Mercer law student Anup Chandora, ’27, earned a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering with a minor in health, medicine and society from Georgia Tech in 2016. Although he briefly considered studying medicine, his long-time interest in technology and innovation inspired him to instead provide doctors with medical devices to save lives. This led him on a journey toward becoming a patent attorney, driving innovation and championing the rights of inventors.
After graduating from Georgia Tech, Chandora served as a research and development engineer with Becton Dickinson, a global medical technology company, where he performed post-market surveillance and medical device research and development. He also shadowed a patent attorney, navigated innovation challenges, and contributed four features to a medical device subject to design patent claims. With this industry experience, Chandora became determined to improve medical technology and make a global impact on patients’ lives while protecting inventors’ contributions.
In 2021, he earned his Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering from Georgia Tech. Afterward, he worked as a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Assigned to the technology area of speech recognition and language translation, he evaluated utility patent applications and refined his ability to assess prior art, which involved evaluating all publicly available information predating a patent application’s filing date to determine if the invention is novel and non-obvious.
With a robust academic and practical background in engineering and patents, Chandora started building his legal acumen in intellectual property by passing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration exam, which is commonly known as the patent bar, in 2023. As a newly registered patent agent, Chandora decided to pursue law school — the next step to becoming a patent attorney.
Chandora said being a nontraditional-aged student at Mercer Law School has been an advantage.
“My background has helped me connect legal concepts to real-world innovation,” he said. “As someone crossing over from engineering to law, I wanted a school like Mercer University that would help me develop strong advocacy skills in a collaborative environment. If I could work as in-house counsel for a medical device company or as an associate for an intellectual property firm after graduation, that would be ideal as long as the place fosters an innovative and inclusive culture. I want to surround myself with talented and well-rounded individuals that will allow me to achieve my goals of mentorship and professional development.”
At Mercer Law School, Chandora is a member of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Mercer OUTLaw and the Student Bar Association. He also has earned the honor of being chosen as a Georgia Scholar by Mercer Law School for his academic record and achievements indicative of a future Mercer lawyer; Federal Circuit Bar Association Scholar for his academic excellence, outstanding leadership and interest in the Federal Circuit; Point Foundation Scholar for his impact on and leadership potential within LGBTQ communities; and as a Sidney B. Williams Jr. Scholar for his career interest and potential in intellectual property law.
Chandora said the best thing about Mercer Law School is the people “like Cherie Jump (administrative support assistant) and Stacey Stone (director of admissions and financial aid) who make me feel valued and genuinely want me to thrive.”
Stone said, “Anup’s presence naturally draws people in — not just with his energy but with his kindness and genuine care for others. Even as a 1L, he has dedicated his time to traveling with the admissions office to support prospective students, offering guidance with sincerity and enthusiasm. His nontraditional path to law school gives him — and those around him — valuable perspectives that enrich our community. We are truly lucky to have Anup at Mercer Law.”
Aside from being an engineer and a law student, Chandora has worked to increase the visibility, opportunity and acceptance of the LGBTQ community. In the workplace, he launched Becton Dickinson’s first LGBTQ employee resource group in Covington. There, he served as president to 48 active members to promote diversity and talent through meaningful events, including a fundraiser for an Atlanta HIV/AIDS service provider. In his hometown of Lilburn, he helped execute an annual pride festival and adult LGBTQ prom. Likewise, he has co-hosted an annual networking event that celebrates Atlanta’s LGBTQ South Asian community.
As a Bollywood dancer and choreographer with Nachlanta, he has choreographed and performed 48 shows at eight annual festivals, including appearances at Atlanta Pride, Zoo Atlanta and Georgia Aquarium. Bollywood dance is a fusion of Indian classical and folk dance styles with modern and Western influences, known for its storytelling, colorful costumes and group choreography. Chandora’s favorite part about performing is inviting the audience onstage afterward and teaching them a quick Bollywood dance to perform on the spot, creating an interactive and energetic experience.
In the fall, Chandora will be a legal extern for Georgia PATENTS, where he will connect financially under-resourced inventors with pro bono legal aid to secure patent protection. His advice for anyone going to school to start a new career is to have a clear goal and ensure this new degree will align with it.
“Leverage your past experience. Even if it’s in a different field, it’s an asset,” he said. “Build a strong support network of mentors and peers. There’s always someone to follow in the same footsteps or to share the struggle with.”
