Gwendolin Brand has been working on her doctoral thesis in International Criminal Law at the Institute under the supervision of Professor Kreß since August 2023. Her dissertation focuses on forced marriage and norm emergence in International Criminal Law, both at the international level and with regard to implementation in the German Code of Crimes against International Law.

Ms Brand previously studied English and German Law (LL.B.) at University College London and at the University of Cologne. She wrote her undergraduate thesis in the field of comparative sexual offences. She then completed her law studies at the University of Cologne in May 2023 with the First State Examination.

Ms Brand works as a legal assistant for a Cologne-based lawyer specialising in migration law. She also trained as a qualified mediator at the INeKO-Institute of the University of Cologne. Previously, she worked for several years as a student research assistant for Professor Kreß at the Institute.

In addition, Ms Brand is active in the International Criminal Law Coordination Group of Amnesty International and as a consultant for asylum and residence law at a Cologne welcome initiative. 

She is a member of the Cologne Center for Advanced Studies in International History and Law.