In brief
Katie Zacharia was named White House press secretary last week, with President Trump describing her as an attorney. Questions arose after she said she passed the bar in China, a mistake she later clarified. White House communications director said she is uniquely qualified, but watchdogs argue she has not met the legal licensure requirements in the U.S. Her background includes working on international transactions in China and as a former associate at the law firm Zhong Lun. The episode highlights the blurred line between holding a law degree and being a licensed practitioner.
President Donald Trump announced Katie Zacharia as the new White House press secretary, calling her an 'attorney' and describing her as a 'lawyer'.
Questions about her legal credentials emerged when she was asked which state she had passed the bar exam, and she mistakenly responded, 'When I moved to China,' a statement she later clarified as a misunderstanding.
The White House communications director Steven Cheung defended her qualifications, saying she is 'uniquely qualified and whip smart' to inform the American people, while watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar alleging she has repeatedly represented herself as licensed to practice, despite not holding a state bar license.
Zacharia earned a J.D. from Pepperdine University in 2011 and claims experience in international transaction law, having worked in Beijing with Zhong Lun Law Firm and served as outside counsel for the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank, roles that do not require a U.S. bar license.
Legal experts note that a law degree is not a licence to practise law in the United States; the California bar exam is notoriously difficult, and reports from the Wall Street Journal have indicated that she did not pass it.
