Senior Patent Attorney — Intellectual Property Legal Team

U.S. Bank • Minneapolis, MN

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

U.S. Bank Law Division is seeking an experienced patent attorney to help lead and grow our strategically important patent portfolio, serving as a trusted partner to inventors from early idea development through patent issuance and long-term portfolio strategy. U.S. Bank's innovation revolves around artificial intelligence, data science, cryptography, cybersecurity, digital banking, quantum computing, and more. This position rewards a curious, entrepreneurial, and self‑directed attorney who is eager to dive in, get to know our business and technology deeply, and then identify and solve problems with minimal supervision.

Requirements

• Licensed by and in good standing with the appropriate state bar association or other appropriate state attorney licensing authority.
• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO registration number required).

Nice To Haves

• Eight or more years of patent experience, ideally a mix of firm and in-house time, including substantial patent prosecution, portfolio management, and direct inventor interaction.
• Demonstrated experience managing a patent portfolio and patent families over their full lifecycle, including continuation strategy.
• Strong technical background and understanding of software and development, with specific familiarity with the technical aspects of digital banking, AI, blockchain, and modern technology infrastructure.
• Proven ability to direct and manage outside counsel effectively.
• Experience with patent litigation is a plus.
• Experience with trade secrets, licensing, and technology transactions is a plus.
• Strong internal client‑development skills to reach out to, earn the trust of, and collaborate with inventors and teams doing cutting‑edge work.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and exercise independent judgment and discretion.
• A curious spirit excited to shape and lead a specialized legal practice in a corporate setting.
• Ability to assess risks and provide thoughtful advice in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, and a strong commitment to client service.

Responsibilities

• Manage the patent portfolio: help set and then execute strategic priorities across patent families, prioritize filings, and make thoughtful decisions about continuations, divisionals, and long‑term family management.
• Oversee ongoing prosecution end‑to‑end, directing outside counsel in the drafting and prosecution of applications and ensuring consistent quality across the portfolio.
• Build deep, lasting relationships with a dedicated group of inventors, serving as their go‑to counsel from initial idea harvesting through disclosure, filing, prosecution, and issuance.
• Design and assist with invention‑harvesting and disclosure sessions, work with our strategic business partners to help inventors articulate their concepts and identifying the strategic value of each to the broader portfolio.
• Evaluate and continually improve the quality of patents and applications throughout the disclosure and prosecution process.
• Provide strategic IP counsel to research and development teams working on emerging technologies.
• Grow your practice into adjacent, high‑impact work – supporting matters related to AI governance, innovation initiatives, data management, licensing, technology contracts, and other IP and tech‑focused legal issues across the Law Division.

Benefits

• Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)
• Basic term and optional term life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Pregnancy disability and parental leave
• 401(k) and employer-funded retirement plan
• Paid vacation (from two to five weeks depending on salary grade and tenure)
• Up to 11 paid holiday opportunities
• Adoption assistance
• Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed