By SNN Newsroom | October 15, 2026
WASHINGTON — Questions about White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia’s descriptions of her legal career have prompted two separate requests for scrutiny by California authorities, as additional reporting confirms that she did not pass the California bar examination after law school.
Administration official confirms unsuccessful bar examination
NBC News reported October 15, citing a senior administration official, that Zacharia did not pass the California bar examination after graduating from law school. The official argued that the word “lawyer” could describe her educational background even without bar admission, a distinction some legal professionals dispute. The Wall Street Journal first reported October 14, citing a person with direct knowledge, that she took the exam in 2011 and did not pass.
Pepperdine University confirms Zacharia earned a law degree in 2011. A law degree is an academic qualification and does not by itself establish admission to a state bar. The California State Bar told news organizations it found no record of her California licensure under names checked. A search that does not find a license is not a finding of unlawful conduct.
Two groups request scrutiny
On October 14, Campaign for Accountability announced a complaint asking the State Bar of California to investigate whether public descriptions of Zacharia as a lawyer misrepresented her licensing status. Separately, Democracy Defenders Fund requested that California’s attorney general and State Bar review whether her reported role as general counsel of Fix California involved work requiring a law license. The Washington Post reported both requests October 15.
These are requests for investigations, not findings of misconduct, criminal charges, or confirmation that regulators have opened proceedings. No publicly confirmed disciplinary or criminal action arising from the complaints was established in the sources reviewed for this report.
What work did she perform?
Zacharia has maintained that she performed international transactional legal work in China with appropriate credentials. Reuters reported that Ric Grenell described her work at Fix California as advisory rather than as an attorney. Reuters said it could not find evidence of U.S. bar admission. Her statement “when I moved to China,” in response to reporters’ questions, does not establish Chinese bar admission.
The White House has defended her appointment. There is no established requirement that a White House press secretary hold a law license. The unresolved question is whether Zacharia claimed a license she did not possess or undertook any work for which one was legally required; neither proposition has been established as fact.
Questions still unanswered
What precise duties did she perform for Fix California and Zhong Lun Law Firm? What qualifications were presented for her government appointments? Will California officials take any official action or issue public findings? SNN will report documented answers and give Zacharia and the White House an opportunity to respond.
Previous SNN coverage: Original investigation into her legal credentials and questions surrounding federal hiring records.
