University of Tulsa College of Law,
J.D., Order of the Curule Chair, 1987
Tulsa Law Journal, Managing Editor, 1986-1987
Oklahoma State University,
B.S., 1976
Illinois
Missouri
District of Columbia
US Supreme Ct
Society of Petroleum Engineers
The Missouri Bar
Illinois State Bar Association
The American Bar Association
The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants
Institute of Professionals in Taxation
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, (by BL Rankings) 2005-2025
Named Lawyer of the Year for Information Technology Law in St. Louis by The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings), 2021, 2024
Listed in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, (by Thomson Reuters) 2005-2013
President’s Medal for Distinguished Service, 2012
The Explorers Club
Thompson Coburn LLP
Partner, 1997-Present
Peper, Martin, Jensen, Maichel and Hetlage
Partner, 1994-1997
Associate, 1987-1994
Ernst & Young
1981-1984
Gulf Oil Corporation
1976-1981
Missouri Botanical Garden
Board of Trustees
Executive Committee
Academy of Science of St. Louis
Past President; Fellow
St. Louis Science Center
Board of Directors
The Explorers Club
Chair-National Legal Committee
Member National 2007
American Jewish Committee
Past Board Member
Benjamin is a corporate advisor and business strategist for a wide variety of privately-held businesses, manufacturers, financial institutions, and nonprofits.
Drawing on his decades of legal experience and his previous work as a CPA in both in-house and agency settings, Benjamin fields questions on a diverse array of corporate contract and transactional issues, and provides the common-sense advice that business leaders and boards need to make a decision or move forward with a transaction.
Benjamin assists clients with general corporate and corporate compliance issues, mergers, and other acquisitions and divestitures. He has represented boards and minority shareholders on both sides of shareholder disputes.
For many years, Benjamin has counseled companies on complex technology transfers, technology licensing, joint ventures, and the creation of single-purpose entities. These transactions have frequently involved software and high-tech manufacturing operations, including silicon wafer and polysilicon manufacturing.
Benjamin also has significant experience representing parties in transactions involving domestic oil and gas operations. He has represented individuals leasing land to oil and gas entities, been involved in exploration and production issues, and negotiated long-term gas supply agreements on behalf of major corporate energy users.
Major financial institutions look to Benjamin for assistance in the purchase and sale of tax credits. He has negotiated such deals for LIHTC, historic tax credits, energy tax credits, and film tax credits for projects and developments across the country.
Benjamin is an active leader in the St. Louis civic community and represents nonprofits and charitable organizations in their organization and tax-exempt status, transactions and major contracts, and day-to-day corporate issues.
Served as primary corporate counsel to a start-up brewery during its 2011 organization and launch, including guidance on corporate formation, intellectual property, investor relations and human resources.
Successfully defended a national nonprofit against two separate actions filed by the IRS over the organization's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Led negotiations that resulted in the IRS reinstating the organization as a valid tax-exempt entity and dropping attempts to impose significant late filing penalties over annual information returns.
Negotiated multiple acquisitions for major manufacturing and distribution agreements ranging from $50 million to $500 million, including both asset and stock deals.
For a major national bank, led multiple purchases of state tax credits nationwide — $500 million in 2015 alone. Some of the transactions handled over the years have included single deals for up to $25 million each.
Negotiated a complex multi-year gas supply agreement for a major state university across multiple campuses.
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