When did Kim Kardashian start studying law? Reality TV star fails bar exam, claims she will keep trying 

Kim Kardashian’s pursuit of a legal career has become one of the most widely covered transitions by a public figure in recent years. She officially began her journey in 2018, when she enrolled in a four-year apprenticeship program run by the State Bar of California, known as the Law Office Study Program. The program allows students to skip law school and instead “read the law” under the supervision of practicing attorneys.

In April 2019, Kim Kardashian publicly announced her switch, stating she is pursuing a non-traditional path to law rather than attending an accredited law school. She justified her decision by saying she has long been interested in criminal justice reform and that she was following in the footsteps of her late father, Robert Kardashian Sr., the defense attorney who was involved in the O.J. Simpson trial.

Over several years, Kardashian led a dual life as an entrepreneur and reality-TV star on one side, and a legal apprentice on the other. According to Vogue, she dedicated approximately 5,184 hours to law, all while raising four children and managing her business ventures.

In December 2021, she passed the “baby bar” (The First-Year Law Students Examination), a requirement for those pursuing the apprenticeship route in California who had previously failed the bar. She later reported that after completing her apprenticeship in May 2025, she was eligible to take the full California bar exam.

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Kim Kardashian fails the California Bar Exam

Although Kim Kardashian was eligible to take the California Bar Exam, she did not pass the test held on July 29 and 30, 2025. On November 8, 2025, the SKIMS founder shared her exam failure on Instagram Stories.

"Well... I'm not a lawyer yet, I just play a very well-dressed one on TV," she wrote. "Six years into this law journey, and I'm still all in until I pass the bar. No shortcuts, no giving up, just more studying and even more determination."

Kim accepted the result and stated that she intended to continue her studies.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way so far. Failing short isn't failure, it's fuel. I was so close to passing the exam, and that only motivated me even more."

Kim Kardashian shares about failing the California Bar Exam (Image via kimkardashian/ Instagram)

Kardashian has taken several exams during her law studies. The California Bar Exam is considered one of the toughest licensing tests in the United States.

The two-day exam consists of five one-hour essay questions, a 90-minute performance test, and 200 multiple-choice questions. In February 2025, the overall pass rate was only 63.6%. Kim Kardashian stated she plans to retake the exam in the next available testing period, expected in February 2026.

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Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Shreya Das