Mélanie Joly’s Growing Influence in Canada (2 of 5)

Education

Joly received a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Université de Montréal in 2001. She then attended Brasenose College, Oxford, where she earned a Magister Juris in European and Comparative Law. While there, she received praise for her academic prowess, winning a Chevening Scholarship for outstanding achievement in legal and public policy education.

Early Career

After finishing her bachelor’s degree, Joly passed the bar and became licensed to practice law in Quebec. She began a legal career as an associate at the prominent firm Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg and then, after finishing up at Oxford, at Stikeman Elliott. She then made the transition from law to public relations, serving as a managing partner at Cohn & Wolfe. In 2013, she made her initial foray into politics by running for mayor of Montreal, where she secured the second position. Nonetheless, even in defeat she managed to raise her profile significantly, which helped her gain recognition and support for her future political endeavors.