He graduated from the Faculty of Law in Zagreb in 1995 and received his master’s degree at the same Faculty in 1998. He earned his doctoral degree in 2000 with the thesis “Criminal Law Contents in Countering Corruption” and was a winner of the Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship at the International Human Rights Law Institute, DePaul College of Law, Chicago in the academic year 2004/05. He has attended professional trainings on several occasions at the Istituto Superiore Internazionale di Scienze Criminali in Syracuse, the Academy of European Law in Trier, the London School of Economics, the Institute of International and Comparative Criminal Law in Freiburg, Penn State University, China University of Political Science and Law (Beijing) and at the East China University of Political Science and Law (Shanghai).
In addition to the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, he has also taught at a number of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate (specialist and doctoral) studies in the country and abroad: Postgraduate Specialist Study “Criminal Research” at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka (2008-), Postgraduate Specialist Study of Criminal Law at the J. J. Strossmayer Faculty of Law in Osijek (2007-2015), Joint Master in European Integration and Regionalism, Bolzano, Zagreb, Graz, Barcelona (2009), Postgraduate study in criminal law at the Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo (2008), Postgraduate doctoral study at the Faculty of Law, University of Mostar (criminal law, 2013-).
He is the founder and director of the international postgraduate course “Crime Prevention through Criminal Law and Security Studies” at the Interuniversity Centre in Dubrovnik (2009-). He is the initiator and head of the professional development programme “Criminal Code in Practical Application” at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb (2013-). He was the vice dean for International Cooperation and Science at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb (2015-2017). He occupied the position of the head of postgraduate studies in criminal law science at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb (2009-2018).
He was the winner of the Award to young scientists of the Society of University Teachers and Other Scientists in Zagreb for the best book in the field of social sciences “Myth about (bribery) corruption” (2001) and the Award of the Foundation dr. sc. Jadranko Crnić for the best book in the field of law “The Theory of Joint Criminal Enterprise – Challenges and Controversies” (co-author, 2012).
Independently and in co-authorship, he is an author of five books (single author), three editorial books, twenty-two book chapters, ten textbooks and more than one hundred and sixty scientific and professional papers (including summaries from scientific and professional conferences) in the field of criminal law and human rights protection (complete list of papers available at the http://bib.irb.hr, under Derenčinović, Davor). He has been the project leader for the project “Criminal Law Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime” financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (2010-2014). He was the head of the project “Multidisciplinary Cluster for Research in Transition Crime – Corruption, Human Trafficking and Economic Crime” (TRANSCRIM, 2015-2019), financed by the Croatian Science Foundation. He occupies the position of the chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board in the project “Croatian Violence Monitor” (Croatian Science Foundation, 2018-). He is the head of the project “Innocence Project in Croatia” (CroINOP, 2020-) financed by the Croatian Science Foundation. He was a member of the working groups for the preparation of negotiations under Chapters 23 and 24 of the Acquis of the European Union. He has been an expert advisor at the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2010-) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2010-). He has been a member of the Editorial Board of the Chronicle of Social Work (2008-2014), Iustinianus Law Review (University of Skopje, 2014-), Yearbook of the Faculty of Law in Sarajevo (2014-) and Yearbook of the Croatian Academy of Legal Sciences (2011-).
He has been the head and member of working groups for drafting laws in the field of criminal law and protection of human rights – Criminal Code, Misdemeanour Act, Law on Liability of Legal Persons for Criminal Offenses, Law on the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime, Law on Legal Consequences of Conviction, Rehabilitation and Disclosure of Data from Criminal Records, Law on the Application of the Regulation on European Public Prosecutor, Anti-Discrimination Act, Law on the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest in the Performance of Public Duties (1995-).
He is the author of legal opinions in proceedings before national courts, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia, the European Court of Human Rights, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former SFRY (1995-). He was an expert for legal issues for the law firm Baker and McKenzie in the arbitration proceedings before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID, World Bank, Washington, 2014-2017). He was also an expert for legal issues for the Royal Mounted Canadien Police (2015-2016).
He has occupied the position of an ad hoc judge of the European Court of Human Rights (2010-). His memberships include: member of the Council of Europe Multidisciplinary Anti-Corruption Group (GMC, 2000); member of the Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) (GMT, 2001-2003); member of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Terrorism (CODEXTER, 2003-2004); member of the Committee for Legal Cooperation of the Council of Europe (CDCJ, 2008-2009); member of the Independent Group of Experts on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) for two terms (2009-2012, 2017-2020; Vice-President 2011-2012, President 2019-); member of the National Preventive Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (2012-2014). He was also the President of the Commission for Pardons of the President of the Republic of Croatia (2015-2016), as well as the president of the Croatian Academy of Legal Sciences (2018-) and of the Croatian Association for Criminal Sciences and Practice (2008-2012). His memberships also include: member of the Council of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for the preparation of friends of the court before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former SFRY (2007-2009); member of the Legislation Committee of the Croatian Parliament (6th convocation of the Croatian Parliament); member of the Conflicts of Interest Commission (2004-2005); member of the committee for the field of law (2013-2016); member of the Executive Board of the Scientific Council for State Administration, Judiciary and the Rule of Law of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (2017-). He presided the Statute Committee of the University of Zagreb (2017-2020) and the Society of University Teachers and Other Scientists in Zagreb (2016-). He was a member of the Commission Iustitia et pax of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference (2015-); member of the COMECE Legal Affairs Commission (Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, 2018-); member of the State Attorney’s Council (2012-2019, Deputy Chairman 2012-2015); member of the Ethical Committee in the election of members to the European Parliament from the Republic of Croatia (2019); and member of the Ethical Committee in the election of representatives to the Croatian Parliament (2020).
He has held numerous pro bono lectures and public appearances in audiovisual and print media in the Republic of Croatia and abroad on the topics of criminal law, criminology and human rights protection. He possesses excellent computer skills, advanced use of presentation tools (Prezi, Ultimate Mind Map, etc.). He has obtained the status of the Croatian War Veteran from the Homeland War, and he was awarded the Homeland War Memorial Medal.
Judge of the European Court of Human Rights (2022-2031).
