Bernadette Lumbela

Bernadette Lumbela is a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (MPIL) since August 2022 and a PhD candidate at the University of Heidelberg under Professor Anne Peters since December 2024. Her doctoral research examines migrant workers' rights in bilateral labor agreements between France and Germany. She completed her legal traineeship (Referendariat) from October 2022 to October 2024, passing both State Exams in Law at Heidelberg.

Education:

• First State Exam in Law, University of Heidelberg (July 2022)
• Law Studies, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (2016-2022) with specialization in public international law
• Year abroad at King's College London (2018-2019)

Research Focus: Lumbela investigates intersections of International Human Rights Law, Migration, and Labour Rights through the lens of bilateral agreements and emotional dimensions in international law. Her work critically analyzes how France and Germany structure migrant worker protections, connecting legal frameworks with human rights implications and emotional jurisprudence. Recent presentations address 'Intersecting Injustices' in migration law and 'Emotions and Human Rights' within populist challenges to democracy.

Honors:

• German Academic Scholarship Foundation support throughout her legal studies (2016-2022)
• Fulbright Diversity Initiative scholarship for Trinity University program (2016)

Professional Engagement: Lumbela actively contributes to academic discourse through conference presentations including the Vienna Centre for Migration and Law's inaugural conference (June 2025) and the 49th Feminist Lawyers' Day (May 2025). Her legal traineeship included diverse placements: Heidelberg Public Prosecutor's Office (Hate Crime division), Berlin international law firm (public commercial law), Mannheim Higher Administrative Court, and Federal Foreign Office. She also participated in the MPIL-German Foreign Office workshop on Feminist Foreign Policy (October 2023).