Dori Morales

Dori Foster-Morales, BA ’86, JD ’89, exclusively practices in the area of marital and family law and has achieved distinction in this field. She is board-certified in Marital and Family Law by The Florida Bar and as a Family Law Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Additionally, she is a Fellow of the American and International Academies of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Fellow and Member of the Florida Bar Foundation, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation. In 2017, Dori received the Legal Luminaries Award from the Dade County Bar Association as the top matrimonial and family lawyer in Miami-Dade County. She has been designated a top family lawyer by a variety of publications, including Martindale-Hubbell, where she is AV Preeminent rated, Super Lawyers, South Florida Legal Guide, Best Lawyers in America, and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite.

Dori’s accolades are based on more than 25 years of experience in complex and high-profile family law matters. While she is based in South Florida, she has handled cases involving national and international clientele and jurisdictional issues. Her diverse legal background has also contributed to her capacity as a family lawyer. She began her career at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, where she worked in both Washington, D.C., and New York City. When she returned to her hometown, she worked as an Assistant State Attorney for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, where she honed her trial skills by trying 65 cases to verdict. Dori graduated from the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law in 1989. She also received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics with Honors from the University of Florida in 1986. Her economics background has served her well in handling complex financial matters on behalf of her clients.

Dori is an acknowledged leader in the legal profession in the State of Florida. She was elected by her peers statewide to serve as President of The Florida Bar from 2020 to 2021 and as President-Elect from 2019 to 2020. She served on the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar from 2007 to 2020, including five years on the Executive Committee. She chaired a variety of important committees, including the inaugural Special Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers, the Standing Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers, the Budget Committee, the Special Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and the 2008 Annual Convention. She received The Florida Bar President’s Award of Merit in 2018 for her service on the Board.

Dori believes in the importance of access to the legal system for everyone, regardless of their resources. She is therefore a Lifetime Member of both the Florida Bar Foundation, where she previously served as a member of the Board, and the American Bar Association. In 2020, Florida Trend 500 recognized Dori as one of Florida’s Most Influential Business Leaders.

Dori’s accomplishments have also been recognized by her alma mater. She has served on the University of Florida Law Center Association Board of Trustees since 2018 and on the Executive Committee of the Board since 2021. She has also chaired the Alumni Relations & Development Committee since 2021. In 2023, Florida Blue Key, the student leadership honor society at the University of Florida, inducted Dori as an Honorary Member.

Dori is a well-known and highly regarded speaker on a variety of substantive and procedural family law issues. She also speaks regularly about the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers, a subject about which she is passionate.

Dori grew up in Miami Beach, where she met her husband of 35 years, Jimmy Morales, who serves as Chief Operating Officer of Miami-Dade County. Dori and Jimmy have two children: Nora, a graduate of the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University, and Peter Jay, known as PJ, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both were born in Miami-Dade County.

Dori and Jimmy became active in issues concerning autism and related disorders after Nora was diagnosed with autism as a young child. They helped establish the local chapter of Autism Speaks, served as co-chairs of two annual walks, and sponsored various fundraisers for the cause. Dori is also passionate about Kidside Miami, also known as 100 Best Friends. In 2020, she received the Judge Ron Alvarez Award from the Center for Child Counseling.

Dori is serving her first two-year term on the UFAA Board of Directors after having served as a Presidential Appointee in FY26; her term expires 6/30/2028.

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