In-House Patent Counsel

State Farm; Bloomington (IN); Hybrid; USD 137,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual raise & bonus

Health insurance

Tuition assistance

401(k) with company contributions

Job summary

State Farm in Bloomington, IL seeks an experienced patent attorney to join the Corporate Law Department. The role centers on patent prosecution, strategic IP counseling, and managing outside counsel, working closely with internal inventors, IT professionals, and business leaders across the enterprise.

You should have 3+ years of patent law experience, a J.D., USPTO registration, and strong fluency with software, AI, cloud, data security, and fintech/insuretech systems.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school with excellent academics.
• Registered with USPTO as a patent bar member.
• Strong technical background in software, AI, data security, cloud services.

Responsibilities

• Draft and prosecute patent applications before the USPTO.
• Manage patent portfolios with outside counsel.
• Provide strategic IP counseling to internal inventors and business teams.
• Review IP-related provisions in contracts and licenses.
• Support patent disputes and discovery activities.
• Educate inventors on invention harvesting and trade secret protection.
• Collaborate across the IP team on policy and strategic initiatives.

Skills

J.D. degree

USPTO patent bar

Patent prosecution

Technical fluency (software/AI/cloud)

IP contract terms

Strong communication

Education

Juris Doctorate (J.D.)

Job description

Overview

Being good neighbors -- helping people, investing in our communities, and making the world a better place -- is who we are at State Farm. It is at the core of how we operate and the reason for our success. We're moving with urgency to become a Next Gen Good Neighbor, with technology that strengthens human connections and enhances the customer experience. As an employee, you'll spend less time navigating systems and more time applying judgment, empathy, and expertise in the moments that matter most.

Responsibilities

As a Fortune 50 company and a leader in the insurance and financial services industry, State Farm is moving with urgency to become a "Next Gen Good Neighbor." We rely on cutting-edge technology - ranging from digital platforms and telematics to artificial intelligence and cloud computing -- to strengthen human connections and enhance the customer experience.

Our Law Department provides high-quality legal services in a cost effective manner and acts as strategic thinking partners for the enterprise. To support our ongoing technological evolution, we are seeking an experienced patent attorney who is agile, collaborative, and strategic to join our Intellectual Property (IP) legal team.

This position is based at our corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois, and is classified as a hybrid role. Enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid work arrangement that balances in-office collaboration with remote productivity. While this role requires the majority of time in office to support close teamwork, we value work-life balance and adaptability as business needs evolve.

The Exciting Opportunity

The patent attorney will be a key member of the State Farm Corporate Law Department, assisting in the management and protection of the company's large and growing intellectual property portfolio. This role focuses on patent prosecution, strategic IP counseling and managing outside counsel. You will work closely with internal inventors across the enterprise, IT professionals, and business leaders to identify, protect, and leverage innovations across a wide breadth of topics, including but not limited to software, data analytics, telematics, artificial intelligence, fintech and insuretech. Additional responsibilities will be to review and advise on IP contract terms and agreements.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft and prosecute patent applications before the USPTO. Manage patent portfolios in collaboration with outside counsel.
• Partner with a wide array of business areas (IT, R&D, Claims, etc) to identify patentable inventions, evaluate emerging technologies and align IP strategy with enterprise business goals.
• Conduct freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity analysis to help guide product development and mitigate IP risks.
• Review, draft and negotiate IP-related provisions in commercial agreements, technology licenses, joint development agreements and vendor contracts.
• Assist with patent disputes, including coordinating with outside counsel, supporting opinions, and responding to discovery.
• Conduct training sessions for internal inventors and leadership regarding invention harvesting, trade secret protection and intellectual property best practices.
• Provide practical, business-focused legal advice on a wide range of intellectual property issues, balancing legal risk with organizational objectives.
• Partner with business leaders to proactively identify legal risks and implement practical solutions.
• Collaborate across the Law Department and with internal stakeholders on emerging legal issues, policy development, and strategic initiatives impacting State Farm intellectual property

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from ABA accredited law school and excellent academic credentials
• Registered with the USPTO as a member of the patent bar
• Preferred technical degree in computer programming, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, statistics, or data science
• Active law license in at least one state and a member in good standing of the bar
• If not already licensed to practice law in Illinois, you will need to obtain at least an in-house limited license for this role, submit an application to the Illinois Board of Admissions within 90 days from your start date, actively pursue the licensure, and keep your supervisor informed throughout the process
• 3+ years of patent law experience, with a strong mix of top-tier law firm experience and/or in-house corporate legal department experience
• Deep technical fluency with software architecture, cloud services, artificial intelligence/machine learning, data security, mobile applications and fintech/insuretech systems, open-source software, large language models, mobile applications, vehicle and home telematics, databases, and data collection pipelines and processing logic
• Proven track record of drafting and successfully prosecuting complex software patent applications
• Experience with patent opinions and patent litigation and related discovery and motion practice.
• Experience with reviewing, drafting and negotiating intellectual property related contracts and contractual terms directed to ownership and use of intellectual property and data
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate intricate technical concepts into clear legal and business strategies for non-technical inventors and leadership
• Commitment to providing quality legal advice, learning agility (including demonstrated willingness to develop expertise in new subject matters), and a history of enthusiastic participation in a team environment
• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. immediately; sponsorship is not available

Additional Details

• Other than as authorized by the General Counsel or her designee, employees are not permitted to handle any legal business outside of State Farm except authorized pro bono work
• Newly hired employees must cease all outside practice and all suit involvement before joining State Farm
• Travel may be required via commercial transportation or driving to job related activities
• May work irregular hours due to workload and nature of work
• Relocation benefits may be available depending on eligibility and position #SFPL PM22

Our Benefits

Because work-life balance is a priority at State Farm, compensation is based on our standard 38:45-hour work week!

• Potential starting salary range: $137,000.00 - $200,000.00
• Starting salary will be based on skills, background, and experience
• High end of the range limited to applicants with significant relevant experience
• Potential yearly incentive pay up to 30% of base salary

At State Farm, we offer more than just a paycheck. Check out our suite of benefits designed to give you the flexibility you need to take care of you and your family!

• Get Paid! On top of our competitive pay, you are eligible for an annual raise and bonus.
• Stay Well! Focus on you and your family's health with our robust health and wellbeing programs. State Farm pays most of your healthcare premium, and we offer multiple healthcare plan options, including a high deductible plan. All medical plans provide 100% coverage for in-network preventative care, AND you and your family have access to vision, dental, telemedicine, 24/7 mental health professionals, and much more!
• Develop and Grow! Take advantage of educational benefits like industry leading training programs, top-notch tuition assistance programs, employee resource groups, and mentoring.
• Plan Ahead! Plan for those big moments in life with benefits like fertility/IVF/adoption assistance, college coaching, national discount programs, interactive monthly financial workshops, free financial coaching, and more. You can also start a savings account or consider financing through our State Farm Federal Credit Union!
• Take a Little "You" Time! You will have access to our generous time off policies designed so you can plan around holidays, family events, volunteering, or just to take a relaxing day off. With the opportunity to initially earn up to 20 days annually plus parental leave, paid holidays, celebration day, life leave (40 hours/year), bereavement leave, and community service/education support days, there will be plenty of time for you!
• Give Back! We offer several ways to give back through our Matching Gift Program, Good Neighbor Grant Program, and the Employee Assistance Fund.
• Finish Strong! Plan for retirement using free financial advisors and a 401(k) plan with company contributions of up to 7% of your salary.