A Conversation with Fried Frank’s Civil Rights Fellows, Kathryn Sachs and Natasha Menon

In September, Kathryn Sachs joined us as our 2025 Civil Rights Fellow. She will spend the next two years in our Litigation Department before joining the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). Kathryn joins Natasha Menon, the 2024 Civil Rights Fellow, who has one more year at Fried Frank before joining the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF).

This year, we spoke with both fellows to capture their experiences at different stages of the firm portion of the fellowship program.

Q: What inspired your passion for civil rights and social justice?

Kathryn: My twin has a series of serious disabilities that I do not have, so I learned about ableism, discrimination and inequity in real time from a very young age. Carrying this perspective helped me notice injustice more quickly than I otherwise would have. Close friends and loved ones' experiences with systemic racism, classism, homophobia and xenophobia stuck with me in a way that I genuinely could not shake, and pushed me to learn about the structures that perpetuated these experiences. With that background, learning about the legal protections that, when enforced, could help protect and expand community power gave me a sense of hope and direction.

Natasha: Growing up in Arizona, I was inspired to pursue civil rights and social justice work after being involved with community-led efforts to combat severe cuts to our state education budget. Through helping to organize a statewide letter writing campaign and receiving a successful outcome of increased education funding, I witnessed what could happen when communities feel empowered to take matters into their own hands and speak out against the injustices they face. I realized that I wanted to continue to be a part of these kinds of experiences and felt that I could be most effective in these movements as a legal advocate.

Q: The fellowship bridges private practice and public interest work. What has that balance taught you so far?

Kathryn: Before beginning this fellowship, I viewed pro bono work primarily as a critical force multiplier in a legal ecosystem that literally undervalues public interest advocacy. Now, I have seen firsthand how firm resources, mentorship and time can allow associates to become excellent public interest advocates, and I am excited to learn more as the fellowship continues.

Natasha: The fellowship has reaffirmed the important roles that both the public and private sectors play in ensuring clients have access to meaningful legal representation. Through my time at Fried Frank, I have seen how strong public-private relationships have allowed teams to mobilize quickly to help clients in need. I have learned that putting in the groundwork to establish these partnerships beforehand can make all the difference when emergent situations arise. I hope to continue to build these partnerships while at LDF.

Q: What aspects of your experience working at Fried Frank so far have most supported your growth or broadened your perspective?

Kathryn: Stellar colleagues and mentors at Fried Frank have already allowed me to take on as much complex litigation work as I can handle. I have drafted arguments for several appellate briefs and a portions of a habeas petition, and am working with a trial team to prepare for my first witness examination at trial next year. I am so grateful that Fried Frank is invested in fostering each Civil Rights Fellow's growth during our time at the firm, and I feel confident that by the time I join MALDEF, I will be able to add a lot of value.

Natasha: I have learned so much from my pro bono direct services work. Being able to interact with clients and learn from their experiences has given me greater insight into the real-life effects of many of the systemic issues I will be advocating against through impact litigation efforts at LDF. I have also appreciated being able to work on articles meant to take developments in the law and present the information in a more digestible and accessible format.

Q: Outside of your legal work, what experiences or passions influence how you approach advocacy?

Kathryn: I picked up distance running as an adult, which has taught me to stay committed to big goals, to rest when I need it and to truly enjoy a challenging process. It also just keeps me grounded, gets me outside often and brings me a lot of joy, which helps me be a better advocate and human. Seeing my truly wonderful running friends most days reminds me how important it is to invest in your community, and how many different ways there are to contribute to the world and to each other. Outside of running, I love exploring Brooklyn with my partner and our dog, Roo, who embodies joy (and whose obliviousness to both deadlines and current events is comforting).

Natasha: I try to maintain and develop new hobbies outside of my legal work, which have greatly influenced how I approach advocacy. By learning a new dance form or picking up sewing, I am able to challenge myself to think creatively and differently. I also believe in the importance of work/life balance in sustaining a public interest career, so having a strong community and passions outside of my legal work will allow me to be a better advocate and to show up more focused and present for my clients.

About the Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship:

Created to bridge the worlds of private law firm litigation and public service law, the Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship connects the firm with two of the country's leading civil rights advocacy organizations, LDF and MALDEF. The fellowship enables an entry-level lawyer to spend two years as a litigator at Fried Frank, followed by two years as a staff attorney with LDF or MALDEF. At the end of their four-year commitment, fellows are encouraged to interview at Fried Frank or apply to continue at the respective organization.

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