Hans Petter Graver was born in 1955.
He received the degree of cand. jur in 1980, and was awarded a Doctorate of Laws (dr. juris) in 1986 - both degrees from the University of Oslo. In 1993 he was appointed Professor in Sociology of law with an obligation to teach administrative law.
He was director of the centre of European Studies (ARENA) 2001-2003 and Dean of the Law faculty 2008-2015. In 2012 he was visiting fellow at Heidelberg University and in 2016 he was visiting fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University. He is presently member of the advisory council of the IAS.
He has authored numerous books and articles over a wide field of subjects, including administrative law, sociology of law, legal history, legal theory, argumentation and rhetoric. Presently he is principle investigator of a research project on Judges under Stress - the Breaking Point of Judicial Institutions.
Graver is president of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. He was awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Helsinki in 2010, at the University of Heidelberg in 2017 and at the University of Uppsala in 2020. He is an honorary member of the Law Society of Finland.