Proudly Lab: Alumni Highlight Series - Kahlil Epps ’14
For Kahlil Epps '14, Lab is the bedrock upon which he built his future successes - first in college and law school, and now in his professional life. Read how Lab fostered the confidence that let him turn his belief in social justice into a mission driven legal career.
From 3rd through 8th grades, Kahlil Epps (’14) attended The Lab School, which he now considers his “bedrock.” Learning through the arts, assuming the role of an historical figure, and an introduction to the Socratic method are just a few of the Lab approaches that fed Kahlil’s intellectual curiosity. Equally important was how Lab fostered the confidence that came with strengthening his foundational skills, the sense of empowerment that came from an emerging ability to speak his ideas and beliefs, and the insights he gained about himself as a learner. After graduating from St. John’s College High School, Kahlil attended Grinnell College in Iowa as a Posse Scholar, earning a degree in English in 2018. He then traveled to Croatia on a Fulbright Scholarship. Working as an English teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, he partnered with a professor to teach classes and give lectures on topics from the works of W. E. B. Du Bois to the pedagogy of learning differences.
With a strong belief in social justice and a desire to empower traditionally marginalized communities, Kahlil began his studies at Vanderbilt Law School in the fall of 2019. While completing his studies, Kahlil was honored with the Jordan A. Quick Memorial Award, given to the student judged to have made the greatest contribution to the quality of life at the law school through leadership with the Vanderbilt Bar Association; Kahlil served as VBA president during the 2021-2022 academic year. Shortly after earning his Doctor of Law degree in May of 2022, Kahlil was hired as a Litigation Associate at Wiley Rein, LLC.
Since joining the team at Wiley, Kahlil has been: selected to participate in the National Bar Association’s Associate Advancement Academy for Excellence; recognized as one of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia (BADC) Young Lawyers of the Year for his impactful work on The Legal Aid Society DC's Make Justice Real Campaign; named a Congressional Black Caucus Power 100 honoree; and accepted to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity 2026 Pathfinders Program.
Holding true to the beliefs that guided him to pursue a degree in law, Kahlil dedicates time to pro bono work for DC’s Consumer Law Resource Center. And when he wants to decompress, he listens to podcasts, tackles projects around his home, and swims with people he’s known since he was seven years old and on the DC Wave.
Kahlil’s skills, drive, and beliefs have taken him far in the years since he was a Lower School and Middle School student at Lab, yet he still remains engaged with his “bedrock.” “Lab changed my life,” he says, “and without it, I wouldn’t have been able to do well in high school, at college, at law school, or now in my career.” Lab is hoping to reconnect with and highlight Alumni who built their foundation at Lab and went on to graduate from other high school programs. If you or someone you know shares this story, please provide us with your/their contact information. We are proud of every Alum and want to continue to build our network!
