WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, has finally answered the question that has followed her into one of Washington’s most visible jobs: She did not pass the California bar examination.

But Zacharia’s explanation has opened a much more interesting legal question.

Can someone graduate from law school, earn a Juris Doctor degree, fail the bar exam and nevertheless publicly identify herself as a “lawyer” — provided she never calls herself an “attorney at law”? Zacharia apparently believes the answer is yes.

The controversy may bring to mind former First Lady Jill Biden, who used the title “Dr. Jill Biden” despite not being a medical doctor. Biden earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree and worked as an educator, meaning her use of “Dr.” reflected an earned academic doctorate rather than a license to practice medicine.

Zacharia’s situation raises an equally consequential question. She apparently believes earning a Juris Doctor degree allows her to describe herself as a “lawyer,” even though she was never admitted to the bar.

Speaking publicly about the controversy Thursday, Zacharia confirmed that she took the California bar examination after graduating from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011 but did not pass. That fact alone may be less remarkable than some portray it, particularly given California’s historically controversies surrounding its bar exam in recent years. Zacharia said she never attempted the exam again because she was preparing to move to China with her husband.

Zacharia has explained that she consulted lawyers and other legal professionals about how she could describe herself publicly and says she deliberately avoided calling herself “attorney at law” or using “Esquire.” Instead, she used “lawyer,” believing her J.D. and international legal experience permitted that description.

The video reviewed by USA Herald highlights precisely why the controversy is more complicated than simply asking whether Zacharia possesses a law degree. Zacharia indisputably graduated from law school. Pepperdine itself confirms that she earned her J.D. in 2011 and later served on the law school's Dean's Council.

But graduating from law school and being licensed to practice law are two different things.

The American Bar Association's own public explanation describes a lawyer — also called an attorney or counsel — as a licensed professional. The ABA explains that becoming licensed generally requires completing the required education, passing a bar examination, satisfying character-and-fitness requirements, taking an oath and receiving a license from the appropriate state authority.

That makes Zacharia's lawyer vs. attorney distinction considerably less settled than it sounds.

California adds another layer.

California Business and Professions Code §6126 addresses unauthorized practice and people holding themselves out as entitled to practice law without authorization. The State Bar separately tells consumers that, in California, “only attorneys can practice law” and that unauthorized practice of law is a crime.

That does not mean Zacharia has committed a crime.

Two watchdog organizations have asked authorities to investigate, but a complaint is an allegation requesting an investigation — not a State Bar determination, criminal charge or conviction.

Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar on October 14. It alleges Zacharia repeatedly represented herself as a lawyer despite not being admitted to practice in California or another U.S. jurisdiction. A second organization, Democracy Defenders Fund, reportedly submitted complaints to both the State Bar and California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

The most consequential issue may actually lie somewhere other than television.

Pepperdine's own announcement of Zacharia's White House appointment says she previously served as general counsel for Fix California, the nonprofit founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell.

That title deserves attention.

A television commentator discussing a lawsuit and describing herself as a lawyer presents one issue. Acting as an organization's general counsel and actually performing work constituting the practice of law could present another.

That means an investigation would likely need to move beyond job titles and television chyrons and determine exactly what Zacharia did for Fix California.

Did she negotiate legal matters on the organization's behalf? Give legal advice? Represent the organization in communications with opposing parties or government agencies? Or was “General Counsel” merely an internal title while her actual responsibilities remained administrative, political or communications-related?

Those facts could matter considerably.

Her China experience presents another distinction.

Zacharia worked at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing after graduating from Pepperdine. She has said she practiced international transactional law there and has previously described herself as having worked as outside counsel involving the World Bank and International Finance Corporation. Other descriptions of her résumé have characterized that work more narrowly as involving matters associated with those organizations.

Working inside a law firm, however, does not automatically establish admission to a U.S. bar.

And this is where the Zacharia controversy provides a useful lesson extending far beyond Washington politics.

A J.D. is an academic degree.

A law license is governmental authorization to practice law in a jurisdiction.

They are not the same credential.

Someone can graduate from an elite law school, understand statutes, conduct sophisticated legal research and possess substantial legal knowledge without ever becoming admitted to a state bar. Lawyers also do not receive one nationwide American license. Licensing generally occurs jurisdiction by jurisdiction.

Zacharia unquestionably has legal education.

What she does not appear to have is a U.S. law license.

The controversy has already exposed something many Americans probably never considered: graduating from law school may put “J.D.” after your name.

It does not, by itself, put your name on the bar roll.