Francis Makkink is a shipping and transport lawyer based in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal.

Francis focuses on maritime law, international trade law, marine insurance, customs disputes, maritime casualties, insurance litigation, and the application of advanced technologies in law.

He combines legal experience with technological innovation and has experience in artificial intelligence (AI), eDiscovery, and workflow automation.

Francis has led large-scale eDiscovery projects, including the successful completion of a document review of over 14 million documents in record time by developing and deploying innovative AI-driven strategies.

Francis’ pioneering work in eDiscovery and AI has contributed to the Firm being nominated in the 2025 African Legal Awards in the categories of Best Use of Technology and Innovation.

Francis graduated summa cum laude and top of his class with both a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Rhodes University.

He has received multiple academic awards, including top law student in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and top student awards for journalism and media studies in 2017 and 2018.  

He has also received first place awards for corporate law, company law, labour law, environmental law, and intellectual property law.

Francis additionally holds certifications in AI and eDiscovery.

Francis is a member of the Maritime Law Association of South Africa and currently serves as secretary of the Durban Chapter.