;Indemnification of Directors and Officers</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sections 8.50-8.59 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act authorize a Massachusetts corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers under certain conditions. Article 7 of the Company&#8217;s bylaws
provides that the Company shall indemnify each person who serves or has served as a director or officer at the level of Vice President or above to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against expenses (including attorney&#8217;s fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes, penalties, and amounts reasonably paid in settlement incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, inquiry, investigation, administrative hearing
or any other proceeding whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative (without regard to whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer or in any other capacity for or on behalf of the Company while serving as a director or officer) or any claim, issue or matter therein, which proceeding such director or officer is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of the
Company&#8217;s directors or officers or was serving at our request as a director, officer, trustee, or in a similar capacity with another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The rights of indemnification continue as to a director or officer after he or she has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, estate, executors, administrators and personal representatives. No amendment, termination or repeal of the provisions
of Article 7 of the Company&#8217;s bylaws or of the relevant provisions of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act shall affect or deprive a director or officer of the benefit of those by-laws or applicable law with respect to any proceeding arising out of or relating to any actions, transactions or facts occurring prior to such amendment, termination or repeal.</font></font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Section 2.02 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act authorizes a Massachusetts corporation to adopt a provision in its articles of organization eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors to the corporation for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as directors,
provided that the provision may not eliminate or limit the liability of directors for:</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div>
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
<tr valign="top">
<td style="WIDTH: 36pt">
<div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></td>
<td style="WIDTH: 36pt">
<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Symbol, serif">&#183;</font></font></div></td>
<td>
<div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">any breach of the director&#8217;s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders;</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
<br></div>
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<div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">any acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing&#160; violation of law;</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></td>
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<div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">any improper distributions to shareholders under Section 6.40 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act; or</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
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<div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></td>
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<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline;" face="Symbol, serif">&#183;</font></font></div></td>
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<div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Section 6.5.4 of Meridian Interstate Bancorp&#8217;s articles of organization provides that, to the maximum extent permitted by the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act, none of the Company&#8217;s directors shall be personally liable to the Company or the Company&#8217;s shareholders for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability. No amendment to or repeal of the provisions of Section 6.5.4 shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director for or with respect to any act or failure to act of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal. If the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act is subsequently amended to further eliminate or limit the personal liability of directors
or to authorize corporate action to further eliminate or limit such liability, then the liability of the directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act as so amended. A principal effect of Section 6.5.4 is to limit or eliminate the potential liability of the Company&#8217;s directors for monetary damages arising from breaches of their duty of care, unless the breach involves one of the four exceptions described above.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Section 8.57 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act also authorizes a Massachusetts corporation to obtain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against liability incurred by them in those capacities. The Company procured a directors&#8217; and officers&#8217; liability and
company reimbursement liability insurance policy that insures (a) the Company&#8217;s directors and officers against losses, above a deductible amount, arising from specified</font></div>
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<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">4</font></div>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">types of claims made against them by reason of enumerated acts done or attempted by the Company&#8217;s directors or officers and (b) the Company against losses, above a deductible amount, arising from any of the specified types of claims, but only if the Company is required or permitted to indemnify the Company&#8217;s directors or officers
for those losses under statutory or common law or under provisions of the Company&#8217;s articles of organization or bylaws.</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 7.&#160;&#160;Exemption From Registration Claimed.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Not applicable.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 8.&#160;&#160;List of Exhibits.</font></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Regulation S-K</font></div></td>
<td valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="33%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Reference to Prior Filing or</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Exhibit Number</font></font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 81pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Document</font></font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Exhibit No. Attached Hereto</font></font></div></td></tr><tr>
<td valign="top" width="19%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td valign="top" width="33%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td></tr><tr>
<td valign="top" width="19%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form of Common Stock Certificate</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">*</font></div></td></tr><tr>
<td valign="top" width="19%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="33%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td></tr><tr>
<td valign="top" width="19%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Opinion of Luse Gorman Pomerenk &amp; Schick, P.C.</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Attached as Exhibit 5</font></div></td></tr><tr>
<td valign="top" width="19%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td valign="top" width="33%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td></tr><tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="19%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">10</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">**</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<td align="left" valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="33%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.1</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent of Luse Gorman Pomerenk &amp; Schick, P.C.</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Contained in Exhibit 5</font></div></td></tr><tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="19%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="33%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td></tr><tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="19%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.2</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Attached as Exhibit 23.2</font></div></td></tr><tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="19%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="48%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="33%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td></tr><tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="19%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">24</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Power of Attorney</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Contained on Signature Page</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">_______________________</font></div>
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<div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">*</font></div></td>
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<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-146373) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Commission on September 28, 2007, and all amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (File No. 001-33898), filed by Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on July 11, 2008.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 9.&#160;&#160;Undertakings</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material
change to such information in this Registration Statement;</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
be deemed to be the initial <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">bona fide</font> offering thereof;</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the Plan;</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant&#8217;s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">bona fide</font> offering thereof; and</font></div>
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<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">5</font></div>
<div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
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<div id="HDR">
<div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160; </font></div></div></div></div>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.&#160;&#160;In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SIGNATURES</font></div>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The Registrant.</font>&#160;&#160;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 on Form S-8 to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of East Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on this 27th day of August, 2009.</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">MERIDIAN INTERSTATE BANCORP, INC.</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
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<td valign="top" width="68%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">By:</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/ Richard J. Gavegnano</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td valign="top" width="28%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Richard J. Gavegnano</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer</font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td valign="top" width="28%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;(Duly Authorized Representative)</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">POWER OF ATTORNEY</font></div>
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<br></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We, the undersigned directors and officers of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) hereby severally constitute and appoint Richard J. Gavegnano, as our true and lawful attorney and agent, to do any and all things in our names in the capacities indicated below which said Richard J. Gavegnano may deem necessary or
advisable to enable the Company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with the registration of shares of common stock to be granted and shares of common stock to be issued upon the exercise of stock options to be granted under the Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, including specifically, but not limited to, power and authority to sign for us in our names in the capacities indicated
below the registration statement and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) thereto; and we hereby approve, ratify and confirm all that said Richard J. Gavegnano shall do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.</font></div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Signatures</font></font></div></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/ Richard J. Gavegnano</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chairman of the Board and</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">August 27, 2009</font></font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Richard J. Gavegnano</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chief Executive Officer</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Principal Executive Officer)</font></div></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/ Gregory Derderian</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chief Financial Officer</font></div></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="20%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">August 27, 2009</font></font></div></td></tr><tr>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Gregory Derderian</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Principal Financial and Accounting</font></div></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Officer)</font></div></td>
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<td valign="top" width="25%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
<td valign="top" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/ Vincent D. Basile</font></div></td>
<td valign="top" width="8%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Director</font></div></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="20%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">August 27, 2009</font></font></div></td></tr><tr>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="25%">
<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Vincent D. Basile</font></div></td>
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<td valign="top" width="27%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160; </font></td>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5</font></div></td>
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<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-146373) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Commission on September 28, 2007, and all amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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<div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (File No. 001-33898), filed by Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on July 11, 2008.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>
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s8-102661_mib.htm
Registration No. 333-_________
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 27, 2009
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549
___________________
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Massachusetts
20-4652200
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
10 Meridian Street
East Boston, Massachusetts 02128
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.
2008 Equity Incentive Plan
(Full Title of the Plan)
Copies to:
Mr. Richard J. Gavegnano
Larry Spaccasi, Esquire
Chairman of the Board
Luse Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.
and Chief Executive Officer
5335 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Suite 400
Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc.
Washington, DC 20015-2035
10 Meridian Street
(202) 274-2000
East Boston, Massachusetts 02128
(617) 567-1500
(Name, Address and Telephone
Number of Agent for Service)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer
o
Accelerated filer
ý
Non-accelerated filer
o
Smaller reporting company
o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of
Securities
to be
Registered
Amount
to be
Registered
(1)
Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
Amount of
Registration
Fee
Common stock, no par value
195,625
(2)
$9.44
(7)
$1,846,700
$103
Common stock, no par value
218,375
(3)
$9.47
(7)
$2,068,011
$115
Common stock,  no par value
687,000
(4)
$9.41
(6)
$6,464,670
$361
Common stock, no par value
348,000
(5)
$9.47
(7)
$3,295,560
$184
TOTALS
1,449,000
$13,674,941
$763
_______________________
(1)
Together with an indeterminate number of additional shares that may be necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Stock Benefit Plan") as a result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar adjustment of the outstanding common stock of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") pursuant
to 17 C.F.R. Section 230.416(a).
(2)
Represents the number of shares of common stock awarded as restricted stock under the Stock Benefit Plan.
(3)
Represents the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the Stock Benefit Plan for any future grants of restricted stock.
(4)
Represents the number of shares of common stock currently reserved for issuance for options granted pursuant to the Stock Benefit Plan.
(5)
Represents the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the Stock Benefit Plan for any future grants of stock options.
(6)
Determined pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Section 230.457(h)(1).
(7)
Determined pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Section 230.457(c).
This Registration Statement shall become effective upon filing in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and 17 C.F.R. § 230.462.
2
PART I.
Items 1 and 2.  Plan Information and Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information
The documents containing the information specified in Part I and II of Form S-8 have been or will be sent or given to participants in the Stock Benefit Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act").
Such documents are not being filed with the Commission, but constitute (along with the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof) a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II.
Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The following documents previously or concurrently filed with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:
a)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 (File No. 001-33898), filed with the Commission on March 16, 2009, and Amendment No. 1 to Form 10-K filed on April 08, 2009, pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
b) All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, since the end of the year covered by the Annual Report on Form 10-K  referred to in (a) above; and
c) The description of the Company's common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission  on December 28, 2007 (File No. 001-33898).
All documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date hereof, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part thereof from the date of the filing of such documents.  Any statement contained in the documents incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference herein or therein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement and the prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or therein or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein or therein modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement and the prospectus.
All information appearing in this Registration Statement and the prospectus is qualified in its entirety by the detailed information, including financial statements, appearing in the documents incorporated herein or therein by reference.
Item 4.   Description of Securities
Not applicable.
Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
None.
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Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Sections 8.50-8.59 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act authorize a Massachusetts corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers under certain conditions. Article 7 of the Company's bylaws
provides that the Company shall indemnify each person who serves or has served as a director or officer at the level of Vice President or above to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against expenses (including attorney's fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes, penalties, and amounts reasonably paid in settlement incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, inquiry, investigation, administrative hearing
or any other proceeding whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative (without regard to whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer or in any other capacity for or on behalf of the Company while serving as a director or officer) or any claim, issue or matter therein, which proceeding such director or officer is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of the
Company's directors or officers or was serving at our request as a director, officer, trustee, or in a similar capacity with another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The rights of indemnification continue as to a director or officer after he or she has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, estate, executors, administrators and personal representatives. No amendment, termination or repeal of the provisions
of Article 7 of the Company's bylaws or of the relevant provisions of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act shall affect or deprive a director or officer of the benefit of those by-laws or applicable law with respect to any proceeding arising out of or relating to any actions, transactions or facts occurring prior to such amendment, termination or repeal.
Section 2.02 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act authorizes a Massachusetts corporation to adopt a provision in its articles of organization eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors to the corporation for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as directors,
provided that the provision may not eliminate or limit the liability of directors for:
·
any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders;
·
any acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing  violation of law;
·
any improper distributions to shareholders under Section 6.40 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act; or
·
any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Section 6.5.4 of Meridian Interstate Bancorp's articles of organization provides that, to the maximum extent permitted by the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act, none of the Company's directors shall be personally liable to the Company or the Company's shareholders for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability. No amendment to or repeal of the provisions of Section 6.5.4 shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director for or with respect to any act or failure to act of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal. If the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act is subsequently amended to further eliminate or limit the personal liability of directors
or to authorize corporate action to further eliminate or limit such liability, then the liability of the directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act as so amended. A principal effect of Section 6.5.4 is to limit or eliminate the potential liability of the Company's directors for monetary damages arising from breaches of their duty of care, unless the breach involves one of the four exceptions described above.
Section 8.57 of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act also authorizes a Massachusetts corporation to obtain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against liability incurred by them in those capacities. The Company procured a directors' and officers' liability and
company reimbursement liability insurance policy that insures (a) the Company's directors and officers against losses, above a deductible amount, arising from specified
4
types of claims made against them by reason of enumerated acts done or attempted by the Company's directors or officers and (b) the Company against losses, above a deductible amount, arising from any of the specified types of claims, but only if the Company is required or permitted to indemnify the Company's directors or officers
for those losses under statutory or common law or under provisions of the Company's articles of organization or bylaws.
Item 7.  Exemption From Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8.  List of Exhibits.
Regulation S-K
Reference to Prior Filing or
Exhibit Number
Document
Exhibit No. Attached Hereto
4
Form of Common Stock Certificate
*
5
Opinion of Luse Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.
Attached as Exhibit 5
10
Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan
**
23.1
Consent of Luse Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.
Contained in Exhibit 5
23.2
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Attached as Exhibit 23.2
24
Power of Attorney
Contained on Signature Page
_______________________
*
Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-146373) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Commission on September 28, 2007, and all amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
**
Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (File No. 001-33898), filed by Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on July 11, 2008.
Item 9.  Undertakings
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
1.           To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material
change to such information in this Registration Statement;
2.           That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering thereof;
3.           To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the Plan;
4.           That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering thereof; and
5
5.           Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
6
SIGNATURES
The Registrant.
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 on Form S-8 to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of East Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on this 27th day of August, 2009.
MERIDIAN INTERSTATE BANCORP, INC.
By:
/s/ Richard J. Gavegnano
Richard J. Gavegnano
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
(Duly Authorized Representative)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
We, the undersigned directors and officers of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") hereby severally constitute and appoint Richard J. Gavegnano, as our true and lawful attorney and agent, to do any and all things in our names in the capacities indicated below which said Richard J. Gavegnano may deem necessary or
advisable to enable the Company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with the registration of shares of common stock to be granted and shares of common stock to be issued upon the exercise of stock options to be granted under the Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, including specifically, but not limited to, power and authority to sign for us in our names in the capacities indicated
below the registration statement and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) thereto; and we hereby approve, ratify and confirm all that said Richard J. Gavegnano shall do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
Signatures
Title
Date
/s/ Richard J. Gavegnano
Chairman of the Board and
August 27, 2009
Richard J. Gavegnano
Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Gregory Derderian
Chief Financial Officer
August 27, 2009
Gregory Derderian
(Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer)
/s/ Vincent D. Basile
Director
August 27, 2009
Vincent D. Basile
/s/ Anna R. DiMaria
Director
August 27, 2009
Anna R. DiMaria
7
/s/ Richard F. Fernandez
Director
August 27, 200
9
Richard F. Fernandez
/s/ Domenic A. Gambardella
Director
August 27, 2009
Domenic A. Gambardella
/s/ Carl LaGreca
Director
August 27, 2009
Carl LaGreca
/s/ Edward L. Lynch
Director
August 27, 2009
Edward L. Lynch
/s/ James G. Sartori
Director
August 27, 2009
James G. Sartori
/s/ Paul T. Sullivan
Director
August 27, 2009
Paul T. Sullivan
/s/ Marilyn A. Censullo
Director
August 27, 2009
Marilyn A. Censullo
8
EXHIBIT INDEX
Regulation S-K
Reference to Prior Filing or
Exhibit Number
Document
Exhibit No. Attached Hereto
4
Form of Common Stock Certificate
*
5
Opinion of Luse Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.
Attached as Exhibit 5
10
Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan
**
23.1
Consent of Luse Gorman Pomerenk & Schick, P.C.
Contained in Exhibit 5
23.2
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Attached as Exhibit 23.2
24
Power of Attorney
Contained on Signature Page
____________________
*
Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-146373) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, with the Commission on September 28, 2007, and all amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
**
Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. (File No. 001-33898), filed by Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on July 11, 2008.
9