White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed she did not pass the bar exam, despite previously describing herself as a lawyer. The confirmation follows reports that she failed the California bar in 2011.
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed on Thursday that she did not pass the bar exam, addressing scrutiny over her legal credentials. While President Donald Trump referred to her as an "attorney" in a social media post announcing her appointment, Zacharia stated she never presented herself as an "attorney at law."
Zacharia made the confirmation in an interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec and later with Real America's Voice. She acknowledged taking the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011 but stated she did not pass.
"I'll take the bar and see what happens," Zacharia said of her mindset at the time. "The results are somewhat inconsequential because I knew I wouldn't need the bar in China, and -- and we left shortly thereafter."
She explained that she was "incredibly distracted and overwhelmed and excited" by her impending marriage and move to China for her husband's work. According to the Wall Street Journal, Zacharia did not pass the bar in any other U.S. state in which she has lived. A senior administration official confirmed to NBC News that she did not pass the California bar exam.
Zacharia defended her use of the title "lawyer," stating she consulted with legal experts who advised that she could use the term if she provided legal analysis rather than legal advice.
"I consulted, for a very long time, many people in the field: 'Is it OK and acceptable if I label myself "lawyer," not "attorney at law," not "Katie Zacharia, Esquire," but "lawyer," and provide legal analysis, not legal advice?,'" Zacharia told Real America's Voice. "And they said 'absolutely, absolutely,' across the board."
However, CNN reported that Zacharia shared at least 15 social media posts identifying herself as an "attorney" over the last two years. Legal experts told The New York Times that while it is debatable whether a law school graduate can describe themselves as a "lawyer" before passing the bar, they cannot call themselves an "attorney," which implies licensure to practice law.
The Campaign for Accountability, a nonprofit watchdog group, filed a complaint with the State Bar of California on Wednesday. The group questioned whether Zacharia violated California Business and Professions Code Section 6126, which prohibits holding oneself out as practicing law without an active license.
"Ms. Zacharia has represented herself as a lawyer repeatedly to buttress her reputation and credibility as a television legal commentator and now as the White House spokesperson, yet it seems it was all a lie," said Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of the Campaign for Accountability. "In California, calling yourself a lawyer without a license isn't puffery; it's a crime."
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung dismissed the complaint, calling the group a "radical leftist-organization." He stated that Zacharia is "uniquely qualified" for the role. A White House official noted that Zacharia holds a juris doctor from Pepperdine and practiced international transaction law in China, where she worked for a Chinese law firm's international-practice team.
The confirmation highlights the distinction between holding a law degree and being licensed to practice law. While Zacharia maintains that her title of "lawyer" was accurate in the context of providing analysis, legal experts and state bar regulations in California distinguish this from the title of "attorney," which requires passing the bar exam. The situation has drawn legal scrutiny and political debate regarding the credentials of high-level administration officials.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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