Reality star, business mogul, and now, legal scholar—Kim Kardashian has officially added “law school graduate” to her already multi-hyphenate title.
After six years of intense study, unwavering determination, and a journey that began with a viral video on Twitter, the 44-year-old SKIMS founder marked her academic milestone with a private commencement ceremony, surrounded by close family and friends. Among the attendees were sister Khloe Kardashian, her children Saint, Chicago, and Psalm West, and longtime criminal justice advocate Van Jones, who has played an instrumental role in her legal education.
“All of you guys have been on this journey with me,” Kim shared in her speech posted to Instagram Stories. “It did start with Van and I. Well, it started with the Twitter video that I saw that popped up.”
That “video” was more than a moment of curiosity—it was a catalyst. Outraged and “dumbfounded” by the injustices in the American legal system, Kardashian pivoted from red carpets to courtrooms, enrolling in a four-year legal apprenticeship under a San Francisco-based law firm in 2018. Her goal? To become a fully licensed attorney in California—a state that permits law office study as an alternative to traditional law school.
Her path was anything but easy. The mother of four famously failed the First-Year Law Students’ Examination—also known as the “baby bar”—twice before passing it in 2021. Most recently, she completed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), another significant step toward full legal licensure.
According to her legal mentor, who spoke during the ceremony, Kim’s commitment was nothing short of extraordinary. “She studied 18 hours a week, 48 weeks a year, for six straight years,” the speaker said, adding up to an estimated 5,184 hours of rigorous legal study. “That’s time she carved out while raising four children, running billion-dollar brands, filming television shows, and advocating for incarcerated individuals.”
To honor the occasion, Kardashian designed a commencement celebration that was both heartfelt and humorous. Guests were treated to place settings made from her old study notes—a clever nod to the thousands of hours spent memorizing case law and legal theory.
Khloe Kardashian shared her pride in a video posted to her Instagram Story: “This was years and years in the making. This was just such a cool accomplishment and I’m so proud. This was really inspiring and motivating.”
Indeed, Kim Kardashian’s journey is as much about perseverance as it is about privilege. Though fame afforded her the flexibility and resources to pursue such a path, her tenacity—repeated attempts at passing grueling exams, her advocacy in real legal cases, and the balancing act of career, children, and coursework—makes her success no less admirable.
And yet, this chapter is only the prelude. The final hurdle on her legal journey is the California State Bar Exam—one of the most difficult in the nation—which she must still pass to become a licensed attorney. Held every February and July, the exam will test whether Kim’s years of preparation will culminate in courtroom credentials.
Until then, one thing is certain: Kim Kardashian is no longer just keeping up—she’s setting a pace of her own.
