Sophia Park, 17, Edges Out Brother as Youngest to Conquer California Bar Exam
She did it three months sooner—and with a grin that says “beat that, big bro.”
Sophia Park, the quiet powerhouse from a family rewriting legal history, learned on November 8 that she’d passed the infamous California bar exam at just 17 years and 8 months old.
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The result? She eclipsed her older brother Peter Park‘s record—he’d claimed the title a year earlier at 17 years and 11 months. Now, the Park siblings aren’t just prodigies; they’re a duo patrolling the same hallways at the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
Peter, already a deputy DA, welcomed his little sister as a law clerk last year. Come March, when Sophia turns 18 and gets sworn in, she’ll join him as a full-fledged prosecutor—making them the first teen brother-sister team in any California DA’s office, officials boast.
Sophia‘s path mirrors Peter’s, but accelerated. At 13, while juggling junior high at Oxford Academy in Cypress, she dove into Northwestern California University School of Law’s online JD program—thanks to California’s unique rule letting students skip college via proficiency exams.
She ditched traditional high school after freshman year, acing the California High School Proficiency Exam in 2022. Law school wrapped in 2024.
Bar exam? First try, aced. “I aspire to serve justice and ensure victims’ voices are heard,” Sophia said in a statement, eyes already on the courtroom.
Tulare County DA Tim Ward couldn’t hide his pride: “Sophia’s achievement is extraordinary. We’re thrilled to have both Parks fighting for our community.”
The family dynasty doesn’t stop there. Younger sister Sarah Park, 14, is midway through law school after passing the “baby bar” this summer—poised to shatter Sophia’s mark in a few years. Even the baby brother, 8, dressed as a lawyer for Halloween.
Dad, the mastermind who spotted the fast-track loophole years ago, beams from the sidelines. State Bar Executive Director Leah Wilson called it “truly exceptional,” noting the exam’s brutal reputation—pass rates hover around 50%. Yet these kids treat it like homework.
From playground dreams to prosecutor’s podium in half the usual time. The Parks aren’t just passing bars—they’re raising them. One family. Two records. A legacy loading for three, maybe four.
When talent meets trailblazing parents, history doesn’t stand a chance.
