Franklin Berman was born 23 Dec. 1939, son of Joshua Zelic Berman and Gertrude (née Levin). He was educated at Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Cape Town, the University of Cape Town, then Wadham and Nuffield Colleges, University of Oxford (Hon. Fellow, Wadham College, 1995). In 1964, he married Christine Mary Lawler, having two sons and three daughters (triplets).

Berman was called to the Bar, Middle Temple, in 1966 (Hon. Bencher, 1997), but had joined the Diplomatic Service in the previous year, and his career included: Assistant Legal Adviser, Foreign Office, 1965; Legal Adviser to the British Military Government, Berlin [Germany], 1971 and the British Embassy, Bonn, 1972; Legal Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1974; Counsellor and Legal Adviser, UK Mission to United Nations, New York [United States], 1982; FCO, 1985, Deputy Legal Adviser, 1988, Legal Adviser, 1991-99.

After leaving the FCO, Berman in 2000 became Visiting Professor of International Law at the University of Oxford and University of Cape Town. He has also served as an Ad hoc Judge at the International Court of Justice, 2003-05, and as a Member of both the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague, 2010 and the Court of Arbitration under Indus Waters Treaty, 2010-13.