Perry County celebrates the achievements of one of its own, Kalen S. Early, an upcoming graduate from Samford University, Cumberland School of Law. A proud native of Uniontown, AL, Kalen is a 2015 graduate of Robert C. Hatch High School. After graduating from Hatch, Kalen remained in the county to attend school at Marion Military Institute. Kalen distinguished himself by assuming several pivotal leadership roles, notably serving as Battalion Executive Officer, a position revered as the second highest within the cadet hierarchy on campus. Building upon his educational foundation from Hatch and MMI, Kalen continued his education at the University of Alabama where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, graduating summa cum laude. Following a fulfilling two-year stint as an Admissions Counselor for MMI, he then started his law school journey at Cumberland in the Fall of 2021. Throughout his three-year tenure at Cumberland Law, Kalen has impressively earned a place on the Dean’s List for four out of six semesters. While maintaining a competitive academic standing, Kalen managed to dedicate his extra time to serve as a Law School Ambassador, a Career Development Advisor, a trial team member on Cumberland’s nationally ranked trial team, a Caruthers Writing Fellow, a member of the Judge James Edwin Horton Inn of Court, along with maintaining active membership in school clubs and organizations including the Black Law Student Association and the First-Generation Law Student Association.
After graduation and upon Bar passage, Kalen plans to specialize in nursing home and assisted living defense litigation and healthcare regulatory matters as an Associate Attorney for Starnes Davis Florie, LLP in Birmingham, Alabama.
Kalen attributes much of his success to the unwavering support of his family, particularly his mother, Shanda Early, and grandmother, Minnie Early, both career educators who instilled in him a profound appreciation for learning and academic excellence.
