Mississippi teenager Jimmy Chilimigras becomes the youngest law degree holder in Louisiana state history
A young player from Louisiana became the youngest person in the state to earn a law degree over the weekend.
James “Jimmy” Chilimigras, 18, graduated summa cum laude with his Juris Doctor (JD) from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law on Saturday, adding a third degree to his already impressive resume.
“It’s really all about putting in the work,” Chilimigras told WWL-TV. “I think it’s very important, with hard work and enough patience, you can achieve anything.
Chilimigras, of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, excelled academically throughout his young life. He was homeschooled and graduated from high school at just 12 before earning a bachelor’s and master’s in accounting at 15.
At the same time in 2023, Chilimigras became a CPA, believed to be the youngest person in the world to obtain a license.
He began pursuing his JD at age 15 and accomplished his goals alongside about 200 of his classmates inside the Smoothie King Center in the heart of New Orleans on Saturday night.
“Jimmy has had an incredible impact on our school.” “He is kind, intelligent, and shows a level of maturity that belies his age. His classmates have cared for him and protected him, and they have learned from him and appreciated him,” said Madeleine Landrieu, dean of Loyola’s College of Law, according to the university.
Chilimigras ranked in the top two percent of his class after receiving top grades in 40% of all subjects he took, the school said.
The young man had entered college as one of the university’s Ignatian Law Scholars and graduated as William L. Crowe, Sr. Scholar, which is a designation given to the top 10 percent of the graduating class.
“To succeed at Loyola was very difficult and therefore one of the things I’m most proud of … Completing five completely different areas of concentration while maintaining a summa cum laude GPA was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Chilimigras told the school.
Chilimigras earned five certifications in concentration areas, including tax law, social justice, immigration and citizenship law, international legal studies, and technology and entrepreneurship.
It is assumed that you are a first-time graduate with four or more concentration certificates.
“A difference that is believed to be unparalleled at Loyola,” the school said of his success as Chilimigras.
“I’m very proud,” Chilimigras’ father, John, told WVUE. “Jimmy has put in a lot of work and no matter how he’s finished or what he’s done I’d be proud of him but just to see all the work he’s put in paying off and accomplishing the things he’s been talking about and just kind of dreaming about – just watching it happen is something.”
Even with the historic success on his resume, Chilimigras is not giving up on his studies.
This guy is going to study at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, do his fourth degree, Masters of Law (LLM) in taxation and is expected to get his fourth degree when he is 20 years old.
