At this time he worked primarily as a lawyer, and it was only over a decade later that he abandoned this, his first profession, and turned fully to the composition of librettos and theatre management (as did his contemporary, Giovanni Faustini.
Minato was also a member of several literary academies, including, along with Busenello, the Accademia degli Imperfetti, a group that devoted itself to studying the classics and contemporary jurisprudence.
In addition to his duties as a writer of secular works, Minato was also a prolific producer of sacred texts, often described as oratorios.
He largely provided these texts for performances given to mark special occasions - birthdays in the royal family, for example, or possibly Lenten celebrations or court weddings.
Minato was a popular librettist and after his death his works were frequently revived by composers such as Johann Adolf Hasse, Handel, Giovanni Bononcini, and Telemann.