Reality television star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian, who is pursuing a legal career through an apprenticeship program, has successfully taken her final bar exam but has ruled out one area of practice: divorce law. Her statement, "I could never be a divorce lawyer," comes as she awaits the results of the notoriously difficult California bar examination, marking the final stage of her unconventional path to becoming an attorney.
Kardashian, who never attended a traditional university, is qualifying under California's Law Office Study Program, a four-year apprenticeship that allows aspiring lawyers to study under a practicing lawyer or judge. After completing the program in six years, which included passing the "baby bar" on her fourth attempt in 2021, she is now on the verge of achieving her goal. Her ambition is primarily centered on criminal law and justice reform, inspired in part by her late father, Robert Kardashian, and her own advocacy work.
Her recent acting role, where she plays a high powered divorce attorney named Allura Grant in the legal drama All's Fair, provides a contrasting backdrop to her real life legal aspirations. Drawing on her own experiences with multiple high profile divorces, Kardashian noted that the emotional toll of separating families is what makes the field unsuited to her. The intensity and personal nature of divorce proceedings, which she has navigated in the public eye, are clearly a deterrent to practicing in that area.
In contrast to the highly personal and often contentious nature of family law, Kardashian has repeatedly expressed her desire to become a trial lawyer focused on criminal justice reform. This passion has been evident through her work on clemency cases and her continued advocacy for individuals she believes have been wrongly incarcerated or received disproportionate sentences. She has a clear ten year plan which she shared on The Graham Norton Show, stating her desire to "give up being Kim K and be a trial lawyer. That's what I really want."
As she waits for the results of the final bar exam, a moment she will share publicly, the celebrity's focus remains on using her platform to enact meaningful change within the legal system. She has recently spoken about the challenges of the study process, including a candid admission about using an AI chat bot, ChatGPT, for legal advice which she jokingly blamed for making her fail earlier tests. Her dedication has been lauded by her mentors, who praise the hours she carved out for study while running businesses and raising four children.
