Ruth Okediji

Ruth L. Okediji is the Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and codirector of the Berkman Klein Center. With a career in international intellectual property (IP) law, she is an authority on the intersection of intellectual property and social-economic development. Okediji’s influence extends globally, advising inter-governmental organizations, regional economic communities, and national governments on issues related to technology, innovation policy, and development. Her impactful scholarship has shaped government policies across sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America, influencing national strategies for implementing the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement). 

Okediji has collaborated with United Nations agencies, research centers, and international organizations, focusing on the impact of international IP policy on knowledge accessibility, essential medicines, and indigenous innovation systems. Okediji served as a key member of the United States National Academies’ Board on Science, Technology and Policy Committee and played a pivotal role in the negotiation of the Marrakesh VIP Treaty. She was also appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to the 2015–2016 High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines. 

Okediji has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching, research, and mentoring. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and serves as an editor of the Journal of World Intellectual Property Law. She graduated from the University of Jos and Harvard Law School.