On April 12, 2021, the world lost a remarkable individual and Santa Clara Law lost a special alumnus, but so significant were his contributions, his memory will not soon be forgotten. For nearly two decades, Robby Beyers JD ‘00, MBA ‘01, who also held a BS, MS and PhD from Stanford University, was an advocate and active mentor for Santa Clara Law students and graduates.
Highlights of his professional career included working as a materials scientist at the IBM Almaden Research Center, where, amongst other accomplishments, he co-invented single-wall carbon nanotubes and developed microscopy techniques which are now used throughout the semiconductor industry. Building upon his knowledge of materials science, he also served as a partner at the law firm of Morgan Lewis LLP in their intellectual property practice. As a highly respected patent attorney, he authored hundreds of patents, including the “iPhone Patent” (U.S. Patent No. 7,479,949) for the iPhone’s user interface. Throughout his accomplished professional career, Robby took an active interest in mentoring Santa Clara Law students, particularly those with science and engineering backgrounds wishing to pursue careers in patent law.
Robby’s life was tragically cut short by the onset and complications associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), but he and his family were determined to ensure that he would have a positive impact on the life of future Santa Clara Law students long after his own passing. With the goal of perpetuating the impact of Robby’s work and keeping his memory alive, Robby and his family established the Robby Beyers Memorial Scholarship Endowment. Through their generosity and foresight, a Santa Clara Law education will become more financially accessible for future generations of law students admitted into the highly regarded Tech Edge JD program.
As noted by one of his surviving family members, “Robby always said he had three simple goals in life- 1. Make good use of your time 2. Be loyal to the principles and people that matter to you and 3. Leave it better than you found it. We hope that the Robby Beyers Memorial Scholarship Endowment will help other talented law students accomplish these same goals for years to come. Robby would be very happy to know that we were able to honor his memory in this way.”
If you would like to contribute to this scholarship, this link will take you directly to the appropriate online giving page Robby Beyers Memorial Scholarship Endowment. If you have any questions about supporting his scholarship, the Tech Edge JD program or Santa Clara Law more broadly, please contact Ash Farrington, Director of Development at afarrington@scu.edu or (4080 554-5496.
