Lepp graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School – York University in 1981. He was admitted to the Saskatchewan bar the following year and served as a Crown Prosecutor in Regina until 1988. Lepp began a lengthy career in special prosecutions in Alberta that year, first as a Crown Prosecutor, where he specialized in the prosecution of high-profile economic crime cases. Lepp moved from Director of Special Prosecutions in 2006 to become the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, a position he held until his appointment to the bench.

“Mr. Lepp’s leadership and advice over the years as Assistant Deputy Minister of Justice and Solicitor General have been invaluable. He is well-respected among his peers in the legal profession for his commitment to upholding and promoting the principles of justice and his involvement in initiatives that advance the innovation and accessibility of the justice system. I am confident he will serve in his new role with great distinction.”

Lepp has represented Alberta on many national and international prosecution committees and has lectured across Canada and the United States. He is an involved member of the judge-led Court Case Management Program, which aims to improve access to justice and the efficiency of the criminal justice system in Alberta.

The Alberta Judicial Council screens all candidates for Provincial Court appointments and forwards a list of recommended applicants to the Provincial Court Nominating Committee. The committee then interviews candidates from the list and recommends the names of those appointees felt to be of the highest calibre to the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General.

The Provincial Court Nominating Committee was established in 1999. The 11 members are appointed by the Minister of Justice and represent the Alberta Provincial Court, the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta Branch), and other members from the legal profession and the public. The Judicial Council has representatives from the Alberta Provincial Court, Court of Queen’s Bench, Court of Appeal and the Law Society of Alberta. It also includes two people appointed by the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General.