Izabella Szadkowska
Izabella is a Partner in the Corporate Structuring team and specialises in corporate and commercial work, particularly in foreign investment regime, cross-border corporate and regulatory structure design and implementation, capital restructuring work and trust structures advice and assistance. She has been with Al Tamimi & Company since 2007.
Izabella’s areas of practice also include economic substance, ultimate/ real beneficial ownership assessment and advice, business formation and corporate services under law of the Dubai International Financial Centre. Her expertise also extends to providing day-to-day legal advice on matters of corporate commercial nature to corporate clients, particularly family businesses, as well as M&A transactions assistance and equity capital markets.
Prior to joining Al Tamimi, Izabella trained at Linklaters LLP and practiced at Clifford Chance LLP and White & Case LLP. She combines private practice and in-house experience, having acted as Head of Group Legal Department for a major UAE conglomerate, Al Rostamani Group.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Experience
- Partner, Corporate Structuring Al Tamimi & Company (July 2014 - Present)
- Senior Associate, Al Tamimi & Company (January 2011 - June 2014)
- Associate Al Tamimi & Company (February 2007 - December 2010)
- Acting General Counsel Al Rostamani Group (November 2012 - September 2013)
- Legal Counsel Galadari & Associates (September 2006 - February 2007)
- Associate White & Case LLP (June 2005 - September 2006)
- Junior Associate Clifford Chance LLP (January 2005 - June 2005)
Qualifications
- Licensed Legal Consultant, Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department (2012)
- Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand (2010)
Education
- Postgraduate Certificate of Proficiency, University of Auckland School of Law (2010)
- LLM (Hons), Warsaw University (2005)
- Diploma, University of Cambridge School of English and European Union Law (2004)
1 Contributions by Izabella Szadkowska
PRACTICE NOTES
UAE market entry, corporate and regulatory guide 2025: mainland and free zones (ADGM/DIFC), company formation, employment, immigration, banking, real estate, competition, data protection, tax and IP for UK lawyers
Updated December 2025
Introduction
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) sits at a pivotal juncture between leading Western and Eastern markets. Formed as a constitutional union of seven Emirates, each maintains its own local authority, while overarching governance rests with the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers. As part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the UAE participates in the Middle East’s sole multi-national common market, aimed at deepening cross-border economic and fiscal cohesion. Investing and trading in the UAE offers a broad spectrum of prospects for investors. This Practice Note highlights principal considerations for overseas organisations entering the UAE and the essential actions to commence operations. It concentrates on establishing in Mainland UAE, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Although these jurisdictions are covered in depth, investors can also assess many alternatives within the UAE’s wide array of free zones, each with unique advantages and regulatory regimes. The material is provided for general guidance only and should not be acted upon without tailored legal or professional advice.
The business environment
Background
Established in 1971, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) initially flourished as a...
Commercial
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