Justice Lech Garlicki was born on 23 August 1946 in Warsaw. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of Warsaw University in 1968. Judge Garlicki earned his juris doctor degree in 1973, and a habilitated doctor's degree in 1978. He was awarded the title of professor of legal studies in 1987. He was director of the Centre for American Studies at the Warsaw University from 1992 to 1994. Currently he is a professor at the Chair of Constitutional Law of that university.

In the years 1980-1993 he practised as an advocate. He was a member of the Legislative Council of the Prime Minister from 1987 to 1991.

He is a member of the International Association of Constitutional Law (since 1998 a deputy chairman of the Polish section). He is also a member of editorial committees of the following legal journals: "Państwo i Prawo" [State and Law], "Przegląd Sejmowy" [Sejm Review], "Przegląd Sądowy" [Court Review], "Annuaire International de Justice Constitutionnelle" and "Revue Française de Droit Constitutionnelle". He was elected a judge of the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on 26 June 2002.

He is an author of nearly 250 publications, including 10 monographs, in the field of the Polish and comparative constitutional law.

Lech Garlicki was a Justice of the Constitutional Tribunal from 1993 to 2001.