Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia defends ‘lawyer’ title, downplays bar exam results

• Katie Zacharia acknowledged she did not pass the California bar exam, calling the result “inconsequential” because she did not need it in China.
• She said legal experts told her she could call herself a lawyer because she has a JD and international transaction law experience, but not “an attorney at law.”
• Her legal title has drawn scrutiny after Trump called her “an attorney”; the White House defended her and said she is “uniquely qualified,” while the ABA says bar admission is needed to practise law.

WASHINGTON – White House press secretary Katie Zacharia appeared to acknowledge on Oct 15 that she did not pass the California bar exam, calling the results “inconsequential” as she sought to tamp down mounting questions over her legal credentials. 

Zacharia said that when she sat for the exam, she was preparing to marry her now husband and move with him to China, where he worked for a private equity company.

She called herself “obviously incredibly distracted and overwhelmed and excited” at the time, in an interview on Oct 15 with conservative outlet Real America’s Voice. 

“I had already pre-registered to take the bar, and I didn’t want to withdraw from that,” she said, adding that she decided to take the exam “and see what happens”.

She downplayed the exam results, calling them “somewhat inconsequential because I knew I wouldn’t need the bar in China” and the couple left soon thereafter.

“After moving to China, I think I didn’t really think much of the bar results or consider that something that I needed to focus on,” Zacharia said.

The new press secretary, whom US President Donald Trump described as “an attorney” when announcing her appointment, has faced scrutiny over her legal career.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct 14 that Zacharia had failed the bar exam in her home state of California before moving to China.

She has said that while living in China she “practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials”.

Zacharia on Oct 15 said she had sought advice from legal professionals who told her it was acceptable to call herself a lawyer and provide legal analysis instead of legal advice. 

“They said: ‘absolutely, absolutely across the board. You can call yourself a lawyer. You have a JD, and to buffer that, you have international legal experience in transactional law, which gives you the ability to analyse it, not necessarily give advice’,” she said in the interview.

“The truth is, is I was very careful how I executed this, and I never came across as someone who was an attorney at law.”

A JD or Juris Doctor is a graduate-level degree for people seeking to practice law in the US.

Zacharia earned her degree from Pepperdine Law School in 2011, according to an announcement from the university. 

The White House has defended Zacharia over the questions over her legal career but did not address Zacharia’s status as a lawyer when asked about the Journal report. 

“Katie is a fabulous and wonderful addition to the team,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement.

“She is uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people about all the great things President Trump and his Administration have been doing, and she will do an incredible job as Press Secretary.” 

According to the American Bar Association, someone in the US who graduates from law school cannot practice law or present themselves as an attorney before passing a bar exam and being admitted to a state bar.

Zacharia posted Trump’s announcement of her appointment, including the assertion that she was an attorney. BLOOMBERG