Hayley Gendron is a graduate of the University of Victoria’s joint degree program in Canadian Common Law (JD) and Indigenous Legal Orders (JID). As a member of the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation and an avid mountaineer and paddler, her passions lay at the intersection of Indigenous and environmental law, grounded in her lived and land-based experiences.   

Throughout her legal studies and work placements, Hayley has had the privilege of learning from and collaborating with leading scholars and practitioners dedicated to the revitalization and application of Indigenous laws. She has worked with several First Nations on matters including land protection, treaty implementation, and self-governance, and has contributed to initiatives with Pro Bono Students Canada, UVic’s Environmental Law Clinic, and the Balance Co/Lab Initiative.  

Hayley also holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of British Columbia. Before entering law, she supported forestry and climate research in Patagonia, guided in the Rockies, and worked on Indigenous-led climate action projects in Latin America.

Now based on beautiful Quadra Island, Hayley is grateful to live and learn on the unceded territory of the Wei Wai Kum and Wei Wai Kai First Nations, where she continues to ground her legal practice in service to land, water, and community.