Leading indigenous and human rights lawyer Natalie Coates is LawFuel’s lawyer of the year.
It has been a stellar legal career for Natalie Coates, taking her from her home in Whakatane to Harvard University and to her partnership in the leading Māori law firm Kahui Legal where she has worked to weave the threads of Māori tradition into the New Zealand legal system.
Her work has consistently displayed a commitment to justice, cultural preservation, and community engagement.
Her legal work and Māori heritage have also stood her at the forefront of the debate around the controversial inclusion of tikanga (Māori customary law) in New Zealand law. It is an area highlighted by the groundbreaking case permitting a deceased person, for the first time in New Zealand history, to invoke tikanga to clear his name of wrongdoing.
The Peter Ellis case saw the debate over the inclusion of tikanga to reach a highpoint, with strong debate and argument around both sides of the issue with some claiming it is simply Judge-made law that undermines statute and common law norms and others, like Natalie Coates, who proclaim the key principles of tikanga as essential elements of social and legal equity.
Education and Early Career
She studied at Otago University where she received her law and arts degrees before she was awarded scholarships, including the Fulbright Nga Pae o te Māramatanga graduate award, the New Zealand Law Foundation Ethel Benjamin Scholarship and a Ngārimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Masters Scholarship which permitted her to study at Harvard University where she received an LLM from Harvard University
She lectured at the University of Auckland before moving to her current firm Kahui Legal in 2014.
Current Roles and Responsibilities
- Leadership in Law: As Co-President of Te Hunga Roia Maori/the Maori Law Society since August 2023, they are a key figure in representing and advancing the interests of Maori in the legal profession.
- Judicial Contributions: Serving on the Lawyers & Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal, they ensure the integrity of legal practice in New Zealand.
- Educational Influence: As a member of the New Zealand Council of Legal Education and the New Zealand Council of Law Reporting, they play a pivotal role in shaping legal education and law reporting in the country.
- Cultural Preservation: On the Council of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, they contribute to preserving and promoting Maori education and values.
- Negotiating History: Their role as a negotiator for Te Whānau a Apanui Treaty settlement claims highlights their expertise in navigating complex historical and legal landscapes.
- Disaster Response Insight: Their participation in the Severe Weather Recovery Review Panel demonstrates a commitment to addressing and learning from natural disasters.
Notable Legal Involvements
- Climate Change Advocacy: Involved in significant climate change cases, including Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited and the Smith v Attorney-General NZCA litigation, both awaiting decisions.
- Championing Cultural Integration: Part of the legal team for Peter Ellis in a landmark case recognizing the continuance of legal proceedings posthumously and the integration of tikanga within common law.
- Iwi Representation: Represented iwi interests in notable cases such as Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd v Taranaki Whanganui Conservation Board, Ngāti Whātua Orakei Trust v Attorney General, and Whakatohea Kotahitanga Waka (Edwards) & Ors v Te Kahui and Whakatohea Māori Trust Board & Ors.
Read Natalie Coates’ views on Maori customary law, the Treaty and Te Reo given the recent government U-Turn on Maori language and other issues. Read More Here
