Dr. Ruth Okediji

Biography

Ruth L. Okediji is the Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor at Harvard Law School and Co-Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. She is a renowned scholar in international intellectual property law and one of the foremost authorities on the role of intellectual property in social and economic development. Professor Okediji has advised intergovernmental organizations, regional economic communities, and national governments on a wide range of matters related to technology and innovation policy. Her widely cited scholarship on IP development has influenced government policies across sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Her work has been instrumental in shaping national strategies for the implementation of the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). She collaborates closely with United Nations agencies and various international organizations to study the human development impacts of international IP policy and issues related to access to knowledge and essential medicines. Okediji is also an elected member of the American Law Institute and serves on the United States National Academies’ Board on Science, Technology, and Policy Committee on Impact of Copyright Policy on Innovation in the Digital Era. She has received numerous awards for her excellence in teaching and mentoring.

Research Interests

Courses