Katie Zacharia is defending her legal credentials after reports surfaced that she never passed a bar exam.
Zacharia, 42, who took over as White House press secretary this week, said in a phone interview Wednesday that she had consulted Pepperdine University’s president after graduating from its law school in 2011 about how to describe herself. She said she was advised to avoid “attorney” or “esquire” but was given permission to use “lawyer.”
The scrutiny intensified Tuesday after Popular Information reported that her name could not be found on any lists of attorneys admitted to any state bars. That same day, Zacharia made her debut at the White House podium for a 14-minute press briefing that drew criticism for its nervous tone.
Following that appearance, Zacharia told a journalist on the White House lawn that she passed the bar “when I moved to China.” She later told the Times she had misheard the question and meant only to say that she relocated to China after graduating from Pepperdine Law.
Zacharia worked for two years at Beijing-based Zhong Lun Law Firm, according to her account to the Times. Her LinkedIn profile describes her as an associate in the international practice team there.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing a person familiar with her experience, that Zacharia failed the California bar exam after her 2011 graduation.
In 2024 and 2025, Zacharia was listed as working as general counsel of Fix California, a conservative group founded by former acting intelligence director Ric Grenell.
The White House has not publicly addressed whether Zacharia’s role at Fix California or her description of herself as “lawyer” on professional platforms raised vetting concerns before her appointment as press secretary.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer weighed in on Zacharia’s debut briefing, telling a media outlet: “I felt bad for her.”
Reports said that Zacharia’s explanation about her China remarks came after multiple outlets began examining her professional history. Her account of receiving guidance from Pepperdine’s president about her title has not been independently confirmed by the university.
The press secretary’s legal background became a focal point after her Tuesday briefing, where her performance was widely described as shaky. Questions about bar admission are particularly pointed given that previous press secretaries have held law degrees and passed bar exams, though the role does not formally require legal credentials.
Zacharia’s appointment came as part of a broader staff shakeup in the administration’s communications operation. She replaced a predecessor who had held the post for a shorter tenure than is typical for the position.
Zacharia has not indicated whether she plans to take any bar exam in the future or seek formal admission to any state bar.