Katie Zacharais, the president’s press secretary for a week. It has to be the shortest time anyone held that position. I didn’t listen to her first press conference but guessing it didn’t go so well. Next thing I heard she was leaving. Was she fired? I don’t know, perhaps she quit. Whatever the case is, she is no longer the press secretary.

The main topic I keep hearing about is her claim to being a lawyer. She did graduate from Pepperdine with a Juris Doctor degree, that confers the title of lawyer on her. She is a Doctor of Law. Now, she failed the bar exam in California and as far as anyone knows she never took another. Thing there is, she still holds that degree.

As with a lot of things these days the actual meaning, the defining of something, is being questioned. Those on the left are saying she isn’t a lawyer, she lied, because she never passed the bar exam. Passing the bar exam is not one of the requirements in obtaining a juris doctor degree! In fact, obtaining a juris doctor degree is the prerequisite to being allowed to sit for the bar.

Now those on the left are noted for their support of diversity, inclusion and equity. Those folks give great speeches on equality, on empowerment, and validating others’ feelings. They fully support those “identifying” themselves in non-traditional ways. Boys are girls, girls are boys, they are non-binary people, there are even “cat” people! But, if you hold a juris doctor degree but fail the bar, you’re just a fraud! You’re not really a lawyer. Can someone explain that to me?

It all comes down to a matter of licensure. What does the license bestow upon an individual. The ability to legally work in that profession. A lawyer can hang out his shingle, a plumber can fix your toilet. The lawyer had to pass the bar, the plumber had to pass the trade exam. The exam for each occupation varies slightly from state to state. The requirements are determined by the state.

Today about 25% of the jobs in America require a license. It was about 5% in the 1950’s. Why the rise in licensure? Well, that all depends on whether you are the one wanting the license, or the one issuing the license. The official reason being, to protect the public from unqualified people performing those jobs. It’s a safety thing. It also prevents those that didn’t pay for their education/skill and pay a fee to the issuing authority from taking those jobs, possibly at a lower rate of pay.

When you graduate from medical school you have earned the degree of Doctor of Medicine. (MD) You have every right to use that title whether you ever practice medicine of not. Would I want a doctor that has never practiced operating on me? No, I wouldn’t. The license allows the person to practice. Have you ever asked your doctor to see his license?

The thing with Katie is she was hired as a press secretary, not as a lawyer. That she holds a Juris Doctor degree is certainly a feather in her cap, wouldn’t you say so? There is no required degree in becoming the press secretary. Qualifications for that position are completely subjective.

The president appoints the press secretary. The only requirements being background checks and ethics disclosures. She passed both because she isn’t a criminal and as far as ethics goes, she is indeed a lawyer, no fraud there. Nothing unethical about failing the bar exam.

That she apparently wasn’t a very good press secretary is another issue entirely. You know, lawyers are often fired by their clients too. Having a license or not doesn’t determine how well you perform the job. Same as having a drivers license! Some people can drive well, others not so much, both passed the licensing requirements. Unlicensed drivers are no different, just not legally allowed to perform that job.