Katie Zacharia says she did not pass California bar exam

Zacharia addresses her legal background

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia confirmed that she did not pass California’s bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University’s law school. In an interview with commentator Jack Posobiec, she said she was preparing to marry and move to China for her husband’s job when she took the exam in 2011.

Zacharia said she did not need to pass the exam for her work in China. She also said she had not presented herself as an “attorney at law” and had consulted experts about using the word “lawyer.” Pepperdine confirmed that she earned a juris doctor degree.

Zacharia previously said on Fox News that she spent three years in Beijing working as a corporate lawyer. Her Instagram biography also identifies her as a lawyer. President Donald Trump has called her an attorney, while CNN reported that she shared social media posts describing her that way.

CBS News reported that only Chinese nationals may take China’s bar exam. Zacharia told CBS that she worked in international transaction law with the appropriate credentials, without identifying those credentials.

White House response and California complaint

The White House defended Zacharia’s qualifications for the press secretary position. White House communications director Steven Cheung described her as “uniquely qualified” and praised her ability to explain the administration’s work to the public.

The Campaign for Accountability, a nonprofit watchdog, filed a complaint with the State Bar of California questioning whether Zacharia violated state law by calling herself a lawyer without passing the bar. The complaint begins a review process; it does not establish that a violation occurred.

Zacharia lived in California with her family before becoming White House press secretary. She has distinguished between calling herself a lawyer and claiming to be an attorney authorized to practice law.