Karl Erjavec was born 21 June 1960 in Aiseau, Belgium. He obtained his high school diploma in Kranj and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana in 1985.

Until 1990, Mr. Erjavec was employed in the business sector. In that same year, he became a member of the Kranj Urban Municipality Assembly executive council and was appointed Secretary for General Administration and Other Legal Affairs. From 1995 to 2000 he was responsible for affairs related to the protection of basic human rights at the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia. Mr Erjavec was the head of the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman and director of the Expert Service. During the 2001 to 2004 term of office, he was State Secretary for Judicial Administration at the Ministry of Justice.

Karl Erjavec is the author of numerous articles on the protection of basic human rights and the judicial system, and has often lectured at various professional seminars and conferences.

Since 2005, Mr Erjavec has also been the leader of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia.

Mr Erjavec is married and the father of two daughters.

Mr Erjavec speaks fluent French and English.