UAlberta Faculty of Law Prof. Gail Henderson Creating Academic Links Between Ireland and Alberta

Prof. Gail Henderson by the River Liffey, near TCD campus

Creating Academic Links Between Ireland and Alberta: Professor Gail Henderson completes a month-long visit to Trinity College Dublin funded by the Ireland Canada University Foundation

As reported on May 15, 2014, Professor Henderson was awarded a Dobbin Scholarship from the Ireland Canada University Foundation (ICUF) to visit Trinity College Dublin to conduct research on "public interest directors" appointed to Ireland's six domestic banks following the move by the Irish Government to guarantee the banks' liabilities in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The visit was an opportunity for Professor Henderson to expand her research interest in corporate governance to the banking sector, specifically. During her visit, Professor Henderson interviewed former public interest directors to gain insight as to how they understood "the public interest", how they understood their role as public interest directors, the challenges in fulfilling this role and their thoughts on the role of public interest directors going forward.

Trinity College Dublin (TCD), main gate (Regent House entrance)

"The financial crisis demonstrated the vital importance of the banks to the public interest" explains Professor Henderson, "but I don't think we've figured out yet how to integrate the public interest into the way in which banks are regulated."

Samuel Beckett plaque on School of Law building, TCD

Professor Henderson and her research collaborator Professor Blanaid Clarke of Trinity College will spend the summer and fall writing up the research findings for publication in 2015.

While in Ireland, Professor Henderson also travelled to Queen's University in Belfast and visited with Head of School Sally Wheeler and professor Dr. Ciarán O'Kelly, both of who research in the area of corporate governance.

At the end of her visit, Professor Henderson attended a reception hosted by Canadian Ambassador Loyola Hearn and attended by Ireland's Minister of Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn to celebrate the Dobbin Scholars and other ICUF scholarship recipients.

Long Room Hub, TCD (where Prof. Henderson had an office)

"As noted by the speakers at the reception, the links between Ireland and Canada are both wide and deep," said Professor Henderson. "This research visit was a chance not only to conduct important research on an overlooked aspect of the financial crisis, but also to establish connections with corporate governance scholars in Ireland, and so contribute, in my own small way, to these historic ties."

Professor Henderson also has a close personal connection to the Emerald Isle: her parents emigrated to Canada from Northern Ireland in 1966.