Nick Sternkopf

Nick Sternkopf is a Research Associate at the Qualification Center for Law and a Research Assistant and Lecturer at the Chair of Public Law, Financial Constitutional Law and Health Law, Development Cooperation Law of Prof. Dr. Markus Kaltenborn at the Faculty of Law, Ruhr University Bochum. Since 2025, he has been working at the Qualification Center for Law, while his research assistant and lecturer position began in 2023. He is pursuing a doctoral project in international health law with a specific focus on the One-Health Approach within the international legal framework.

Education:

• 2023: First admission as a lawyer in the district of the Hamm Bar Association
• 2022: Second State Examination in Law passed at the State Examination Office for the Judiciary of North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf
• 2019-2022: Legal traineeship at the Regional Court of Bochum, including placements at the Chamber for Commercial Matters, a Youth Lay Judges Court, and a boutique specializing in health law in Düsseldorf
• 2018: First State Examination in Law at the Judicial Examination Office of the Higher Regional Court of Hamm
• 2013-2018: Law studies at the Faculty of Law of Ruhr University Bochum, specialization IV (International and European Legal Relations)
• 2011: Abitur at the Gymnasium Hohenlimburg in Hagen

Sternkopf's research centers on international health law, with particular emphasis on the One Health Approach—an integrated framework that recognizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. His work examines how legal structures can facilitate international cooperation during health crises, especially pandemics. He investigates the role of international organizations like WHO, WOAH, FAO, and UNEP in developing coordinated responses to global health challenges. His scholarship addresses critical issues including vaccine distribution equity, intellectual property rights during pandemics, and the human rights dimensions of global health governance.

Sternkopf's publications reveal a clear trajectory from foundational analyses of global health law (2017) to contemporary applications in pandemic response (2020-2022). His work consistently addresses the tension between national interests and global solidarity in health governance. A distinctive feature of his scholarship is the examination of how legal frameworks can operationalize the One Health Approach, bridging traditionally separate domains of human medicine, veterinary science, and environmental protection through cohesive legal mechanisms.

Sternkopf works within the research group led by Prof. Dr. Markus Kaltenborn, which focuses on intersections between health law, development cooperation law, and human rights. His work contributes to understanding how legal frameworks can strengthen global health governance and ensure equitable access to health resources during crises. The research environment at Ruhr University Bochum provides a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary approach, connecting legal scholarship with practical policy considerations in global health.