The new White House press secretary appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump has described herself as a lawyer but never passed a U.S. bar exam, according to a report. Trump also referred to her as a lawyer, fueling a widening dispute over her legal credentials and career.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the 14th that White House press secretary Katie Zacharia took the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011 but failed.
Zacharia had introduced herself as a lawyer while working as a political commentator on Fox News and other conservative U.S. outlets. Trump also called her a lawyer when he announced her as the new White House press secretary.
Questions about her credentials surfaced after her name could not be found in attorney registries in California, Texas or Washington, D.C.
Asked About Credentials at First Briefing, Cites Move to China
The controversy drew wider attention after a question she faced at her first White House briefing. Asked by a reporter on the 13th in which state she had passed the bar exam, she replied, "When I moved to China." She offered no specifics, including which state's exam she had passed.
In a statement issued afterward, she said she had "all the necessary qualifications" and had worked in international trade law. The remarks were intended to explain that she was qualified to handle international trade law work, even as questions were raised about whether she holds a U.S. law license.
According to the Journal, Zacharia moved to Beijing with her then-fiancé after failing the California bar exam in 2011. She later worked on the international practice team at Zhong Lun Law Firm, a large Chinese firm.
She was known to have handled work such as drafting contracts and communicating with clients on the China operations of U.S. and multinational companies.
A Chinese law license was not necessarily required for foreign staff doing that work. The Journal reported that foreign employees such as Zacharia were formally classified as international legal consultants, while official legal opinions were handled by local partners licensed to practice in China.
White House Cites 'Unmatched Qualifications' as Career Dispute Persists
The White House defended Zacharia despite the questions over her credentials. Steven Cheung, White House communications director, said she has "unmatched qualifications and tremendous intellect" and would perform well as press secretary.
The White House also stressed that she was not hired to perform legal work, arguing that her duties as press secretary and the dispute over her law license are separate matters.
Practicing law in the United States generally requires passing the bar exam in the relevant jurisdiction and obtaining a license after a character and fitness review. Rules on licensing requirements and the unauthorized practice of law, however, vary by jurisdiction.
Her experience handling international trade law work in China and the question of whether she holds a U.S. law license need to be considered separately. Having handled such work at a Chinese law firm does not in itself mean she is licensed to practice law in the United States.