How did Sophia Park go to law school at 13?

Sophia Park went to law school at 13 by using a special California rule that allows students to substitute college credits with College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests for undergraduate requirements, enabling her to start online law school while in junior high and later pass the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) to focus on law full-time, rather than traditional high school. Her father discovered this provision, allowing her and her brother to bypass traditional college and high school paths to pursue law early.

How did Sophia Park start law school at 13?

Sophia gained admission to law school through a special state bar provision that recognizes College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits as an alternative to traditional college coursework.

Can you go to law school at 13?

Teen who enrolled in law school at age 13 becomes youngest person to pass California bar exam. A 17-year-old girl has beaten her brother's record to become the youngest person to pass the California bar exam. Sophia Park passed the California bar Nov.

Who is the youngest 17 year old girl to pass the California bar exam?

Seventeen-year-old Sophia Park has become the youngest person ever to pass the California bar exam at just 17 years and 8 months, surpassing her brother Peter Park's previous record. Her brother, Peter Parker, passed the bar exam last year when he was 17 years and 11 months old.

What is the youngest lawyer ever?

The youngest lawyer ever is widely considered to be Sophia Park, who passed the California bar exam at 17 years and 8 months old in late 2024, breaking the record previously held by her older brother, Peter Park, and officially becoming a licensed attorney in early 2025. She began law school at 13, completed high school early, and now works as a prosecutor in the Tulare County District Attorney's Office alongside her brother. 

Household filled with attorneys? Meet the family behind youngest to pass CA bar exam

Can a 13 year old have a lawyer?

Children in California are not entitled to their own attorneys, but in some cases, their interests may be represented by a minor's counsel, as our Stockton child visitation lawyers explain.

Do lawyers make $500,000 a year?

Yes, many lawyers earn $500,000 or more annually, especially partners in large firms, top corporate attorneys, and successful specialists in high-value areas like M&A or IP, while elite personal injury and criminal defense lawyers also reach these levels; however, this is not typical for all lawyers, as the median salary is significantly lower, with the top earners achieving this through experience, specialization, location, and strong business development. 

Did Michelle Obama pass the bar?

Yes, Michelle Obama did pass the bar exam, but not on her first try; she failed the Illinois bar initially, felt discouraged, but eventually passed on her second attempt after graduating from Harvard Law School and went on to have a successful legal career before becoming First Lady.
 

Who has the easiest bar exam?

Easiest Bar Exams to Pass for First-Time Takers:

Utah: Utah had the highest first-time pass rate in July 2023, with 94% of first-time takers passing the exam. (It's pass rate dipped to 69% in February 2024, but this is still higher than most other jurisdictions.) It also has a low passing score of 260.

Who is the greatest female lawyer of all time?

There's no single "greatest," but Ruth Bader Ginsburg is often cited due to her pioneering work for gender equality at the ACLU and her transformative Supreme Court tenure, while Sandra Day O'Connor broke barriers as the first female Justice; other iconic figures include Charlotte E. Ray (first Black female lawyer), Janet Reno (first female U.S. Attorney General), and modern advocates like Gloria Allred, all leaving indelible marks on the legal landscape. 

Is 70 too old for law school?

Age is not a determinant of success in law school or the legal profession. Many older law school applicants find that their life experience, career achievements, and developed skills provide a strong foundation for tackling the challenges of legal education.

What languages does Sophia Park speak?

Languages

• Korean. Native or bilingual proficiency.
• English. Native or bilingual proficiency.

What's the hardest year of law school?

Most law students agree the first year (1L) is the hardest due to an intense learning curve with new teaching methods (Socratic, Case Method), massive reading, high competition, and learning to "think like a lawyer," with subjects like Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Property often cited as particularly tough; while 2L brings workload, 3L often involves "senioritis" as grades matter less for those with jobs secured. 

Did Kim Kardashian ever pass the California bar exam?

No, Kim Kardashian did not pass the California Bar Exam on her first attempt in July 2025, revealing the results in November 2025, but stated she remains determined to keep studying and retake it, viewing the setback as motivation. She had previously passed the "baby bar," the First-Year Law Students' Exam, in late 2021 after multiple tries, which qualified her to take the main bar exam.
 

Who passed the bar without law school?

These apprenticeships went through a system called the Inns of Court, in which a person wishing to become a legal professional would find a barrister or lawyer for training. A number of historical figures became lawyers without law school, such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.

Can you start law school at 13?

She started law school at just 13. at 17, she's officially California's youngest lawyer, breaking the record once held by her own brother. Sophia Park passed the California Bar, just months younger than her brother Peter, who set the same record in 2024.

What is the hardest state to pass the bar in?

California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam due to its broad scope (testing numerous specific state laws), high passing score (cut score), and notoriously strict grading, especially on essays and performance tests, leading to historically low pass rates, though Louisiana is also challenging for its unique civil law component, and New York presents high pressure from sheer volume and competition. 

Who has failed the bar exam?

Twenty Celebrities Who Failed The Bar Exam

• President Franklin D. Roosevelt. ...
• First Lady Michelle Obama. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Michelle Obama failed the bar exam the first time she sat for it. ...
• John F. ...
• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ...
• Kathleen Sullivan. ...
• Kamala Harris. ...
• Jerry Brown. ...
• Governor Pete Wilson.

What percent of people never pass the bar?

For the July 2025 Attorneys' Exam, the 43.4 percent passing rate is lower than the July 2024 result (48.9 percent) and the July 2023 result (47.8 percent).

How many times did JFK Jr. fail his bar exam?

John F. Kennedy Jr. failed the New York bar exam twice, in November 1989 and February 1990, before finally passing on his third attempt in July 1990, which was crucial for his job as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan.
 

Did Joe Biden ever pass the bar?

Yes, Joe Biden passed the bar exam and was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1969 after earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968, despite graduating in the lower portion of his class. He practiced law before entering politics, serving as a lawyer and later becoming the 27th President of the United States, and the first President with a law degree from a non-"T-14" law school in a century, notes Law.com. 

What was Barack Obama's LSAT score?

Barack Obama's specific LSAT score has never been officially released, but it's widely believed he scored very highly (likely above 170, potentially near perfect) to gain admission to Harvard Law School despite a lower undergraduate GPA, suggesting he was in the top few percentile of test-takers for his application year. While no official number exists, analyses point to a score in the top tier (e.g., 94th-98th percentile) to overcome his GPA for admission to a top-ranked program like Harvard.
 

What is the lowest paid lawyer?

Low salary for lawyers

The starting wage for an average annual salary for public defenders is $59,700, according to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) 2022 Public Service Attorney Salary Report. Whereas, lawyers working in civil legal services start out at $57,500 per year.

Is law going to be replaced by AI?

No, AI won't completely "take over" law but will fundamentally transform it by automating routine tasks like research and document review, making lawyers more efficient, but human judgment, strategy, and nuanced understanding remain essential for complex legal work, meaning lawyers who embrace AI will thrive, while those who don't risk being left behind. AI serves as a powerful tool for analysis, drafting, and discovery, but the core of legal practice—interpreting context, developing novel arguments, and client guidance—still requires human expertise.
 

How old is the youngest lawyer?

The youngest lawyer is likely Sophia Park, who passed the California bar exam at 17 years and 8 months old in late 2024, breaking her brother's record and becoming the youngest in California history, with her official swearing-in as an attorney scheduled for March 2025 after turning 18. She began law school at 13, accelerating her education to achieve this milestone, and plans to work as a prosecutor in the Tulare County District Attorney's Office alongside her brother.