“Kim Kardashian West has decided she wants to become a lawyer, and it’s actually far more interesting than it sounds.”
From official news outlets to millions of Twitter users, everyone was stunned at the prospect one of the most famous reality TV stars in the world becoming a lawyer. Law student Eve Cornwell unpacks this for us.
So why does Kim want to become a lawyer? Kim already is “a queen in her own industry.” In 2018, Eve explains, Kim became involved in the case of Alice Marie Johnson who was serving life with no parole for a first time non-violent drug offense, using her standing to navigate high-level connections in US politics. After meeting with Kim, President Trump granted Alice clemency and she was released. “She’s actually been pretty central to a lot of US prison reform,” explains Eve.
Eve also states how the vast amounts of praise Leonardo DiCaprio gets for his global warming work is in stark comparison to the backlash Kim has received. “Even during in 2018 when Kim was literally just using her public platform for good, she was facing the most insane backlash from the media,” she says.
“She’s really paving her own path for what she believes in.”
Since Kim has such a significant social media platform already, many following this may wonder why she needs to become a lawyer at all. Eve believes this is for sustainability as there is only a limited amount she can do through her high profile.
Eve moves on to address the backlash from the legal industry. When the world first got wind of Kim’s planned legal studies, many people believe she was cheating her way through law school. Kim is a participant of the California Law Office Programme, and Eve explains that this is essentially an apprenticeship scheme instead of a law school before taking the Californian Bar. “It’s complex stuff that’s she’s trying to learn,” Eve adds. “She’s having to learn that, with some supervision, but by herself outside of the classroom.”
It’s also been pointed out that many people work part-time and take years to earn money before putting themselves through law school. “The route she is taking to become a lawyer is one of the most inexpensive and accessible,” Eve says. “She’s paying way less than everyone else.” However, she is still very well-connected and likely will be able to get her apprenticeship at a high-level office as a result. “I don’t think it’s a point of privilege,” Eve adds.
Finally, there have been concerns that Kim will give a poor representation of what a legal career is like. “The legal industry is an extremely ‘block-step’ system,” Eve states. “Don’t get me wrong, I think she will be working really hard, but I don’t think it will be the most representative example of what most junior lawyers and law students go through.”
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