Rob Pyatt
Events
Rob Pyatt
POPP Law (TM), Merchant & Gould
About the Speaker
Rob Pyatt is a patent attorney in Merchant’s Boston office, where he focuses on patent portfolio development, trade secret protection, and IP strategy. Rob advises a range of clients—from inventors and startups to universities and global companies—on protecting innovations across optics, photonics, imaging, and biomedical technologies. With a background in physics and engineering, he brings both technical fluency and strategic insight to every stage of the innovation lifecycle.
Rob has particular strength in drafting and prosecuting patents involving physics-based technologies, including laser systems, medical imaging devices, and integrated optical circuits. His experience includes advising clients who receive federal research funding regarding maintaining their IP rights through compliance with SBIR/STTR grants, the Bayh-Dole Act, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Prior to practicing law, Rob spent nearly a decade in industry, developing photonics automation systems and contributing to early-stage technologies at a medical device startup that later became Abbott Medical Optics. His engineering background includes FDA compliance, systems test development, and product development for femtosecond laser platforms used in eye surgery.
Rob is a member of Optica and IEEE Photonics and also currently serves as vice president of the Boston Chapter of IEEE Communications. He frequently presents on topics related to patent strategy, optics in healthcare, and government-funded innovation. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® and Massachusetts Rising Stars for his work in patent law.
