Kim Kardashian is officially a law study graduate in accordance with California rules. This accomplishment is a huge step along her path from reality TV star to advocate for prison reform and non-violent offenders. The reality television star turned legal enthusiast has dedicated six years to her studies, balancing 18 hours of work each week with her personal and professional commitments.
Kardashian’s advocacy work stormed into the national conversation when she advocated for Alice Marie Johnson’s release from prison. A 71-year-old great-grandmother, Johnson had served over two decades in prison for her role in drug trafficking. In June 2018, Johnson’s life sentence was commuted, largely due to Kardashian’s efforts in raising awareness about her plight. Such a case would serve as a continuing testament to Kardashian’s stated goal of righting the wrongs of injustices within our criminal justice system.
In 2018, Kardashian enrolled with the State Bar of California to pursue a legal apprenticeship instead of attending traditional law school. She racked up an impressive 5,184 hours of accelerated legal study during the past half-dozen years. Through it all, we were operating under the advice of a licensed California attorney. This parallel track to legal training remains a limited option in just a handful of states, such as California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
Kardashian originally revealed her desire to become a lawyer via Instagram in April of 2019. She persevered through a great deal of adversity on her path. Such was the case when she passed California’s notorious First-Year Law Students’ Exam—better known as the “baby bar.” After trying four times, she finally passed her exam in 2021, but her story shows how perseverance and determination helped her succeed in achieving her dreams.
Her graduation ceremony occurred in a backyard space with dozens of her family and friends. Kardashian documented pieces of the oasis-like event with video and photos on her Instagram story. At the event, one of her mentors – Jessica Jackson, the national director of Charlie’s Angels – described Charlie’s fierce focus and dedication to justice.
“Six years ago, Kim Kardashian walked into this program with nothing but a fierce desire to fight for justice — no law school lectures, no ivory tower shortcuts, just determination and a mountain of case law books to read,” – Attorney Jessica Jackson
Now with this milestone, Kim Kardashian is eligible to sit for the California bar exam. She’s one step closer to making her dream of becoming a licensed attorney—just as her late father, Robert Kardashian—would have come true. Her journey to the Capitol is the embodiment of a growing movement among celebrities. They utilize their platforms to fiercely promote social change, particularly in the areas of criminal justice reform.