Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers

Is anybody else out there having trouble checking off the people on their holiday shopping list? I’ve been pretty good this year, chugging along on what seems like a quest to spend all my money before the end of the year—but you know who’s jamming up my progress? The lawyers. They are a tough bunch to shop for, let me tell you. And you can’t get them all bottles of wine—they’ll figure it out, they’re good at that. So for anyone else who’s having the same struggle with getting something under the tree for your favorite attorney, don’t worry. From practical tech gifts to apparel to all the RBG loot your heart could desire, I’ve got your legal gift search covered.

The Serious Stuff

In my experience, attorneys are largely practical people, so these are the genuinely thoughtful, sensible gifts that they’ll really appreciate and hopefully didn’t already buy themselves.

A meal kit subscription: Cooking after a long day of due diligence is such a pain, but having all your ingredients pre-measured and delivered to your door certainly takes some of the hassle out of it. There are almost limitless options, but some of the favorites out there are Blue Apron, Plated, and HelloFresh.

Noise cancelling headphones or earbuds: They can get pricey, but being able to block out all the office and actually get that brief done is a priceless experience.

Bluetooth keyboard: This keyboard can help the attorney in your life get their work done anywhere, and on their phone or tablet, without missing a beat. It even folds up, so they aren’t just lugging around a full-size keyboard.

Portable scanner: The paperless revolution is upon us, so it’s nice that scanners have shrunk some in order to make them more convenient than the beige behemoths that stand in our offices. A portable scanner is useful for attorneys who travel or work from home, to make sure all their important documents end up where they should.

Digital Assistant: If anyone needs an extra hand with everyday life, it’s a lawyer. The market’s been flooded with personal digital assistants, but the favorites are still the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot and Google Home, because of how many “smart products” are compatible with them.

The Goofier Stuff

I like to think that a good gift is something a person will like, but would never buy for themselves. This is all that stuff—and maybe some that’s just for laughs.

For the fashion-forward brief writer: an adorable legal pad bowtie, (or scarf, for those who don’t wear ties), and this t-shirt that’ll be with your favorite attorney “a day, a week, a month, or even a year.”

This wine bottle holder is hilarious. I don’t know why anyone would need a metal sheath for a bottle of wine, but I guess it’s art? Really funny-looking art.

There are thousands of glasses, shirts, flasks, etc. with kind-of funny sayings on them, but this punny wine glass for law students was the only one that made me laugh out loud.

A board game that I’m pretty sure is aimed at kids, but there’s no time like the present to prep class action attorneys’ kids for joining the family business!

All the RBG Stuff

Y’all, this is my favorite section—we as a society have made a hero out of the No-No-Notorious RBG—The Grande Dame of Dissent herself—Ruth Bader Ginsburg. With On the Basis of Sex being released Christmas Day, it’s the perfect time to spruce up someone’s wardrobe, desk space, or practically anything else with a little tribute to perhaps our most iconic sitting justice. And not just for your lawyer friends—for their kids, too! There’s the book that started it all (and the young readers edition); Dissent Pins, which offers pins and other jewelry shaped like her famous “dissent collar” (it’s a thing); and bibs for babies who are just learning to say “no!” Not to mention action figures, socks, picture books, workout guides, tote bags, prayer candles, and more t-shirts than anyone could imagine. It’s a Ginsburg-a-palooza out there. Wins­-burg at giving this season.

Stocking Stuffer Stuff

An empty stocking on Christmas morning might just be the saddest sight—make sure you drop a little something-something in there, too.

This foam gavel can either give the attorney in your life a well-deserved power trip, or give them something to squeeze when they get overruled by someone with a real gavel.

I have no idea why, but it seems like every law student on Instagram has these trendy Stabilo Boss highlighters. Maybe it’s because they’re satisfyingly chunky, or because the pastel colors aren’t so harsh on the eye, but they’re certainly a cult fave.

I’ve noticed that attorneys are a rather physical breed—they tend to like things that they can hold. So even though we’re all attached to our smartphones, a set of pocket notebooks would be a nice addition to any attorney’s briefcase or suit pocket.

Attorneys may be hard to shop for, but we still love them—make sure you show the attorney in your life how much you appreciate their hard work and love this season.