The White House is defending newly appointed Press Secretary Katie Zacharia amid questions over her legal credentials.

US President Donald Trump introduced Zacharia as an attorney when announcing her appointment last week, and she has also described herself as a lawyer.

However, when a reporter asked on Tuesday which state she had passed the bar exam in, Zacharia replied while standing alongside the president: "When I moved to China."

Zacharia does not appear to be registered with the bar in any of the states where she has lived. White House communications director Steven Cheung defended her appointment, describing her as "uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people."

Addressing questions about her legal credentials, Zacharia said in a statement this week: "I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials."

On Wednesday, watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar, seeking an investigation into whether Zacharia "repeatedly held herself out to the public as entitled to practice law without a licence to do so, conduct California law treats as a crime."

Zacharia, 42, graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011 but did not pass California’s bar exam, according to The Wall Street Journal. She told The New York Times that the university president had advised her she could call herself a lawyer, but not an attorney. A law degree alone does not authorize someone to practice law in the US.

A person with direct knowledge of the matter told the outlet that Zacharia took the exam around the time she was planning her wedding and preparing to move to China with her future husband.

In China, only Chinese citizens can obtain licenses to practice law, while foreign employees may work at law firms in other roles. (AA)