Born on June 9, 1968, in Leningrad (now St Petersburg). 

1992: graduated from St Petersburg State University with a degree in Law (1992). PhD in Law. Senior Counsellor of Justice.

1986-1988: served in the Soviet Armed Forces.

1992: assistant prosecutor of the Vyborgsky District of St Petersburg.

1992-1994: investigator at the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Vyborgsky District of St Petersburg.

1994-1997: prosecutor in charge of supervision of compliance with security legislation of the St Petersburg Office of the Public Prosecutor.

1997-1998: Deputy Prosecutor of the Moskovsky District of St Petersburg.

1998-2001: Prosecutor of the Moskovsky District of St Petersburg.

2001-2005: Deputy Prosecutor of St Petersburg.

2005: Prosecutor of Bashkortostan.

November 2005: the President's Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District.

May 12, 2008: appointed Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation.

May 21, 2012: Reappointed Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation by a presidential decree.

Member of the Russian Security Council.