Award-winning lawyer says it’s a team effort

When Myron Mer was announced as a finalist in the 100 South African Shining Stars Awards, in the Legal and Justice category, it marked more than a single achievement. It was the latest milestone in what have been a few defining years in his legal career. 

“I actually don’t know who nominated me,” Mer says of the award. “I received communication saying I’d been nominated, then that I was a finalist and invited to attend the event. At the ceremony, I was announced as one of the winners.” 

The Shining Stars platform recognises young professionals and entrepreneurs making a meaningful impact in their industries. For Mer, the recognition was rooted in three pillars. “It was for professional excellence, contribution to the legal profession, and broader social impact,” he explains. “Those are areas that really interest me.” 

Mer, a 2010 matriculant of King David High School Linksfield, has steadily built a reputation in commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on business rescue, as well as criminal defence. “It was recognition for the work that I do in my practice,” he says. “Those are the two main areas I focus on.” 

But the Shining Stars accolade is just one of several recent honours. In 2024, Mer was recognised as a Future Leader of South Africa by INSOL International, a global federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers specialising in insolvency and restructuring. 

In 2025, he was named in the Top 40 Under 40 in the Legal category and received the Top 40 Under 40 People’s Choice Award, a dual recognition that underscored both professional respect and public support. 

Despite the growing list of accolades, Mer is quick to redirect praise. 

“I don’t see these sorts of awards as individual achievements,” he says. “I see them rather as a reflection of the team I work with, the mentors who have guided me, and the clients who have placed their trust in me.” 

He practises at Fluxmans Attorneys and repeatedly emphasises that his success is shared. “Yes, on the face of it, it’s got my name on the award,” he says. “But without having great mentors at Fluxmans, without having fantastic clients who have placed their trust in me to manage and deal with their matters, these awards aren’t possible. It’s definitely a collective recognition.” 

Awards of this calibre inevitably elevate a professional profile and Mer acknowledges their practical value. “It definitely assists with CV and recognition,” he says. “But what’s more important for me is that it reflects the firm and the people I work with.” 

His decision to pursue law was shaped early on by a desire to make a tangible difference. “I’ve always had some sort of interest in being able to make a positive difference to society as a whole and look after individuals’ well-being,” he says. 

While his father initially encouraged him to consider medicine, Mer knew his strengths lay elsewhere. “My father did try to persuade me to become a doctor,” he says. “But I said no, I’m somebody that enjoys something more office-based than hospital-based.” 

With family members in the legal fraternity, including a successful uncle whose career he admired, law became the natural path. “I said, ‘If I can follow in their footsteps and achieve half of what they have, I would be doing well’,” he says. 

Now, with recognition spanning national awards, international professional bodies, and peer-driven honours, Mer remains grounded in the principles that first drew him to the profession. 

“It’s wonderful to be recognised,” he says. “But for me, it’s about the collective, the mentors, the advocates I work with, the clients. While it’s nice to receive individual recognition, it’s never just about one person.” 

For this King David alumnus, the rising-star label may be accurate, but by his own measure, success is defined not by titles or trophies, but by impact.