MichałSzwast

I hold a PhD in Law with a specialisation in constitutional law and international human rights law, serving as the Chief Coordinator for Development and Strategic Cooperation at the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Biuro Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich), and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Rights at the Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Warsaw (Wydział Prawa i Administracji Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego). I obtained my doctorate in 2017 upon defending my doctoral dissertation entitled "The Right to the Appropriate Shaping of the System and Position of Justice System Bodies" (“Prawo do odpowiedniego ukształtowania ustroju i pozycji organów wymiaru sprawiedliwości”), prepared under the supervision of Prof. Dr. hab. Janusz Trzciński at the Department of Constitutional Law (Katedra Prawa Konstytucyjnego) at WPiA UW, where I was a full-time doctoral student.

From 2015-2017, I conducted constitutional law tutorials at WPiA UW, and since 2017, I have been delivering lectures on human and citizen rights. Since 2026, I have been leading workshops on "Fundamental Rights in Procedural Documents" ("Prawa podstawowe w pismach procesowych"). I also conducted workshops on drafting complaints to the ECHR and a specialist lecture on the right to a court.

From 2015-2022, I was employed at the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) as a judge’s assistant – senior specialist. From 2011-2015, I held the position of lawyer in the programme "Monitoring of the Legislative Process in the Area of the Justice System" (“Monitoring procesu legislacyjnego w obszarze wymiaru sprawiedliwości”) at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka), where, among others, I prepared opinions on draft normative acts and represented the Foundation’s position before the Sejm and the Senate. From November 2022 to June 2025, I served as the Director General of the BRPO.

In 2021, I received the Rector of the University of Warsaw’s award for scientific and didactic activity, which notably contributes to the development and increased prestige of the University of Warsaw, along with two individual awards. I was a recipient of the scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education (Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego) for the academic year 2012/2013. I was twice selected as the Polish National Rapporteur (National Rapporteur) for the International Congress of Comparative Law (International Congress of Comparative Law) – in 2014 and 2018.

I have prepared reports, legal opinions, and other publications commissioned by, among others, the European Commission (Komisja Europejska), the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (Agencja Praw Podstawowych Unii Europejskiej), the Ministry of State Treasury (Ministerstwa Skarbu Państwa), the Ministry of Development (Ministerstwa Rozwoju), the Supreme Audit Office (Najwyższej Izby Kontroli), the Commissioner for Human Rights (Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich), the National Council of Legal Advisers (Krajowej Rady Radców Prawnych), the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Helsińskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka), the F. Lassalle Centre for Social Thought (Ośrodka Myśli Społecznej im. F. Lassalle’a), the University of Children Foundation (Fundacji Uniwersytet Dzieci), the “po DRUGIE” Foundation (Fundacji “po DRUGIE”), and the Batory Foundation (Fundacji Batorego).

I am the author of several dozen academic publications, primarily in the fields of constitutional law, human rights, juvenile proceedings, administrative court proceedings, the organisation of the judiciary, and constitutionalism in Southeast Asian countries.

Human Rights

Constitutional Law

Constitutionalism of Southeast Asian Countries

Administrative Officials Law

Management of Public Institutions

At WPiA UW, I conduct classes:

1) "Human and Citizen Rights" course lecture for 1st-year law students (https://usosweb.uw.edu.pl/kontroler.php?_action=katalog2/przedmioty/pokazPrzedmiot&kod=2200-1P003);

2) "Fundamental Rights in Procedural Documents – Workshops" specialisation subject for 3rd-5th-year law students (https://usosweb.uw.edu.pl/kontroler.php?_action=katalog2/przedmioty/pokazPrzedmiot&kod=2200-1PS032).