Anna Kathryn (Barnes) Barry is an accomplished civil rights attorney who is committed to advocating for workers’ rights and social justice. Her practice focuses on representing employees in cases involving discrimination, retaliation, and other workplace injustices.

 

Before joining KCNF, Anna Kathryn served as assistant general counsel at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Washington, D.C. In this role, she was deeply involved in civil rights litigation and advocacy, addressing issues ranging from First Amendment violations to constitutional violations in juvenile detention facilities. She represented members of Congress in a suit against Donald Trump, the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers for their role in the events of January 6, 2021. She played a critical role in the NAACP’s voter protection efforts, developing strategies, building coalitions, and training legal volunteers to safeguard voting rights. Anna Kathryn also led the NAACP’s redistricting litigation, successfully defending depositions and guiding the organization’s legal strategy in several states.

 

Before becoming the NAACP’s assistant general counsel, Anna Kathryn served as a consulting attorney for the NAACP during the 2020 General Election and 2021 Georgia Special Election, where she developed and implemented voter protection initiatives and recruited and trained over 300 legal volunteers. She also worked at the NAACP during law school as a Kellogg’s Law Fellow, working on a range of civil rights matters, including challenging discriminatory policies in K-12 schools. During law school, Anna Kathryn also worked as a judicial resident for Judge Lucy Inman in the North Carolina Court of Appeals and as an extern at Mehri & Skalet, PLLC.

 

Anna Kathryn’s dedication to social justice is reflected not only in her legal work but also in her community involvement. As a former Teach for America corps member, she taught in a high-need public school in North Carolina, earning recognition for her commitment to equity in education. She also serves on the Board of Directors for The Facing Project, a non-profit organization focused on creating empathy through storytelling.

 

Anna Kathryn earned her J.D., cum laude, from Elon University School of Law, where she was awarded the David Gergen Award for Leadership and Professionalism. During her time at Elon, she served as articles editor for the Elon Law Review and participated in the Constitutional Law Appellate Advocacy Clinic. She holds a B.A. in politics and English from Washington and Lee University.

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