Closing Date: 28th February, 2026

Description:

At U.S. Bank, we're on a journey to do our best. Helping the customers and businesses we serve to make better and smarter financial decisions and enabling the communities we support to grow and succeed. We believe it takes all of us to bring our shared ambition to life, and each person is unique in their potential. A career with U.S. Bank gives you a wide, ever-growing range of opportunities to discover what makes you thrive at every stage of your career. Try new things, learn new skills and discover what you excel at—all from Day One.

Job Description:
The U.S. Bank Law Division is seeking an experienced attorney to join our Intellectual Property Legal Team. This unique role will put you at the center of U.S. Bank's patent growth, with a focus on advising and empowering our innovative engineers and scientists. In this role, you will identify and protect inventive concepts in the fields of artificial intelligence, data science, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, digital banking, quantum computing, and others. In addition to patents, you will help steer U.S. Bank toward a successful, technological future with thoughtful protection of all forms of intellectual property. This position rewards a curious and entrepreneurial person who is eager to dive in, get to know U.S. Bank's business and technology, and then identify and solve problems.

Primary Responsibilities:
  • Build deep relationships with innovators at U.S. Bank to maintain and grow our network. Work with these inventive teams and identify new inventions and strategic ways to protect those inventions.
  • Design and execute patent harvesting and invention sessions with inventors with an eye toward the strategic value of our patent portfolio.
  • Partner with our non-legal, strategic and business colleagues to help guide and position U.S. Bank within the IP landscape.
  • Evaluate and improve the quality of patents and patent applications during the disclosure and prosecution process.
  • Oversee outside counsel in drafting and prosecuting patent applications.
  • Provide legal counsel to research and development teams focused on emerging technologies.
  • Grow your practice in a variety of other technology and tech-design ways within the U.S. Bank Law Division.

Basic Qualifications:
Licensed by and in good standing with the appropriate state bar association or other appropriate state attorney licensing authority

Preferred Skills/Experience:
  • Five or more years of experience with patents, including patent evaluation and inventor interaction.
  • Strong technical background and understanding of software and development. Specific understanding of the technical aspects associated with aspects of digital banking, AI, blockchain technology, and modern technology infrastructure.
  • A USPTO registration number preferred but not required.
  • Experience with patent litigation is a plus.
  • Experience with trade secrets is a plus.
  • Internal client-development skills to reach out to and get to know inventors and teams doing cutting-edge work.
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision and exercise independent judgment and discretion.
  • Curious spirit that is excited to shape 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.
  • Strong commitment to client service.

Location expectations
This role requires working from a U.S. Bank location three (3) or more days per week.

We are proud that U.S. Bank has been recognized as a World's Most Ethical Company® by the Ethisphere Institute and has been named the #1 Most Admired Superregional Bank by Fortune magazine.

Successful candidates for a position in the U.S. Bank Law Division support U.S. Bank's core values, which guide what we do every day:
  • We do the right thing.
  • We power potential.
  • We stay a step ahead.
  • We draw strength from diversity.
  • We put people first.

In the U.S. Bank Law Division, we honor those values through our mission: “we guide our clients to remarkable results with expert legal counsel.” Our commitment is evident in the work we do, not only for the Bank, but for our communities. The Law Division has received several awards for its pro bono contributions, including the Minnesota Corporate Pro Bono Council's “Excellence in Pro Bono Award,” and we encourage our legal professionals to contribute time and expertise to pro bono work as part of their role. In addition, the Law Division has been recognized for its leadership and engagement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.

If there's anything we can do to accommodate a disability during any portion of the application or hiring process, please refer to our disability accommodations for applicants. (https://careers.usbank.com/global/en/disability-accommodations-for-applicants)