He entered high school at 13. He passed the bar at 17. Meet California's youngest lawyer.

Natalie Neysa Alund, Visalia Times-Delta
·2 min read
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He entered high school at age 13.

He passed the state bar at 17.

This week, he became the youngest practicing prosecutor in California.

Peter Park recently made history for being the youngest person to pass the state bar exam in the The Golden State, Michelle Villalobos, a spokesperson for Tulare County District Attorney's office, told USA TODAY Friday.

And the legal prodigy did it on his first attempt.

Park, a former law clerk with the prosecutor's office, recently turned 18 but passed the test at age 17 after taking it in July, Villalobos said.

"The office hired him as deputy district attorney this week," Villalobos said Friday. "We had to wait until he turned 18."

Previous record holder

Park, who lives in Visalia, received his test results Nov. 9.

The previous record holder was age 18, according to a news release from the prosecutor's office.

Peter Park (at right) recently made history for being the youngest person to pass the state bar exam in California. Park, a former law clerk with the Tulare County District Attorney's office, passed the test at age 17 after taking it in July 2023. Park is pictured being sworn in in December 2023 by Tim Ward.
Peter Park (at right) recently made history for being the youngest person to pass the state bar exam in California. Park, a former law clerk with the Tulare County District Attorney's office, passed the test at age 17 after taking it in July 2023. Park is pictured being sworn in in December 2023 by Tim Ward.

“It was not easy, but it was worth it. It required discipline and strategy to pass the bar, and I made it in the end," Park said in the release. "I am extremely blessed to have discovered this path, and my hope is that more people will realize that alternative paths exist to becoming an attorney.

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From high school to lawyer

Park entered high school at age 13 at Oxford Academy in Cypress, a city in Orange County.

While in high school, Park enrolled in a four-year juris doctor program at Northwestern California University School of Law. He did so under a state bar rule that allows students to apply to law school through the completion of College Level Proficiency Exams.

Peter Park (at right) recently made history for being the youngest person to pass the state bar exam in California. Park, a former law clerk with the Tulare County District Attorney's office, passed the test at age 17 after taking it in July 2023. Park is pictured being sworn in in December 2023 by Tim Ward.
Peter Park (at right) recently made history for being the youngest person to pass the state bar exam in California. Park, a former law clerk with the Tulare County District Attorney's office, passed the test at age 17 after taking it in July 2023. Park is pictured being sworn in in December 2023 by Tim Ward.

Park graduated in 2021 by taking the state proficiency exam and graduated from Northwestern this year.

He was hired as a law clerk with the Tulare County District Attorney's Office in August, according to the release.

Park turned 18 last month, Villalobos said, and was sworn in Wednesday in Visalia as the state's youngest practicing deputy district attorney.

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'A moral obligation to uphold'

Park said he became a prosecutor because he is driven by "a moral obligation to uphold liberty, equality, and justice in society."

"I admire how prosecutors keep our community safe and bring closure to victims," he said.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Peter Park, lawyer: Meet youngest person to pass the California bar