Former Cargill IP Lawyer and Current Hispanic National Bar Association National President Peter Reyes Joins Barnes & Thornburg in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS – Barnes & Thornburg LLP announced today that Peter M. Reyes, Jr. has joined the firm’s Minneapolis office as a partner in the Intellectual Property Department.

Previously a senior intellectual property lawyer at Cargill, Inc., Reyes has experience managing complex IP litigation matters. He also is a registered patent attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the areas of patent preparation and prosecution and complex commercial and IP transactions. Additionally, Reyes is the current national president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), a distinction he earned after serving in a variety of capacities since 2003.

“Working for one of the largest multinational corporations in the country, Peter has impressive experience in advising management and clients on protecting and maximizing the value of IP assets,” said Thomas Donovan, chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Department. “His adept management of complex IP litigation matters will help strengthen the capabilities of the firm.”

Reyes is the latest attorney to join Barnes & Thornburg’s growing Minneapolis office. The firm also added corporate attorney Mary Sennes in March, as well as a prominent group of insurance recovery attorneys in January. The firm’s Minneapolis office has now increased its attorney ranks to 35 since opening in 2009.

“Peter’s commitment to the legal profession is apparent through not only his success as an IP practitioner, but also his impressive advocacy efforts on behalf of the Hispanic and bar communities,” said Alan Levin, firm managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg.  “His diverse local, national and international practice, combined with his civic contributions, will play a key role as we continue to strategically expand our services and foothold in Minneapolis.”

About Peter Reyes

During his tenure at Cargill, Reyes managed the IP portfolio for various business units while also preparing and negotiating a wide range of IP-related contracts and transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures worldwide. He also provided counsel and advice on other IP-related matters, including litigation, due diligence and intellectual asset management issues domestically and internationally. From 2005-2008, he served as Cargill’s Regional Intellectual Property Coordinator for Latin America, where he helped build and coordinate an international team to address IP needs in the region.

Reyes has received numerous honors and awards, most recently being named “Attorney of the Year” by Minnesota Lawyer and to Poder Magazine’s list of “The 100 Most Influential Hispanics in America” in 2012. In addition to his leadership positions at the HNBA, Reyes is an active member of a number of local, state and national bar associations and nonprofit organizations, including the American Bar Association; the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association; the Nationwide Hispanic Advisory Council for Big Brothers Big Sisters; the Minnesota Chapter of the American Bar Foundation; the Board of Trustees for the William Mitchell College of Law; and the Board of Directors of the Neighborhood Justice Center.

Earlier in his career, Reyes was an associate at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP and held a clerkship with Judge Salvador Rosas of the Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. As an author, speaker and student mentor, Reyes regularly covers issues relating to IP, international law and diversity. He is admitted to practice in Minnesota and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Reyes earned his J.D. from the William Mitchell College of Law and his B.A. from University of St. Thomas.

With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from its offices in Atlanta, Delaware, Chicago, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com.