17-Year-Old Becomes Youngest to Pass California Bar Exam

Peter Park, now 18, was sworn in as a practicing attorney after passing the notoriously difficult exam at 17.

Peter Park, a 17-year-old from California, has become the youngest person to pass the state's bar exam, according to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
Park started high school at age 13 and simultaneously enrolled in a four-year law program at Northwestern California University School of Law, taking advantage of a state bar rule that allows students to apply to law school after completing the College Level Proficiency Exams.
He completed high school in 2021 and graduated from law school in 2023, then took the bar exam in July and received the results in November.
Park, who turned 18 in late November, was sworn in as a practicing attorney on Tuesday and now works at the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
The California bar exam is notoriously difficult, with a pass rate of only 51.5% in July 2023.