L-R: Hayden Wilson, Dr Jonathan Coates and Anita Miller

Claro is a specialist health sector law firm in New Zealand with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, operating at the intersection of law and the regulation, management and funding of health and disability services. Like Dentons, Claro has longstanding relationships with public and private sector health organisations across New Zealand. Many of its lawyers and professionals have health qualifications and frontline experience and have been working with health sector clients for many years.

Hayden Wilson, Chair of Dentons in New Zealand, says, “The addition of Dr Jonathan Coates, Anita Miller and the Claro team adds further bench strength to our leading health law practice. A physical presence in Christchurch continues our strategic growth in order to meet our clients' needs across New Zealand. We are committed to providing unparalleled legal services tailored to our clients' evolving needs, wherever they are in New Zealand and around the world.”

Dr Jonathan Coates, Claro’s founding partner and one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent health sector lawyers, joins Dentons as a Consultant based in Christchurch. Anita Miller, a highly experienced litigator and expert in health law, joins Dentons' Wellington office as a Partner. Jonathan and Anita’s team of lawyers and professionals across offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch will also be joining Dentons.

The combined expertise means Dentons will have the largest and strongest specialist health law team in New Zealand.

“We are excited to be joining Dentons and leveraging the local relationships, together with the international connections Dentons provides, to meet and exceed the needs of our clients in an increasingly complex regulatory environment,” says Anita Miller, Partner at Claro. "Dentons already has impressive strength across the health sector and we are thrilled to be able to offer an enhanced service to our clients. As part of Dentons, we will be able to connect clients to leading global talent and help leverage new opportunities across the sector both in New Zealand and globally.”