Judge given University honour

A District Judge has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton.    

District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) Tan Ikram was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Law from the University’s Faculty of Social Sciences for his contribution to law.

Tan was called to the Bar in 1990 and admitted as a solicitor in 1993 after graduating from Wolverhampton Polytechnic and went on to become a partner in a regional law firm. In 2007, he was elected President of the London Criminals Courts’ Solicitors Association.

Tan was appointed to the office of District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) in 2009, and this year, an Associate Judge on the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus.

In 2012, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts (FRSA) and is a trustee of the BLD Foundation which promotes diversity in the law. In 2013, he was appointed the Deputy Lead Diversity and Community Relations Judge and is ‘ticketed’ as a specialist judge in extradition.

Tan is a contributing editor of Archbold Magistrates Courts Criminal Practice 2016 (Sweet & Maxwell). He has lectured law in both the UK and abroad and is an Associate Fellow at the University of Westminster.

Judge Ikram said: “I am truly humbled & privileged to receive the award from my old polytechnic. May I first thank my family, teachers and colleagues who have supported me.

“It was an education, truly as good as any, and has allowed me to compete against the best lawyers in the land and go on to become a judge. Success is about commitment and what you do next, not about where you started or the label on your education.

“The judiciary is committed to a bench reflecting all members of society. Many congratulations to the University for producing such high quality lawyers from such diverse backgrounds; from them will come the next generation of judges. 

“I am not saying my journey has been an easy one, but, with this degree, I can finally say that I’ve made it. My Dad always wanted me to be a Doctor!”

ENDS

For further information please contact Iyma Atiq in the Media Relations office on 01902 32 2448