Bachelor’s degree in Law (1960), and a master’s degree (1963) from the Law Faculty of the University of Coimbra. Doctor Honoris Causa in Law of the University of Tübingen (1994). He was a lecturer, researcher, and visiting professor at Coimbra where he uninterruptedly taught and carried out research since graduating until retiring in the areas of Constitutional Law, Tax Law and Public International Law. He has also taught at other higher education institutions, notably in the Faculty of Law of the Portuguese Catholic University in Porto, right at its inception.  

Member of the Centre for Tax Studies of the Ministry of Finance (1973/1975). Appointed by parliament as member of the Constitutional Commission (1981-1983). Justice of the Constitutional Court of Portugal (1983-2003). President of the Constitutional Court of Portugal (1989-2003). Member of the Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) of the Council of Europe (2003-2007). Appointed by the President of the Republic to the Superior Council of the Judiciary (2001-). Current president of the Advisory Board for Foundations and president of the Portuguese Association of Constitutional Law. Honorary president of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL-AIDC). Founding member of the Centre for Bioethics Research of the University of Coimbra.