Kim Kardashian's legal journey has hit another hurdle, but she's not backing down.
Months after taking the California Bar Exam on July 29 and 30, the 45-year-old SKIMS founder revealed on Saturday (Nov. 8) that she did not pass. In a heartfelt Instagram Stories post, Kim shared the news with her followers, reaffirming her commitment to becoming a lawyer despite the setback.
"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 added that she came close to passing, calling the experience "fuel" rather than failure: "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."
The two-day California Bar Exam is notoriously difficult, with a 63.6% pass rate for the February 2025 test. Held twice a year, it consists of five one-hour essay questions, one 90-minute performance test, and 200 multiple-choice questions. Around 16,000 people take the exam annually, according to the State Bar of California.
Kardashian has spent the last six years pursuing law through California's Law Office Study Program, which allows aspiring attorneys to apprentice under practicing lawyers instead of attending a traditional law school. She began her apprenticeship with a San Francisco-based firm in 2018 and officially graduated from the program in May 2025 after extending her studies due to work commitments and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her decision to pursue law was inspired by her father, the late Robert Kardashian, who famously served on O.J. Simpson's defense team. Since then, Kim has become a visible advocate for criminal justice reform, helping secure clemency for individuals like Alice Marie Johnson and Chris Young.
In 2021, Kim passed the "baby bar," the First-Year Law Students' Examination, on her fourth attempt, calling it one of her proudest accomplishments. She also completed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) earlier this year, another key milestone toward full legal certification.