If you find yourself scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, or any number of celebrity news sources then you may have already heard that Kim Kardashian is studying to become a lawyer. This came as something of a shock to a lot of people as this is a major deviation from what she has been up to business-wise in recent years. Kardashian rose to fame through the reality television show Keeping Up With The Kardashians which has detailed the ups and downs of her and her family’s love lives, maternity struggles, and their various fashion and beauty empires. As well as her very public marriage to rapper superstar Kanye West. This recent move into the legal world should not actually come as a surprise though, because she took it upon herself to get clemency for Alice Marie Johnson who had been in prison for the last 22 years under drug and money laundering charges. She had maintained that she was not guilty and Kardashian launched a campaign to get her out of prison, which ultimately worked and President Trump granted Johnson clemency in 2018.
Moving forward Kardashian is now pursuing an education in law but in one of the most unconventional ways. You may be wondering if she has enrolled in law school as that is how most go about becoming a lawyer. Not Kim. Instead, she has taken the road less traveled and has entered into a 4-year law apprenticeship at the law firm #cut50. According to the state of California, you can become a lawyer through an apprenticeship program, and register with the California State Bar that you are studying law via this route.
What does it take to become a lawyer without attending law school?
To meet the minimum requirements set by the bar, you have to find lawyers willing to supervise your studies and spend at least 18 hours a week under their direct supervision for a four year time period. You will also be subject to tests each month to ensure that you are learning all of the necessary legalities that you will need to practice, as well as shorter bar tests on an annual basis. At the end of the four years, you still have to pass the Bar in order to practice.
Good for Kim for making a career change that will hopefully allow her to help people in a very necessary way. With her financial background, she may have the power to take on high profile pro bono cases like Johnson’s and be able to advocate on important issues to come.
