The Beatles RockBand: The greatest band of the baby boom generation meets the gaming craze of the
The Busy Lawyers Guide to Success had to make my guide this year—and no, not because I co-authored it—because it is the perfect gift for any lawyer! This compact book will help every lawyer—partner, associate, or solo-improve their practice without wading through dozens of web sites, mountains of magazine articles, or pouring through stacks of books to get to the useful essence of the author's wisdom. With over 700 tips and ideas organized into 140 pages, the book is full of practical tips, tricks, and ideas that are sure to make any lawyer even more successful. is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters (in Canada), and the ABA Webstore.
Getting caught with dead battery on your iPhone, Blackberry, Droid or other
smartphone is a huge faux pas today. To avoid that frustration and embarrassment, get a instant battery energizer, such as the
FreeLoader Pro Solar Charger. Just plug it to your exhausted mobile device and draw instant power from this battery energizer which itself is rechargeable either a USB port or from the flip-up solar charging panel; comes with a plethora of adapter plugs for mobile devices including Blackberry and iPhone. $80.00 from ThinkGeek.
Um, ever need to get your client calls while underwater? We’re not sure who does, but isn’t it nice to know you can with the UWCP Underwater Cellular Phone System. The system comes with a special dive mask, a waterproof case for your phone (which must have Bluetooth) and a floating communication unit with a 40 meter cable to connect you while swimming in the ocean or (God forbid) your own backyard pool! From OceanReef for a smidgen under $1,800.
Xperia Pureness is an awesome new SonyEricsson smartphone that sports a transparent screen. Yep, a see thru screen. You have to see it to believe it. This cutting edge smartphone handles e-mail, text messaging, plays MP3 and ACC media files, includes a web browser, and much more. This “unlocked” phone can be used on various mobile cell service providers using GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology. (Yep, best to ask your service provider before you buy the phone.) OK, it doesn’t have the utility of an iPhone, but it just may eclipse it on the coolness meter!
MoGo Presenter Mouse PC™ is a combined wireless presenter and computer mouse that stores and charges inside your laptop’s PC/ PCMIA card slot. The sleek design and size make it ideal for lawyers on the go. It includes the same functionality as conventional optical wireless mice--scroll, right click, left click--without the bulky, oversized design. With the push of a button, the MoGo Presenter Mouse PC™ turns into a wireless presenter, allowing you to control your PowerPoint presentations with 30 feet of freedom.
The Zvox Incredibase may have rewritten the laws of home theater sound. It is a 5-inch high cabinet-top box stuffed
Plug the Green Button into any USB port of your computer, and
then tap it each time you’ll be away from your computer for more than a few minutes. It puts your computer into a low-power state to save energy until you return. Going green--it’s not just for tree-hugger lawyers anymore! Under $20.
Law Comix is an irreverent website for irreverent lawyers created by the irreverent mind of Charles Pugsley Fincher, J.D. The site is full of irreverent cartoons which are available for sale on mugs, steins, calendars or t-shirts from his Law Comix store. Go. Be irreverent. Enjoy.
When I recently found myself extolling the unparalleled taste
and quality of Nueske’s Applewood-smoked bacon to several lawyers, I realized it had to be added to this guide. Nueske’s is a family-run butcher/smokehouse in Wittenberg, Wisconsin that turns out the finest smoked meats (bacon, hot dogs, sausage, etc.) you’ll ever put in contact with a taste bud. Long known to folks in the Upper Midwest, Nueske’s now supplies their products to select restaurants from New York to LA. You can get yours shipped directly to your favorite lawyer from their on-line store.
Don’t just give a gift card, give a gift membership to a local museum, a hobbyist club/organization (wine, cars, travel, hiking, etc.), or other affinity group that champions a worthy cause (environment, health, children, etc.). These groups often provide membership certificates, a periodic newsletter, and
With the advent of checked bag fees on many airlines, traveling lawyers are cramming more per bag, only to get socked with overweight bag fees at check-in. Avoid those costly penalties with a digital luggage scale. A great stocking stuffer for around $20.
Get ready to party down with this gas-powered blender from Kotula's. Some people
ask “why”; others “why not”? If you’re in the latter category, then you are sure to enjoy this novelty at your next firm BBQ. Just fire up the 43cc, 2-stroke gas engine, grab the handlebars and open up the throttle for some truly high-revving blended beverages. Not endorsed by Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, but it should be! Yours for under $400!
LawTunes is the brainchild of litigator Lawrence Savell who cleverly writes, performs and produces humorous songs about the legal profession and the lawyers who inhabit it. Larry’s catalogue of lawyer-focused CDs now includes his fourth holiday album, Season’s Briefings from the LawTunes. His on-line webstore conveniently provides clips of all his songs so you can pick the CD that will tickle the funny bone of your favorite lawyer!
Own a piece of true Yankee history with a pair of seats from the old Yankee Stadium. Each pair will set you back $1,500 but comes with a letter of authenticity. Available from Yankees-Steiner Collectibles. And for you Cowboy fans (and you know who you are), seat pairs from Texas Stadium are now available for $650 from the same collectibles company.
I have to hand it to West for developing the Black’s Law Dictionary App for iPhone. They've put a must-have resource for young lawyers and law students into a new media that many young lawyers are using. The entire
If you don’t understand the term “Pon Farr” from Star Trek, skip this last gift item. If you do
So with that, beam me up the chimney, Scotty, it’s time to get out of here!
NEWLY ADDED GIFT IDEAS--Having spent time snooping around on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and seeing what's on store shelves, I've added a few more gifts sure to please the lawyers in your life:
With dual PC monitors now populating many lawyer desks across the globe, can dual screen laptops be far behind? In fact, they are available now, including the W700ds from Lenovo. It sports a 17-inch screen and a pull-out 10.6 inch screen. It’s on sale now for $2,100. But if you wait a few days, gScreen Computer Corporation is set to release their Spacebook laptop with two 17-inch monitors that collapse into the space of one. With a powerful Intel Dual Core2 processor and Windows 7 operating system, you could be the first lawyer in your circuit to unfold one of these babies at counsel table. Not yet available in stores, gScreen plans an on-line sales event on December 15th for a few lucky customers. Price tag? Around $2,800 according to the gScreen blog.
Finland-based Nokia is expanding their market presence in the U.S. with the addition of their sleek new netbook, the Nokia Booklet 3G. With an Intel Atom processor, Windows 7, and a 12-hour battery, this newcomer is sure to turn heads. Right now it’s a Best Buy exclusive for only $300 with an AT&T mobile broadband activation.
I started publishing this annual guide partly because I was tired of all the junky
items adorned with the "scales of justice" being touted as great lawyer gifts. What lawyer wants that “junque”? Unfortunately, that’s what family and friends seem to think we want! One company that does a good job of avoiding the junk and appealing to lawyers is The Billable Hour Company, with gift items that fit the profession. Not every gift will fit your lawyer, but they have a nice variety of items from games to desk accessories to watches that keep time in 10ths of an hour. Clever, tasteful, and fun!
Kindle2: To be sure, I don’t have one of these, but several lawyers I know are nutty for the second edition of this electronic book platform. If you haven’t at least played with one, you should. It is a solid piece of technology. That said, some of us still prefer the look and feel of a real book; however, if the lawyer in your life has even hinted about this don’t hesitate to buy it. And if you do, add in The Busy Lawyer’s Guide to Success, which just became available for the Kindle this past week. (Another shameless plug, I know!)
Believe it or not, 80’s arena rockers, REO Speedwagon, have released a Christmas album, Not So Silent Night featuring their versions of traditional holiday songs. Yeah, I thought that too, but head to iTunes (or wherever) and listen. Neither outrageous or sedate, it hits somewhere between the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Bruce Springsteen. I bet you “Can’t Fight This Feeling” and buy it like I did.
If that is not enough for you, Bob Ambrogi has provided a very helpful guide to on-line lawyer gift guides at Legal Blog Watch. Thanks, Bob!
Merry Christmas and happiest of holidays to all.
