Biography

John Barton ’68 devoted his academic career to the examination of questions at the intersection of science and the law. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His scholarship was focused on international law concerns ranging from national defense to issues surrounding the distribution of intellectual property across the developed and undeveloped world. His most recent work involved the transfer of technologies, including vaccine, steel, and technologies for mitigating climate change between scientifically sophisticated and developing nations, and the development of a political theory of international organization and globalization.

Professor Barton chaired or was a member of more than a dozen academic and international advisory commissions. Most recently he led the International Commission on Intellectual Property Rights. Before joining the Stanford Law School faculty in 1969, he was an engineer with Sylvania Electronic Defense Laboratories.

Professor Barton was also a Senior Fellow (by courtesy) at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

Key Works

• John H. Barton. With E. Emanuel. The Patents-Based Pharmaceutical Development Process: Rationale, Problems, and Potential Reforms, 294 Journal of the American Medical Association 2075 (2005).
• John H. Barton, The Evolution Of The Trade Regime: Politics, Law And Economics Of The GATT and The WTO, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2006. (with Judith L. Goldstein, Timothy E. Josling and Richard H. Steinberg)
• John H. Barton, Antitrust Treatment of Oligopolies with Mutually Blocking Patent Portfolios, 69 Antitrust Law Journal 851-882 (Winter 2002).
• John H. Barton, The Economics of TRIPs: International Trade in Information-Intensive Products, 33 George Washington International Law Review 473-501 (2001).
• John H. Barton, The Politics of Peace: An Evaluation of Arms Control, Stanford. CA: Stanford University Press, 1981. 257 pages.

In the News

• Stanford Law Prof Dies from Bike Accident Injuries
  ABA Journal, August 07, 2009
• Law Professor John H. Barton Dies Of Bike-Accident Injuries
  Palo Alto Online, August 06, 2009
• Longtime Stanford Law Professor John Barton Dies At 72 From Bicycle Injuries
  San Jose Mercury News, August 06, 2009
• John Barton, Professor Emeritus Of Law, Dead At 72
  Stanford Report, August 06, 2009
• Top 10 Papers For Antitrust & Regulated Industries Journals
  Antitrust and Competition Policy Blog, July 04, 2009

Courses & Programs

Courses

• Biotechnology Law & Policy

Programs

• Center for Law and the Biosciences, George E. Osborne Professor of Law, Emeritus
• Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program (ENRLP), George E. Osborne Professor of Law, Emeritus
• Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology, George E. Osborne Professor of Law, Emeritus

Publications & Cases

Recent Publications View All

• John H. Barton, Antitrust, Patents, and Developing Nations, in The Development Agenda: Global Intellectual Property and Developing Countries, Neil Weinstock Netanel, ed., New York: Oxford University Press, February 2009 / Stanford Law and Economics Working Paper, No. 371 (May 2009).
• John H. Barton, New Trends in Technology Transfer, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development Intellectual Property and Sustainable Development Series, Issue Paper, No. 18 (2007).
• John H. Barton, Expert Paper Series Six: Knowledge, Stockholm: Secretariat of the International Task Force on Global Public Goods, 2006.
• John H. Barton, Emerging Patent Issues in Genomic Diagnostics, 24 Nature Biotechnology 939 (2006).
• John H. Barton. With E. Emanuel. The Patents-Based Pharmaceutical Development Process: Rationale, Problems, and Potential Reforms, 294 Journal of the American Medical Association 2075 (2005).
• John H. Barton, The Evolution Of The Trade Regime: Politics, Law And Economics Of The GATT and The WTO, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2006. (with Judith L. Goldstein, Timothy E. Josling and Richard H. Steinberg)
• Gregory K. Sobolski, John H. Barton and Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Technology Licensing: Lessons from the US Experience, 294 Journal of the American Medical Association 3137 (2005).
• John H. Barton, Issues Posed by a World Patent System, in International Public Goods and Transfer Technology Under A Globalized Intellectual Property Regime, Keith E. Maskus and Jerome H. Reichman, eds., New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
• John H. Barton, Issues Posed by a World Patent System, 7 Journal of International Economic Law 341-357 (2004).
• John H. Barton, The International Video Industry: Principles for Vertical Agreements and Integration, 22 Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal 67-105 (2004).

Affiliations & Honors

Professional Affiliations

• Former Chair (1994-1996), National Genetic Resources Advisory Council
• Member, National Academy Panel on Intellectual Property Rights
• Member, National Academy Panel on Genetic Diversity
• Member, National Institutes of Health Working Group on Research Tools
• Member, NAFTA dispute settlement panels with Canada and Mexico
• Member, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Commission on Environmental Law

Honors and Awards

• Recipient, John Bingham Hurlbut Award for Excellence in Teaching, Stanford, 1980