Gift Ideas for the Lawyer in Your Life

Black Friday will soon be upon us; or, more properly, the month-long holiday binge once called "Black Friday" is already here. That means you can get discounts on lawyer gifts for your lawyer friends as early as today.

But what do lawyers want for Christmas? Law-related stuff, of course, which includes gifts that make them seem more important than they really are. Here are some gift ideas that should please any lawyer.

A Fancy Lawyer Bag

If the lawyer in your life doesn't already have a leather (or pleather) messenger bag, then now's the time to get one. Nothing says style like walking into a courtroom with a leather bag full of important legal papers. (Or, if you're like Kramer, you can just put your sleeves of Ritz crackers in there.)

A Fancy Lawyer Pen

A nice fountain pen looks professional on a lawyer's desk -- and in a lawyer's hand. When it comes time to sign a contract, brandishing a fountain pen means you're 100 percent class. Don't worry; modern fountain pens have ink cartridges, so you don't have to dip them in ink like you're signing the Declaration of Independence.

Law School in a Box

As it turns out, you didn't actually need to go to law school. For 15 bucks, you get a tiny textbook that includes famous Supreme Court decisions, some legal jargon, a diploma written in Lawyer Latin, and some neat trading cards featuring famous lawyers. Hey, the job opportunities are still the same, anyway.

Cocktail Glasses

Whether you're imbibing at home or in the office, "Mad Men"-style, a set of crystal Old Fashioned glasses look smart and professional. Better yet, see if you can get a set with a matching decanter. That will really make it look like Master Carson has been there to pour your bourbon into a cool-looking crystal decanter (Lord Grantham sold separately.)

A Billable Hour Clock

Who cares what time it is? What's important is how much time has elapsed since you started working on that client project. Instead of being divided into numbers 1-12, the billable hour clock is divided into ten numbers, from 0.1 - 1.0, to let you know how much time you've spent on a client matter. Never overbill or underbill again! Now if they just had an "annual billable hours" countdown clock.

Editor's Note, November 19, 2015: This post was first published in November 2014. It has since been updated.

Related Resources:

• 5 Practical Gifts for a Tech-Savvy Lawyer's Office (FindLaw's Technologist)
• 'Tis the Season ... for Law Firm Holiday Cards (FindLaw's Technologist)
• 5 Decorations You Don't Want in Your Law Office (FindLaw's Technologist)