Gail E. Henderson is a Canadian legal scholar and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, QueenâÂÂs University whose areas of research and teaching include consumer financial protection, financial literacy and investor education, securities regulation, corporate law and contracts. Her academic expertise has established her as a leading voice in Canadian financial regulation and consumer protection law.
Henderson has recently been appointed to the Investor Advisory Panel of the Ontario Securities Commission. Her scholarship continues to influence national debates on financial literacy and criminal interest rates, and her research has been supported by major grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada totaling nearly $330,000. Henderson's work bridges academic research with practical policy application, as evidenced by her service on multiple government advisory committees including the Consumer Protection Advisory Committee of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
Before joining legal academia, Henderson gained significant legal experiences as a law clerk to the Honourable Louise Charron at the Supreme Court of Canada and as an Associate (Litigation Department) at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.
Henderson completed her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, graduating as a gold medalist in 2005 and went on to obtain a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Toronto in 2009.
Henderson also earned a Doctor of Juridical Science from the University of Toronto. Her doctoral dissertation, titled A Duty to Minimize the Corporation's Environmental Impacts: Corporate Governance and Sustainable Development, was supervised by Professor Mohammad Fadel and Professor Ian Lee. The examining committee included Professor Anita Anand and Professor Andrew Green, with Professor Richard Janda serving as the external reviewer.
Henderson's academic career began at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law where she served as an Assistant Professor from 2013 to 2016. Subsequently, she joined the Faculty of Law at QueenâÂÂs University in 2016 as an Assistant Professor and served in that role until 2019.
In 2019, Henderson was promoted to the position of Associate Professor at Faculty of Law, QueenâÂÂs University. She also served as Associate Dean (Faculty Relations) from 2020 to 2022, and Interim Associate Dean (Academic Policy) in 2022. In these roles, she was instrumental in developing and implementing policies for both on-campus and remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring continuity and adaptability in legal education.
Henderson's research encompasses various facets of corporate and securities law, including consumer financial protection, financial literacy and investor education, securities regulation, corporate law, and contracts.
Henderson has been the recipient of several accolades throughout her academic journey, including the SSHRC's Doctoral Fellowship ($40,000) in 2011, Ontario Graduate Scholarship ($10,000) in 2010, and Graduate Fellowship in Capital Markets at the University of Toronto ($15,000) in 2009.
Henderson has been an active contributor to both the academic and professional legal communities throughout her career. Her service includes roles within law committees, editorial boards, and regulatory bodies. In addition to her academic achievements, Henderson has participated in the evaluation of research grants, and held leadership positions in various legal and community organizations. A selection of her notable roles is highlighted below: