Stuart Atwater thrives on technical and legal challenges — the more complex, the better. His journey to becoming an intellectual property attorney took a unique path. Before entering the legal profession, Stuart was an engineer and an entrepreneur. His diverse background includes working for large corporations and inventors, launching his own business, earning patents, negotiating multimillion-dollar contracts, and collaborating with investors and venture capitalists. Notably, he worked on the recyclable space shuttle booster rocket, creating a safer, more cost-effective way to reuse rocket materials. He also pioneered the first modern washing machine suspension, a crucial innovation that prevents washing machines from dancing around the floor during use and saves billions of gallons of water annually.

Stuart’s manufacturing industry experience underscored the importance of protecting intellectual property. As he built a multi-million-dollar manufacturing division for a major German global manufacturing firm, he enrolled in law school to gain expertise in intellectual property law. Today, he serves as a trusted advisor, handling patents, trademarks, copyrights, compliance, and tariff reductions for clients across various industries. 

His fascination with how things work led him to pursue an engineering degree from Cornell University. Beyond mechanics, he also explored entrepreneurship, launching a childcare business that won the Johnson Business School Entrepreneurship Prize. He holds both a J.D. and an L.L.M. degree. He has been a guest lecturer at Calvin University and Alma College. Stu is also the head coach for the Forest Hills High School Robotics Team Comets, the President of the Trustees for Westminster Presbyterian Church, and serves on the board of private foundations and non-profits.