Kim Kardashian recently revealed on Instagram that she did not pass the California Bar Exam she took in July 2025 — a high-profile setback in her multi-year quest to become a licensed attorney. She framed the disappointment not as a defeat, but as a source of renewed determination. (“Well … I’m not a lawyer yet, I just play a very well-dressed one on TV,” she wrote.) 

A Long Legal Journey — and No Shortcuts

Kardashian’s legal ambitions go back several years: she began her law journey in 2018 via a non-traditional route, working in a San Francisco law firm under a Law Office Study Program rather than attending a conventional law school.  After six years of hard work and study, she shared on Instagram, “No shortcuts, no giving up — just more studying and even more determination.” 

Despite failing the bar this time around, Kim expressed gratitude for her supporters: “Thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way so far. Failing short isn’t failure — it’s fuel.”  She also wrote that she was “so close to passing the exam,” and that that near miss has only strengthened her motivation.

Her Previous Legal Milestones

This isn’t Kim’s first major hurdle. In 2021, she passed the infamous “baby bar” (the First-Year Law Students’ Examination), after multiple attempts. More recently, earlier in 2025, she passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), which tests legal ethics.  These earlier wins show she’s not new to tough exams.

The AI Factor: ChatGPT and Her Preparation

In candid interviews, Kardashian admitted she used ChatGPT for help while studying — but said the tool often misled her. According to her, she would snap pictures of questions, feed them to the AI, and rely on its answers — only to find they were frequently wrong.  She said at times she would get angry at the chatbot because she believed its wrong answers contributed to her previous test failures. 

Some legal experts, as reported by Newsweek, have warned that Kardashian’s experience underscores a broader risk: overreliance on generative AI in high-stakes legal education can be dangerous.  Law professors noted that while AI can be a useful tool, it should never substitute for rigorous study, verification, and case-reading. 

What’s Next for Kim

Far from stepping away, Kim has vowed to try again: she says she plans to retake the bar and continue pursuing her legal career. According to reports, the next California bar exam she could sit for is in February 2026.  Her social media message made it clear that she sees this as phase of growth — not an endpoint.

Her resolve is strengthened by her commitment to criminal justice reform, a cause she has frequently supported. She has often said she draws inspiration from her late father, Robert Kardashian Sr., who was a respected attorney.