My Journey to Success in Dubai

By Nita Maru, an EO U.A.E. member, and founding lawyer/director of TWS Legal Consultants

We dream. Some of us are prolific dreamers. Some dream of travelling, some dream of being rich and others dream of being famous. I dreamed of living an interesting life out of my comfort zone. I dreamed of living abroad. I dreamed of having my own law firm. I dreamed of making it real. And then it became a reality once I moved to Dubai. So why Dubai of all places? Well, why not?

The first time I heard of Dubai, it seemed to be a fascinating place with tremendous growth opportunities. Therefore, my family and I decided to move. Following our move to Dubai from London, I took a career break to raise our three children, and it was during this break that I realized, with my lawyer’s mindset, that there was a huge lacuna in awareness by expatriates of the implications of local laws on their estates and family, and a lack of knowledge on the importance of succession planning in the UAE for individuals and business owners.

Over the next few months, I managed to connect myself throughout the various UAE business networks, with local advocates and local judges, while simultaneously continuing my education specifically linked to the understanding of local rules and regulations and the ever-changing international legal framework.

With more research, it became apparent that there was not a single law firm in Dubai that had a department specialized in wills and succession planning, despite the local Sharia Laws. This inspired me to set up my own law firm with a division dedicated solely to this area of law.

So in 2009, despite the ongoing recession, I was in the midst of passionately setting up my own firm, TWS Legal Consultants. It was a challenging experience as a British female entrepreneur looking to establish a legal entity in Dubai; the red tape, stringent application process, paperwork, and so on were fast becoming a part of my daily routine.

The highest point happened when I finally received my license from the Rulers Court of Dubai. Mind you, quite a few months had passed in the meantime. I was jubilant, ecstatic, elated, over the moon and every other adjective and simile that describes tremendous happiness! This was a huge achievement personally, and a major turning point professionally – a dream come true indeed! With the title ‘Managing Director’ of the firm, I knew there would be huge responsibilities as well as successes. Today, TWS Legal Consultants has a solid reputation in the market and is highly regarded in the legal profession.

Initially, the firm was set up to provide wills, probate, business succession planning, and offshore trusts to expatriate clients. Over the years, with constantly increasing client demand, the firm has grown and is now run by a team of highly qualified solicitors who have considerable experience both in the UAE and internationally. The firm has expanded the scope of their existing services to include company formation, both on shore and offshore, corporate commercial, real estate, family law/divorce, immigration and second citizenship.

The firm now serves clients as a ‘one-stop law firm’ based in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai.

Our firm’s aim is to build long-term client relationships through the provision of first-rate personal services, technically excellent and relevant legal advice, and highly practical solutions.

I’m fortunate to be well regarded in the legal fraternity, and this helped me to be selected as a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Being an active member of this global group has enabled me to develop both personally and professionally.

Now, after all these years, I remain a compassionate person and career-oriented with good morals. For I can say with pride that I have always conducted myself with utmost integrity in this practice. Thi sis something I am proud of as a lawyer, but foremost, as a role model for my children. I know I am lucky to have my wits with me, and how blessed I am to have a loving husband and children. They are my inspirations in life.

My advice to those still struggling to make it, or who are dreaming of success: Believe in yourself. Never let failures or frustrations stand in the way of your dreams. Keep your pureness of spirit and never give up.

Nita Maru is a British qualified solicitor and founder of TWS Legal Consultants in Dubai. She can be reached by calling +971 4 448 4284.