One of Suriname’s most prominent multi-sector leaders, Humphrey Schurman — a respected attorney, entrepreneur, and president-commissioner of Network Star Suriname (NSS), the parent organization of local media outlet Starnieuws — passed away on the morning of April 27, 2026, at a local hospital. He was 72 years old, born in September 1953.
With Schurman’s passing, Suriname has lost a defining public figure who left lasting marks across legal, business, non-profit and media sectors. As the founder and director of Schurman Advocaten NV, a law firm launched in 1988 that grew into one of the country’s most well-established legal service providers, Schurman built a practice spanning a wide range of legal specialties. The firm offers expert legal support across corporate law, family law, criminal law, immigration matters, debt collection, and intellectual property law.
Within the global and domestic legal community, Schurman earned a reputation as a seasoned practitioner with extensive expertise in both civil and criminal law, and held international recognition for his work in intellectual property law. Beyond his private practice, he took on multiple leadership roles in civic and professional organizations: he served as chair of the Surinamese Bar Association, as well as head of both environmental advocacy group MilieuWatch and the non-profit Youth and Nature Projects Foundation.
Colleagues, clients, and staff who worked alongside Schurman remember him as a calm, approachable, and deeply committed person, always willing to collaborate on solutions and offer support to those around him. In an official statement released following his death, Starnieuws and Network Star Suriname extended their deepest condolences to Schurman’s wife, immediate family, loved ones, and all those who knew him, wishing them strength in this period of grief. Schurman Advocaten NV will remain closed until further notice as the firm mourns the loss of its founder.