In the world of corporate law where success is often measured by billing targets, Dipali Maldonado’s career journey offers a powerful lesson in finding balance and fulfilment. In a recent fireside chat at the inaugural Women in Law Forum 2025, hosted by Law Middle East, the Al Tamimi & Company partner shared candid insights from her career, which saw her shift from corporate law in London to private client services in Dubai.
A defining moment
Maldonado’s early career was defined by what she described as a “boys’ club”. For years she immersed herself in corporate law, handling initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers & acquisitions (M&A), and private equity deals.
“I always had the impression and the attitude that it does not matter that I am a woman, this is a ‘boys’ club’, and I am going to act in the same way,” she recalled.
It was not until she fell pregnant with her first child that her mindset shifted. At seven months pregnant on her last day before maternity leave, she began having contractions whilst on a late Friday conference call. She recalled the partner with whom she was on the call with showing disregard for her situation, so she persisted until she started to bleed and an ambulance had to be called.
“That was a defining moment in terms of the way I was approaching my life and career,” she told the audience of over 150 delegates. “You do not have to go through such lengths to prove that you are part of this ‘club’.”
This experience was not about blaming the corporate world, the firm, or the culture, she emphasised. It was about reassessing her priorities and finding work that was more fulfilling. After a year of maternity leave, she returned to work but found she was rarely spending time with her son. One morning, she went into the office and handed in her resignation.
A new path
After her resignation, Maldonado embarked on a “magical” six-month trip around the world. “It was a world away from my last”, she enthused, adding the experience led her to figure out her priorities and find balance.
This quest ultimately led her to the Middle East and Al Tamimi & Company, the region’s largest law firm. There, she met with the founder and chair, Essam Al Tamimi, one of the UAE’s most respected legal figures, and launched the private client practice at the firm known primarily for corporate law at the time.
That was in 2012 and more than a decade on she said the firm’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to hold true. “As long as you have a business case, you are free to try anything and everything,” she said.
The firm is also supportive of women lawyers, even having a female managing partner some years ago. “A lot of my mentors were female partners, heads of departments, and that still stays true today,” she said.
Challenges and opportunities
The shift from corporate to private client matters was profound. Corporate law, she explained, is very “transactional” and “results-driven”.
“There is a start and an end to a transaction,” she continued. “You might have some moments to establish rapport with clients during the transaction, which can typically last from a few days to say, three months, but it is very surface.”
In contrast, the private client world is all about building long-term relationships. “I find it so rewarding that clients are opening their life up to you, their family, their homes, their wealth, their structures,” she said. This work requires a deep level of trust and discretion, as a single mistake can sever the relationship, particularly within the Middle East context, she added.
Maldonado also noted how there are more opportunities for her in the Middle East than in London, where she felt there was a “glass ceiling”. She recalled how after returning from maternity leave, her office was moved to an undesirable location, which she took as a clear signal that she had to prove her worth again.
While challenges exist in the private client world, particularly with some family-led businesses and patriarchs preferring male advisors, the growing number of high-net-worth female clients presents opportunities for women lawyers in the Middle East.
She also highlighted an emerging trend for private client lawyers in the region: the need for a cross-border practice to serve high-net-worth individuals with global footprints who are increasingly relocating to the Middle East and growing their asset portfolios. “It helps to have strong cross-border alliances with law firms and advisors across the globe, and this is what Al Tamimi & Company is very good at, so that when a client comes to you, you can show an understanding for their global structuring and portfolio,” she said.
Finding balance
As a mother of two sons, a yogi, and a reiki master, Maldonado champions “energy management” over time management. “If my energy level is not good, I will take a step back and focus,” she explained. This allows her to stay calm and centred with a clear and focused mindset, especially in emotionally charged meetings, where she consciously separates her clients’ emotions from the practical legal matters to find solutions.
Now having practised in the region for over a decade, her advice to aspiring female lawyers is to find mentors and figure out what exactly they want from a future career to make it as fulfilling possible.
The inaugural Women in Law Forum 2025 was hosted by Law Middle East and headline sponsored by Al Tamimi & Company with support from partner Gibson Dunn. It took place on the morning of Tuesday June 24, 2025 in the Origami Ballroom at VOCO Dubai by IHG. Register for upcoming Law Middle East events, and read related event coverage, including write-ups of the panel discussions involving female partners and general counsel.
