Josephus Tan

Josephus Tan Joon Liang was born on 15 October 1979 to blue-collar workers in Singapore. He lived in a three-room HDB flat in Telok Blangah and became involved in gang activities, drugs, and alcohol during his teenage years. After his father administered 'tight slaps' that became a turning point, he quit his destructive lifestyle and pursued education. He took an external diploma in law from the University of London, then earned an LLB from the University of Southampton before completing a Graduate Diploma in Singapore Law at NUS between 2007-2008.

Tan founded Invictus Law Corporation in 2017 with personal loans from friends he had previously helped through pro bono work. The name 'Invictus' means 'unconquered' in Latin, reflecting his unconquerable faith and determination to remain unconquered by circumstances. He has earned a reputation for defending controversial cases, including high-profile murder trials and cases involving animal abuse, often providing representation pro bono to the underprivileged and marginalized.

In 2013, Tan received the JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World Singapore Merit Award in the category of Political, Legal, and/or Governmental Affairs. This recognition came alongside other honours including the Pro Bono Ambassador of the Year award from the Law Society of Singapore in the same year. By 2015, he had completed over 5,000 hours of pro bono work and received the Singapore Youth Award from the National Youth Council.