Stefan Flachsmann, born in 1965, from Marthalen canton of Zurich, studied jurisprudence at the University of Zurich  and promoted in 1992 as Dr. iur. In 1994, he obtained the lawyer’s licence for the canton of Zürich. From 1997 until his nomination as Attorney General of the Swiss Armed Forces per 1 January 2016, he led a lawyer's office specialised in penal law and criminal defence. Since 1999, he has been serving at the University of Zurich as lecturer in military criminal law and military procedural law. In the military realm Stefan Flachsmann has served in various functions relating to military jurisdiction. Prior to his nomination, he was responsible as head of training for instructing military justice officers, judicial police and military commanders in the disciplinary code and the military penal code. The armed forces attorney general has the rank of brigadier general.