Kim Kardashian has reportedly paused her law studies after a series of setbacks on the California Bar exam, with sources saying the reality star is now expected to delay any further attempts until 2027. Kim has already missed the February 2026 sitting and the upcoming July exam.
Kim has been working towards qualifying as a lawyer for several years through California's alternative apprenticeship route rather than attending traditional law school. The news follows her previous revelation that she did not pass the bar exam in 2025.
Law Journey Paused After Bar Exam Setbacks
According to Page Six, Kim did not sit the February 2026 California Bar exam and has no current plans to take the July sitting either. Those familiar with the process note that candidates in California are typically offered two attempts a year, but sources say she will instead step away from testing for now, with a return to exams not expected until 2027. Kardashian has taken the California Bar exam only once so far.
Before that, she spent years working through the state's 'baby bar' requirement, which is part of the apprenticeship pathway she chose. That earlier hurdle proved difficult, with three unsuccessful attempts before she finally passed on her fourth try in 2021.
Her most recent bar exam attempt last year ended in disappointment. Kardashian acknowledged the result publicly in November 2025, writing on Instagram that she was still committed to qualifying. 'Six years into this law journey, and I'm still all in until I pass the bar,' she said at the time, adding that there would be 'no shortcuts, no giving up.'
Behind the public messaging, however, the emotional strain has been harder to hide. In an interview, she admitted the result had knocked her confidence. 'I didn't feel good about it,' she said, explaining that she had braced herself for the result going online shortly after receiving it.
Kim K Faces Pressure From the Public
The decision to take a break comes after Kardashian openly spoke about how tough the exam preparation had become. In earlier episodes of The Kardashians, she described long, intense study sessions that left her exhausted both mentally and physically. At one point, she said she felt she was 'having a mental breakdown' because of the pressure.
@kimkardashian I’ve shared so much of this journey with you, and this summer I documented some of the final two weeks of studying - the ups, the downs, and everything in between. On November 7th, I found out I didn’t pass the bar. It was disappointing, but it wasn’t the end. This dream means too much to me to walk away from, so I’m going to keep studying, keep learning, and keep showing up for myself until I get there.
♬ original sound - Kim Kardashian
She also explained that the strain was affecting her body as well as her mind. During preparation, she said she injured her back and sometimes struggled with even basic movement. It offered a rare, more vulnerable look at what was happening behind the scenes, very different from the polished image of her public life. It also stood in contrast to her acting role as a lawyer in Ryan Murphy's legal drama All's Fair.
So far, there has been no official statement from Kardashian or her representatives about the reported pause, and nothing has been confirmed about whether she is formally stepping away from the exam process. For now, the timing of any return remains unclear, though sources have suggested 2027 could be the earliest she tries again.
The California Bar exam is known for being extremely difficult, with pass rates that are often low enough, given how demanding the qualification is and who gets through it. In Kardashian's case, the challenge has been playing out very publicly, as she balances her business empire, television work, and legal studies all at once.
What is still unclear is whether this break is simply a pause to regroup or something more permanent in terms of her legal ambitions. Supporters tend to see it as a temporary setback rather than a failure. Critics, meanwhile, question how realistic it is for Kim to take on such a demanding professional path by taking a shortcut, considering she's not attending a law school.
