Appointment of the Designated Family Judge for South Yorkshire

Following an Expressions of Interest exercise, the President of the Family Division is pleased to announce the appointment of a Designated Family Judge.

HHJ Fayyaz Afzal CBE has been appointed as the Designated Family Judge for South Yorkshire with effect from 15 April 2024.

The President of the Family Division has wished the judge well in the new role.

Barrister and Judge

HHJ Fayyaz Afzal CBE was the UK’s first Asian blind Barrister. Fayyaz was featured as part of Staffordshire Universities graduates page, with a profile piece. Fayazz started studying law at Staffordshire University in 1995 and overcame the challenges of reading with his blindness through the use of technology. This included a speaking laptop for reading, using a CCTV to magnify text, which he could read at that time, and relying on an assistant.

He told Staffordshire University:

“I chose Staffordshire because it was close to home, the Law School had a great reputation and because it had a strong history of students with special needs and visual impairment.”

Fayyaz was then called to the Bar in 1999, completed his postgraduate diploma a year later, then joined New Walk Chambers, in Leicester, starting pupillage in 2001. After nine years, Fayyaz moved to No5 Chambers, in Birmingham, in 2010, where he has continued practicing as a Barrister while holding a number of other positions.

Fayyaz has served on the Young Barristers, Equality/Diversity and Professional Practice committees within the Bar Council. He has been a member of the Lincoln’s Inn Bar Representation Committee since 2002, sits on the Advocacy Training Council and is a senior trainer for both Lincoln’s Inn and the Midland Circuit. He added:

“I enjoy learning, influencing and trying to make things better for myself and others through this kind of work.”