Born on 3 May 1891 in Gand, Belgium

• Doctor of Law
• Barrister at the Brussels Court of Appeal
• Professor of international law, University of Brussels
• Doctor honoris causa, University of Grenoble
• Member of the Institut de Droit International
• Associate Member of the Grotius Society and the Greek International Law Association
• Senator and Former President of the Senate
• Former Minister of State
• Former Member of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe and former Chairman of its Legal Committee
• Member of the Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration
• Member or President of various Permanent Conciliation Commissions
• Vice-President of the Court from 20 May 1965 to 27 September 1968
• President of the Court from 27 September 1968 to 5 May 1971
• Judge of the European Court of Human Rights from 21 January 1959 to 19 April 1973