Dori Foster-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 in the American and International Academies of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Fellow and Member of the Florida Bar Foundation, a Fellow in the American Bar Foundation and a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation. In 2017, Dori was awarded the Legal Luminaries award by the Dade County Bar Association as the Top Matrimonial and Family Lawyer in Miami-Dade County. Dori has been designated a top family lawyer by a variety of publications including Martindale Hubbell (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 over 25 years of experience in complex and high-profile family law matters. While she is based in South Florida, she has handled cases that have involved national and international clientele and jurisdictional issues. Furthermore, her diverse legal background has contributed to her capacity as a family lawyer. She began her career at the United States Environmental Protection Agency where she worked both in Washington, DC 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 attended the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin School of Law where she graduated in 1989. Dori also attended the University of Florida where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics with Honors 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 the President of The Florida Bar from 2020-2021, and President-Elect from 2019-2020. She served on the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar from 2007 - 2020, serving on the Executive Committee for 5 years and having chaired a variety of important committees, including the inaugural year of the 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 also believes in the importance of access to the legal system for everyone regardless of their resources, and therefore is a Lifetime Member of both the Florida Bar Foundation (and a former 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 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 family law issues, both substantive and procedural in nature. Dori has also been speaking regularly on issues related to the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers, a subject matter on which she is passionate.

Dori grew up in Miami Beach, where she met her husband of 35 years, Jimmy Morales, who is the Chief Operating Officer of Miami-Dade County. Dori and Jimmy have 2 children: Nora, a graduate of the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University, and Peter Jay (PJ), a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both born in Miami-Dade County. Dori and Jimmy became active on issues regarding autism and related disorders after Nora was diagnosed with autism as a young child. They helped found the local chapter of Autism Speaks, served as Co-Chairs of two of their annual walks and sponsored various fundraisers for the cause. Dori is also passionate about Kidside Miami (100 Best Friends). In 2020, Dori received the Judge Ron Alvarez Award from the Center for Child Counseling. She is serving a one-year term as a Presidential Appointee; her term expires 6/30/2026.

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