Kim Kardashian’s path to becoming a lawyer has hit another pause, but the story may not be finished yet.
After years of studying, documenting the process, and turning her legal ambitions into part of her public image, Kardashian is reportedly stepping back from the California bar exam for now. According to TMZ, the 45-year-old skipped the February 2026 exam and does not plan to sit for the July exam either, meaning her next possible attempt would not come until 2027.
The decision comes after Kardashian revealed in November 2025 that she had not passed the California bar exam. At the time, she addressed the result with humor and resolve, writing, “Well… I’m not a lawyer yet,” while making it clear that she had not given up on the goal.
For Kardashian, the law journey has never followed the usual celebrity side-project pattern. She began studying through California’s Law Office Study Program, a non-traditional route that allows students to train under a qualified attorney or judge instead of attending law school. Under the State Bar of California’s rules, students in the program must complete four years of structured study under supervision.
Her road to the full bar exam had already been public and difficult. Kardashian took California’s First-Year Law Students’ Examination, better known as the “baby bar,” multiple times before passing in 2021. After finally clearing it, she wrote that she had failed the exam three times in two years before getting back up and trying again.
That persistence became a major part of the way Kardashian framed her legal work. Beyond the exam process, she has been closely associated with criminal justice reform, including advocacy connected to clemency cases and prison reform. Her interest in law has also often been linked to the legacy of her late father, Robert Kardashian Sr., who was a defense attorney.
Still, the full California bar appears to have brought a different kind of pressure. Reports suggest Kardashian is now choosing to wait rather than force another attempt before she feels ready. Page Six reported that her schedule, filming commitments, and responsibilities as a single mother have also played into the decision to delay the exam.