Judge Zbigniew Cieślak was born on 11 February 1954 in Warsaw. Graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of Warsaw University in 1977. Awarded his juris doctor's degree in 1982 and a habilitated doctor's degree in 1992.

In the period 1990-1991 Deputy Director of the Administrative Law Studies Institute ofthe Warsaw University. From 1986 to 1990 Head of Post-graduate Studies in Administration at Warsaw University. In the period 1994-1998 Rector of the Higher School of Public Administration in Ostrołęka. From 2002 to 2006 Vice-Rector of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw and Head of Chair at the Law and Administration Faculty of that University.

In the period 1991-1992 Director of the Sejm Committees Bureau of the Chancellery of the Sejm, from 1992 to 1993 Secretary of the European Committee of the Council of Ministers as Undersecretary of State in the Office of the Council of Ministers, from 1997 to 1998 Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Interior and Administration; from 1999 to 2001 member of the Board of the Supreme Chamber of Control. In 2006 President of the Council of Civil Service Council and member of the Supervisory Board of the Polish Public Television.

Vice-President of the Fides et Ratio Society, member of the Board of the Work of the New Millennium Foundation, member of the Arbitration Court of the Polish Olympic Committee and its Sport Law Commission. Team member organizing two editions of the Work of the New Millennium Foundation legal competitions and member of the editorial team of "Kontrola państwowa" [State Audit]. Member of the board of editors of "Kwartalnik Prawa Publicznego" [Public Law Quarterly].

Author of numerous publications on law and administrative procedure.

In November 2006 the Sejm of the Republic of Poland appointed him judge of the Constitutional Tribunal.