Laurence R. Helfer. 2009. Regime Shifting in the International Intellectual Property System

Laurence R. Helfer. 2009. “Regime Shifting in the International Intellectual Property System.” Perspectives on Politics 7(1): 39-44.

A multitude of international regimes with intersecting interests allowed states to forum shop. Forum shopping led to contradictory or inconsistent rules that gave countries an excuse to shirk in upholding agreements; it also allowed states to dictate the terms and norms under which interests were considered. They later, under the guise of harmonizing agreements, used those norms they established, rules endorsed by states, and legal experts in other international venues  to advocate for their policy preferences in forums they had chosen to avoid earlier.