Intellectual Property Counsel
3M is hiring an Intellectual Property Counsel. It pays $188k-$230k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on 3M.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include patent prosecution, ip litigation and legal.
- Level classifies it as a senior role.
- Level lists 760 other open roles at 3M.
AI in this role
Intellectual Property Counsel to prepare patent applications and manage global IP litigation and disputes.
Job Description:
Job Title: Intellectual Property Counsel
Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World
Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.
This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.
The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
As an Intellectual Property Counsel, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:
- Prepare patent applications and prosecute patents globally
- Handle opposition, IPR, and litigation-related support activities in IP disputes
- Act as direct contact for and interact with business clients, outside counsel, and international colleagues
- Provide IP services in the areas of dispute management, transaction services, compliance, and advice.
- Work independently on matters of significant complexity and importance.
- Provide legal services to large, complex businesses.
- Lead transactional processes for IP transactions of significant impact and/or complexity.
- Manage IP litigation and other forms of dispute resolution for significant matters and formulate strategies for dispute resolution.
- Are a subject matter expert in some areas of IP law and have responsibilities beyond a single business unit or country.
- Handle other duties as assigned
Your Skills and Expertise
To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start)
- Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
- Three (3) years of law firm and/or in-house IP experience in a private, public, government or military environment
- Member of a United States state bar in good standing
- Registered to Practice before the USPTO
Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:
- Five (5) years of law firm and/or in-house IP experience in a private, public, government or military environment
- Substantial experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications globally
- Experience involving IP litigation and other patent disputes
- Admitted to practice in Minnesota or eligible for admission within six months of employment
- Strong academic credentials
- Business acumen and an ability to provide legal advice in the context of strategic business initiatives and goals
- Highly effective written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to communicate and relate at all levels of the organization including business line leaders, regional heads and senior management
- Results-orientated approach; personal and organizational accountability; and a collegial work style
- High energy and responsive client service
Work location:
This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week at the 3M Center in Maplewood, MN.
Travel: May include up to 10% domestic/international
Relocation Assistance: May be Authorized
Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).
Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.
U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum.
To comply with these laws, 3M must help assess candidates' U.S. person status.
The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position.
Supporting Your Well-being
3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.
Chat with Max
For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.
Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $188,251 - $230,084, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.Good Faith Posting Date Range 10/08/2026 To 11/07/2026 Or until filledAll US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.
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How we rate this
Intellectual Property Counsel at 3M rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where patent prosecution was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where ip litigation was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where legal was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where intellectual property was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Patent Prosecution, Ip Litigation, Legal, and Intellectual Property. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
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