Nov 18, 2021
In November 2021, Servet Yildiz Stêrk was awarded the Bar Association's talent prize as this year's assistant attorney. The prize was presented during the Bar Association's annual speech at the Grand Hotel in Oslo.
Jury leader and district court judge Ingebjørg Tønnesen justified the award by stating that Stêrk has distinguished himself by challenging the conservative traditions of the legal profession. Through social media, he has reached client groups who otherwise have a high threshold for seeking legal assistance. He has also publicly articulated the alienation that people of different ethnic backgrounds can experience when encountering the legal profession.
In his acceptance speech, Stêrk dedicated the prize to persecuted colleagues in Turkey: "When I was nominated for this award, I was described as one of the bravest assistant attorneys in the industry. When one talks about courage, I immediately think of those attorneys in Turkey who stand in court to defend their colleagues' right not to be identified with their clients. They fight for fundamental human rights every single day, without any fear of what consequences this could have for them. That is courage."
Stêrk stated to the Advocate Journal that the prize means a lot to him and will be an inspiration to continue his work on diversity efforts that he has started.