Wisconsin Law Prodigy Makes History as Youngest Graduate Since World War II

MILWAUKEE, WI — While most 21-year-olds are preparing for their final year of undergraduate study, Anthony Sikorski is preparing to join the highest ranks of the Wisconsin legal system. Next week, Sikorski will walk across the stage at Marquette University as the youngest law school graduate the institution has seen since the Second World War.

His path to the bar began much earlier than most. Accepted to Carroll University at 13 and officially enrolled at 14, Sikorski was the youngest student in that school's history. While he initially set his sights on a career in medicine, a combination of global and personal crises forced a major change in direction.

A Pivot Born from Adversity

Sikorski began his first semester at Carroll in 2020 as a biology major. However, shortly after the pandemic hit, he received a life-altering diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. The challenges of managing a chronic illness at such a young age led him to reevaluate his long-term goals.

"I intended to go to medical school, then the pandemic hit," Sikorski said. "I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease the following year and I had to reevaluate my plans at the ripe old age of 16 or 17."

He graduated from Carroll at just 18 years old and immediately transitioned into his legal studies at Marquette. His determination was tested frequently by his health; on at least one occasion, Sikorski was forced to complete a law school final exam from a hospital bed.

The World Does Not Wait

For Sikorski, the view from a hospital room provided a unique perspective on his fast-tracked career and the urgency of his ambitions.

"You look out the hospital window, you see the cars still moving and you know life, the world doesn't wait," Sikorski recalled.

That momentum is carrying him directly into professional practice. Following his graduation next Saturday, Sikorski will be admitted to the Wisconsin Bar at the State Capitol the very next Monday.

To the Supreme Court

In August, Sikorski will begin a prestigious role that many veteran attorneys spend years chasing: a clerkship for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He will be clerking for Justice Annette Ziegler, a position that will place the 21-year-old at the center of the state's most significant legal decisions.

Despite his rapid academic rise and his ongoing health struggles, Sikorski remains grounded, attributing his success to his family and his education.

"Yes, health wise that might mean I've got to do a little more than most of my colleagues," Sikorski admitted. "But I have a wonderful family, a wonderful house, wonderful education. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not too much to complain about, is there?"

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