It's the most wonderful time of the year for finding the perfect holiday gift for that special lawyer in your life. I've now spent over a decade ferreting out the best gift ideas for lawyers, and several people have asked me recently “Is it getting harder to find new ideas just for lawyers?” Although I do spend several months scouring the Internet for new ideas, it really isn’t getting harder. There are fun and appropriate new ideas every year. In the end, I stay away from cliché gifts and focus on affordable gifts for every budget. I hope you find some great gift ideas below for the lawyer in your life!
This year we celebrate a lawyer’s love of precedent by featuring pop culture icons and innovations that launched 50 years ago in 1966 and continue to be enjoyed by lawyers young and old. Trekkie lawyers will love this fully working Star Trek Communicator that connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone to accept and make calls. Plays dozens of sound effects too. Waaaay out there on the geek meter, but very cool!
If that is too out there, try these “Live Long and Prosper” cufflinks for a more
subtle salute to the franchise.
Enjoyed by all lawyers except possibly criminal lawyers, the Batman TV show premiered in 1966 and became iconic for its clean-cut campiness. From T-shirts to DVDs to Batphone banks, there are many fun Batman TV series gift options.
The Beatles first recognized lawyers in their early hit “Hard Day’s Night” (It’s been a hard day’s night and I’ve been workin’ like a dog; It’s been a hard day’s night when I should be sleeping like a log.) and the Fab Four have been a legal favorite ever since. With their full catalog available on major music streaming services, what unique gift can you get that deserving Beatles fan? If you hurry you can nab an original ticket stub for what turned out to be their final concert ever, held 50 years ago at San Francisco's Candlestick Park in 1966.
For the more erudite, pick up a first edition of the Truman Capote classic In Cold Blood also celebrating a 50th anniversary. It’s a perfect bedtime story for criminal lawyers. ☺ Available on Amazon, eBay and rare booksellers online.
More of a stocking stuffer, but what lawyer can resist a Slurpee turns fiftee t-shirt? (Ok, it’s
maybe not for everyone!), So here’s another t-shirt that is sure to be more appreciated by some very good lawyers.
The half-century embargo against Cuban cigars has recently been lifted so cigar aficionados now can legally enjoy them in the U.S. without breaking the law. The problem is that you still can’t buy them
here. The only way to get them is to bring them back from Cuba or any country where they are sold (such as Canada). So if you want to give the lawyer in your life a box or two of Cuban cigars you must travel abroad or ask a friend who is traveling out of the country to bring them back. Travelers bringing them into the country can’t legally sell the cigars here for any amount of money, so just agree to take a few extras off their hands for free (wink wink). Your cigar-loving lawyer will appreciate the effort and the great smoke. This window of opportunity may be short-lived depending on the policies of Donald Trump, so this may be the only holiday season they are legal!
Many lawyers were hit hard by the outcome of the presidential election, so show them that you care by giving
them post-election gifts. Those supporting the electoral winner will enjoy these President Donald Trump cufflinks, and for those supporting the popular vote winner they will love these President Hillary Clinton cufflinks or this handmade pin.
The Chef Supreme cookbook is truly a tribute to Martin Ginsberg, late husband of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It is filled with recipes contributed by the spouses of the Supreme Court Justices. Perfect for the lawyer who likes to cook and entertain.
For the fashionista in your firm, try the unisex Converse Legal Pad shoes, sure to be the hit at any casual or black-tie event!
The way consumers buy legal services is changing, but the profession is slow to evolve with these changes. Prepare your favorite lawyer for their future by buying them a book on the future to open their eyes to the changes that are about to descend on the profession. I highly recommend Tomorrow’s Lawyer: An Introduction to Your Future by Sir Richard Susskind.
I’d suggest tickets to the Broadway sensation Hamilton as a gift, but with direct sale tickets unavailable for months why not enjoy the soundtrack until the tickets are easier and cheaper to come by? The soundtrack is available on Amazon, iTunes, and other usual music outlets. Pair it with Hamilton: The Revolution, a book about the creation of the smash musical, including lyrics and composer notes.
The Nonda Zus Smart Car Charger is an indispensable device charger for your car that also helps you locate your car when you misplace it (and what lawyer hasn’t done that late on a Friday night?). It can rapidly recharge two mobile devices at once in your car, but it also works with its own app to point you to your car whenever you can’t quite remember where you parked it!
The Ace Teah 3-in-1 stylus/pen/phone stand makes a great stocking stuffer for any lawyer with a smartphone, tablet, or other touch screen computer :
One of the greatest skills for lawyers is storytelling--the ability to engage the listener and make your points in a persuasive manner. Few lawyers are born good storytellers, and it’s not taught in law school today, so one of the best ways to learn is from Storytelling for Lawyers. It’s both fun and educational, and worthy of a holiday gift.
For that bike-riding lawyer who loves to ride when traveling, it is always a hassle to bring your own bike along to ride. Until now. Enter the European-made Sandwich Bike that is engineered to easily disassemble, ship, and reassemble. The name comes from the wooden frame that allows for easy assembly.
Whether traveling for business or pleasure, lawyers appreciate having good headphones to escape for a little solitude. Despite the dozens of comparable options on the market, the new Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless noise-cancelling headphones are on just about every “Best of” list this year. Although they are not cheap, I can attest that my 10-year old QuietComfort 2 headphones have provided great value over that time.
Every lawyer can use a little reminder of why we do what we do—and no it is not for the money. Many lawyers I know would appreciate this Brown v. Board of Education necklace as a wearable reminder of the responsibility of being a lawyer.
I hope these ideas have been helpful to you, but if you need a few more ideas, check out my past gift guides.
After the year we've had, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with the lawyer(s) in your life!
Disclosure: I use Amazon affiliate links to help readers find some of the items listed above. As a result, I may receive a small affiliate fee that is small but helps defray the costs of running this blog.
