Gregory J. Christoffel
From a variety of in-house general counsel, private law practice, and business executive positions, Greg has served as legal counsel and business development advisor to a broad range of clients, from large publicly-traded firms to entrepreneurial startup companies. Greg was managing partner of a predecessor to Green Jacobson in the early 90s, when he took a position in executive management of a telecommunications firm. Greg rejoined the firm in 2003 after serving as President of Brooks Investments, a $26 million venture fund that invested in early stage telecommunications businesses.
Through April 1999, Greg was General Counsel of Diveo Broadband Networks, Inc., a startup telecommunications company developing wireless broadband telecom networks in Latin America. Previously, Greg was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Brooks Fiber Properties, Inc., a publicly traded competitive local exchange carrier.
His initial position with the Brooks telecommunications group was President and Chief Operating Officer of Brooks Telecommunications International, Inc., where he was responsible for development of business opportunities, negotiating agreements, and implementing business plans involving advanced telecommunications projects in China and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region.
Greg’s other China projects included negotiating a Shanghai joint venture for a St. Louis-based industrial tools manufacturer and serving as strategic advisor for a Canadian-based developer of high-speed internet access networks in Shenzhen and Chengdu.
In addition to his work with smaller, entrepreneurial companies, Greg had substantial involvement in the operations of large enterprises as General Attorney, Mergers & Acquisitions and International Business of SBC Communications, Inc. (now AT&T). At SBC, he was responsible for legal support of corporate development and international business operations, including industry-leading transactions in cable television, cellular telephone, foreign telephone privatization, directory advertising, and technology development businesses.
Early in his career Greg worked in governmental agency practice. As First Assistant Public Counsel, he advocated on behalf of consumers in public utility cases before the Missouri Public Service Commission where, among other things, he led the effort to abolish the automatic fuel adjustment charges for electric utilities, a policy that endured for almost 30 years until it was reversed by industry-sponsored legislation.
As an Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Greg participated in enforcement on state and federal antitrust laws, including serving as lead prosecutor in a grand jury investigation of gasoline price-fixing during the energy crisis of the late 1970s, a case that resulted in 13 indictments and guilty pleas.
Greg is Chair of the St. Louis County Industrial Development Authority. He is also on the board of the St. Louis County Economic Council.
Greg was a founding board member and mentor of the Technology Entrepreneur Center, a St. Louis-based incubator of high tech startup companies, which now operates as the IT Entrepreneur Network of Innovate St. Louis.
Greg also serves as a mentor to other St. Louis entrepreneurs through the Innovate Venture Mentoring Service and lectures on the legal aspects of starting a business for the monthly seminar of the St. Louis Chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executives.
Greg’s other interests include running, fishing, and playing bass for the Bluegrass Ensemble of the Folk School of St. Louis and with the Ambassadors of Swing Big Band.
Greg graduated from St. Louis University, with an A.B., Classical, 1971, and a J.D., cum laude, 1975.
Email Greg at Christoffel@stlouislaw.com
