Great Gift Idea for a New Lawyer

Starting as a new lawyer is not like starting a year-long vacation sailing around the world. Nope, it’s not like that all.  In contrast to sailing around the world, starting as a new lawyer is likely to crush your soul into oblivion. That is, if you had any soul left after getting through law school.

As if the challenge of beginning your new law career were not enough, a remarkable percentage of young lawyers are also getting married, starting a family, and/ or buying a house. Transitioning from free-spirited student to relentlessly dedicated corporate cog can be surprisingly tough for some folks.

It's not always easy being a new lawyer.

So show your favorite new lawyer some love with a great gift to get them started on the right foot.  May we recommend a year long vacation sailing around the world?

It will take you approximately 12 seconds to realize that being a Lawyer is not at all like it’s depicted on television

But if you don’t like that suggestion, here are some more ideas:

• Kindle Fire
  Amazon’s Kindle eReader has been nothing short of a revolution for lawyers and other professionals who need to spend a lot of time reading. Previously, we only had two options: 1) print out the hundreds of pages you need to read each day and slaughter countless tress. 2) Read on the computer screen, and slaughter your 20/20 vision. Nearly every attorney I know complains about the negative impact monitor reading has had on their vision. Now there’s finally a third way: load PDFs or text documents onto a Kindle and reading suddenly becomes pleasurable again. Amazon’s eInk technology really is the next best thing to paper, but without killing trees or lugging a 50 pound file box everywhere you go.

• 
  Desktop Bonsai Tree/ Zen Garden
  Studies have shown that plants have a calming, health-boosting effect. And anything that has a calming effect is good for a new lawyer. Try this mini desktop Bonsai Tree for an affordable but thoughtful gift idea for any busy professional.

• Law School Diploma Frame
  Every new lawyer needs a high-quality matted mahogany frame to hang their law school diploma on the wall. It may seem egocentric, but there’s no denying that framed diplomas add an air of academic sophistication to an office, and new lawyers can use all the boosts they can get!

• Wardrobe Upgrade
  Lawyers need to look the part, and this usually means an arsenal of new shirts, suits, and ties. My personal favorite is Thomas Pink, which offers extremely high quality, professional styling, but without breaking the bank. Other places to check out include Brooks Brothers and Ann Taylor. If they need professional styling advice in addition to the actual clothing, try A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up for men, and Corporette for women.

• Designer Wallet or Handbag
  Sooner or later everyone succumbs to the pressure. The rationalization usually goes something like this: “Hey, I work really hard; I deserve to treat myself to a little something. Besides, I can afford this now, and EVERYBODY else has one…” And so is it justified to spend thousands of dollars on a fancy-schmancy handbag in some 5th Avenue boutique. My suggestion: you can’t fight it. Instead, head them off at the pass and get them a nice designer handbag or wallet online at Endless.com for a fraction of the cost!

If you’re still looking for more great gift ideas for new lawyers, I’ve also prepared a page on gift ideas for new lawyers starting their law career.

Enjoy!