Julia was born and raised in Edmonton. She received her Bachelor of Science and silver medal in Honours Mathematics from the University of Alberta in 2004.

Julia graduated from the University of Victoria Faculty of Law in 2008. During her years in law school she volunteered with Indigenous Law Club and the Legal Education Clinic, and worked as a co-op summer student with the Federal Prosecution Service at the downtown east side court in Vancouver. Julia articled with the criminal defence firm of Johnson Doricic Doyle Sugarman in Vancouver and was called to the bar in both British Columbia and Alberta in 2009. She has served as a volunteer with Alberta's Legal Education Society.

Julia's primary focus is in the defence of criminal and regulatory charges. She is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association.