17-YEAR-OLD LAWYER BECOMES YOUNGEST TO EVER PASS THE CALIFORNIA BAR EXAM
At the age of 17, Sophia Park fulfilled her dream of becoming an attorney, something that other youngsters are still finding out. She broke the previous record set by her brother, Peter Park and became the youngest person to pass the California bar exam. Sophia was sworn in as Tulare County's newest deputy district attorney on March 28 by District Attorney Tim Ward.
At Sophia's swearing-in event, DA Ward stated, "As we celebrate Sophia, we recognise her extraordinary success." The fact that she opted to use her talents to represent victims and exemplify the role of a prosecutor, rather than just being acknowledged as a genius or a "first," is what gives me hope. Having her ready for the public will be an enormous honour.
Sophia started studying law in 2020 at the age of 13, while she was also a junior at Oxford Academy in Cypress, California. She passed the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) two years later, in 2022, allowing her to graduate early from high school. In 2024, she graduated from Northwestern California University School of Law with a law degree.
Through a unique state bar rule that accepts College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits as a substitute to the standard college curriculum, Sophia was accepted to law school. Before most recently taking on the position of Deputy District Attorney, Sophia served as a legal clerk for the Tulare County District Attorney's Office (TCDA) after being admitted to the bar.