TN Visa Intellectual Property Attorney Jobs
Intellectual Property Attorney roles qualify for TN visa sponsorship under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican lawyers with a law degree and bar admission. U.S. patent prosecution, trademark registration, and licensing work all fall within scope. Canadians can apply at the port of entry without a cap; Mexican nationals require a consular appointment.
Find TN Visa Intellectual Property Attorney JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 24+ Intellectual Property Attorney jobs
See all Intellectual Property Attorney Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Intellectual Property Attorney roles.
Get Access To All JobsAbout Houston (Spring)
ExxonMobil's state-of-the-art campus north of Houston serves as home to its Upstream, Product Solutions and Low Carbon Solutions businesses and their associated service groups. The facility opened in 2014 and accommodates more than 10,000 employees and visitors.
By bringing many global functional groups together, the campus provides employees with the tools and capabilities needed today, and in the future, to achieve business objectives and accelerate the discovery of new resources, technologies, and products. It was designed to foster improved collaboration, creativity, and innovation, and enhance the company’s ability to attract, develop, and retain the top talent in the industry.
The campus is in Spring, Texas, on 385 wooded acres immediately to the west of Interstate Highway 45 (I-45), at the intersection of I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road, approximately 25 miles from the cultural vibrancy of downtown Houston.
The campus was constructed to the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. Its design incorporates extensive research into best practices in building and workplace design through extensive benchmarking of the world’s top academic, research, and corporate facilities.
What role you will play on our team
Exxon Mobil Corporation is looking for an attorney to handle corporate intellectual property (IP) matters, including IP transactional work, freedom to operate assessments, patent portfolio management, IP strategy coordination, related commercial transactions and projects, and outside counsel oversight.
The attorney will handle a variety of matters in support of our research organization and will work independently with supervision that is appropriate for the attorney’s level of experience.
Professional development within Exxon Mobil’s Law Department includes a variety of assignments throughout an attorney’s career, including rotations among teams that provide legal support to the company’s Upstream, Downstream, and Low Carbon Solutions businesses.
What you will do
Provide legal analysis and counsel on intellectual property matters for Exxon Mobil Corporation and its affiliates, including interfacing with affiliate attorneys, outside counsel, and other legal staff
- Contract drafting, negotiation, and advice (e.g., joint development agreements, licenses, confidentiality agreements, and other research-related agreements)
- IP strategy advice
- Coordinate with outside counsel to ensure proper handling of patent drafting, prosecution, and other matters
- Conduct Freedom-to-Operate assessments
- Dispute resolution up until litigation, then litigation support as needed
- Conduct and coordinate research into a variety of IP legal issues, ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and company policy, anticipate and address legal developments, and appropriately manage risks and exposure to the company
- Prepare and review presentations and documents associated with the above matters, as necessary
- Closely work with the company’s businesses on matters
About you
Skills and Qualifications
- J.D. from an accredited law school
- Strong college and law school record (top 1/3 of class preferred)
- License to practice law in at least one state (Texas bar membership preferred)
- Knowledge of patent laws in the United States and abroad
- Significant experience in patent litigation/transactions OR license to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office is required
- Strong research and writing skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed
- Experience in a law firm, corporation or agency handling corporate intellectual property matters
- Ability to work effectively with a highly diverse global law department
- Ability to collaborate with clients, to manage risk and evaluate alternative options where needed
- Knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local laws
- Strong analytical skills and ability to exercise sound business judgment and work independently, but as a member of an integrated law team
- Reputation for high ethical standards and integrity
- Interest in working on a broader array of subject matters beyond IP, including commercial transactions and litigation
Preferred Qualifications/Experience
- Demonstrated experience in patent and trade secret law, with a preference for candidates whose practice has included IP transactional work, litigation support, patent prosecution, and freedom-to-operate assessments
- Between 2 to 5 years of experience (post-J.D.) is preferred
Your benefits
- Pension Plan: Enrollment is automatic and at no cost to you. The basic benefit is a monthly annuity to be paid to you in retirement for the rest of your life.
- Savings Plan: You can contribute between 6% and 20% of your pay and are encouraged to enroll right away. If you contribute at least 6% to your savings plan, the Company will contribute a 7% match.
- Workplace Flexibility: We have several programs such as “Flex your Day,” providing ad-hoc flexibility around when and where you work, as well as longer-term programs such as leaves of absence and part-time work.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
- Culture of Health: Programs and resources to support your wellbeing.
- Employee Health Advisory Program: Provides confidential professional counseling for you and your family, including tools and resources promoting mental health and resiliency at no additional cost to you.
- Disability Plan: Income replacement for when you cannot work due to illness or injury occurring on or off the job. Enrollment is automatic and at no cost to you.
Please note benefits may be changed from time to time without notice, subject to applicable law.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ExxonMobil is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or physical or mental disability.
About Houston (Spring)
ExxonMobil's state-of-the-art campus north of Houston serves as home to its Upstream, Product Solutions and Low Carbon Solutions businesses and their associated service groups. The facility opened in 2014 and accommodates more than 10,000 employees and visitors.
By bringing many global functional groups together, the campus provides employees with the tools and capabilities needed today, and in the future, to achieve business objectives and accelerate the discovery of new resources, technologies, and products. It was designed to foster improved collaboration, creativity, and innovation, and enhance the company’s ability to attract, develop, and retain the top talent in the industry.
The campus is in Spring, Texas, on 385 wooded acres immediately to the west of Interstate Highway 45 (I-45), at the intersection of I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road, approximately 25 miles from the cultural vibrancy of downtown Houston.
The campus was constructed to the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. Its design incorporates extensive research into best practices in building and workplace design through extensive benchmarking of the world’s top academic, research, and corporate facilities.
What role you will play on our team
Exxon Mobil Corporation is looking for an attorney to handle corporate intellectual property (IP) matters, including IP transactional work, freedom to operate assessments, patent portfolio management, IP strategy coordination, related commercial transactions and projects, and outside counsel oversight.
The attorney will handle a variety of matters in support of our research organization and will work independently with supervision that is appropriate for the attorney’s level of experience.
Professional development within Exxon Mobil’s Law Department includes a variety of assignments throughout an attorney’s career, including rotations among teams that provide legal support to the company’s Upstream, Downstream, and Low Carbon Solutions businesses.
What you will do
Provide legal analysis and counsel on intellectual property matters for Exxon Mobil Corporation and its affiliates, including interfacing with affiliate attorneys, outside counsel, and other legal staff
- Contract drafting, negotiation, and advice (e.g., joint development agreements, licenses, confidentiality agreements, and other research-related agreements)
- IP strategy advice
- Coordinate with outside counsel to ensure proper handling of patent drafting, prosecution, and other matters
- Conduct Freedom-to-Operate assessments
- Dispute resolution up until litigation, then litigation support as needed
- Conduct and coordinate research into a variety of IP legal issues, ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and company policy, anticipate and address legal developments, and appropriately manage risks and exposure to the company
- Prepare and review presentations and documents associated with the above matters, as necessary
- Closely work with the company’s businesses on matters
About you
Skills and Qualifications
- J.D. from an accredited law school
- Strong college and law school record (top 1/3 of class preferred)
- License to practice law in at least one state (Texas bar membership preferred)
- Knowledge of patent laws in the United States and abroad
- Significant experience in patent litigation/transactions OR license to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office is required
- Strong research and writing skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed
- Experience in a law firm, corporation or agency handling corporate intellectual property matters
- Ability to work effectively with a highly diverse global law department
- Ability to collaborate with clients, to manage risk and evaluate alternative options where needed
- Knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local laws
- Strong analytical skills and ability to exercise sound business judgment and work independently, but as a member of an integrated law team
- Reputation for high ethical standards and integrity
- Interest in working on a broader array of subject matters beyond IP, including commercial transactions and litigation
Preferred Qualifications/Experience
- Demonstrated experience in patent and trade secret law, with a preference for candidates whose practice has included IP transactional work, litigation support, patent prosecution, and freedom-to-operate assessments
- Between 2 to 5 years of experience (post-J.D.) is preferred
Your benefits
- Pension Plan: Enrollment is automatic and at no cost to you. The basic benefit is a monthly annuity to be paid to you in retirement for the rest of your life.
- Savings Plan: You can contribute between 6% and 20% of your pay and are encouraged to enroll right away. If you contribute at least 6% to your savings plan, the Company will contribute a 7% match.
- Workplace Flexibility: We have several programs such as “Flex your Day,” providing ad-hoc flexibility around when and where you work, as well as longer-term programs such as leaves of absence and part-time work.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
- Culture of Health: Programs and resources to support your wellbeing.
- Employee Health Advisory Program: Provides confidential professional counseling for you and your family, including tools and resources promoting mental health and resiliency at no additional cost to you.
- Disability Plan: Income replacement for when you cannot work due to illness or injury occurring on or off the job. Enrollment is automatic and at no cost to you.
Please note benefits may be changed from time to time without notice, subject to applicable law.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ExxonMobil is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or physical or mental disability.
See all TN Visa Intellectual Property Attorney Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new TN Visa Intellectual Property Attorney Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding TN Visa Sponsorship as an Intellectual Property Attorney
Verify your bar admission transfers cleanly
TN visa sponsorship for IP attorneys requires active bar membership, but U.S. employers often want admission in the state where the role is based. Confirm whether your Canadian or Mexican bar credentials satisfy that requirement before applying.
Target patent-heavy firms with prosecution backlogs
Law firms and corporate legal departments with large patent portfolios often have experience with visa sponsorship and understand the process for supporting international hires. Focus on employers whose practice areas align with your technical background, whether biotech, software, or mechanical engineering. For Canadian citizens, these employers are typically prepared to write the support letter needed for TN status at the port of entry; for Mexican citizens, they understand the consulate application process.
Frame your technical degree as a competitive asset
Patent prosecution roles require a science or engineering undergraduate degree alongside your law credentials. Highlighting that combination in your application materials directly addresses what TN-sponsoring employers need most in IP attorneys.
Clarify the TN offer letter scope with your employer
The TN offer letter must describe your duties in terms that match the attorney category under USMCA. Ask your employer to confirm the job description specifies legal services, not general business consulting, before any filing or port-of-entry admission.
Search verified TN-sponsoring employers through Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to filter IP attorney roles by employers with recent visa filings, so you spend time on opportunities where the employer is already experienced with visa sponsorship rather than educating them about work visa processes.
Prepare for Mexican nationals' consular appointment timing
Unlike Canadians who receive TN status at the border, Mexican IP attorneys apply through a U.S. consulate. Build at least six to eight weeks into your timeline for a consular appointment, document review, and visa stamp issuance before your start date.
Intellectual Property Attorney TN Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does the TN visa cover all types of IP attorney work?
TN status covers attorneys providing legal services, which includes patent prosecution, trademark filing, licensing negotiations, and IP litigation support. The role must fall under the attorney or lawyer category in USMCA Appendix 2. Roles framed as business consulting or strategic advising rather than legal practice can create classification problems at the border or consulate.
How does TN compare to H-1B for IP attorney roles?
TN has no annual cap and no lottery, so Canadian IP attorneys can secure status at a port of entry on the day they need it. H-1B visa requires winning a lottery with a roughly 25% selection rate and waiting up to a year before starting work. For most Canadian and Mexican IP attorneys with a qualifying offer, TN is a faster and more predictable path.
Do I need USPTO registration to qualify for TN as a patent attorney?
USPTO registration is not a USMCA requirement for TN classification, but many U.S. employers hiring for patent prosecution roles will require it as a job condition. If you're registered to practice before the USPTO as a patent agent or attorney, include that credential explicitly in your application because it strengthens the specialty occupation argument for your role.
Where can I find IP attorney roles with confirmed TN sponsorship?
Migrate Mate lists IP attorney positions from employers who have an established history of TN sponsorship, so you can identify which law firms and corporate legal departments already understand the process. That matters because employers unfamiliar with TN often confuse it with H-1B sponsorship requirements, which delays or derails offers.
Can I switch IP employers on TN status without losing work authorization?
Yes, but TN status is employer-specific. You cannot start working for a new firm under your existing TN approval. Canadians can get new TN status at a port of entry on their last day with the previous employer. Mexican nationals need a new consular appointment and visa stamp, so build transition time into any job change negotiation.