OT - Gift for Law School Bound

[lovin2shop]

I know that we have many law school students/grads on this board, so I'm looking for gift advice. One of our admins at work is leaving for law school and I wanted to get her a parting gift from the company. It needs to be under $100, and I have to be able to get it this weekend. Please let me know if you have any good ideas! Thanks.

[Puddy73]

I received a big leather bound copy of Black's Law Dictionary (should be available at most bookstores) from a dear friend before I started law school, and it was definitely one of the best gifts. I keep it in my office and still refer to it sometimes. HTH!

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle 9/03 & a little pumpkin due 10/05

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

[August Mom]

Well, if you want to scare her a little - One L by Scott Turow. Actually, most law students do read it and it's fairly accurate about some aspects of law school.

It's hard to really get something law-related for her pre-law school. You could do Black's Law Dictionary - she'll have to buy one if she doesn't have one. But, other than that, she basically needs what students need - backpack or messenger bag, snacks, maybe a little coffee maker and some special coffees if she's into that (I know at our law school, each student was assigned a desk with storage area and some students kept coffee makers there for late night or early morning studying), housewarming items if she's moving.

At graduation, I received 2 law-related items that were neat - a music box that was a stack of law books with the scales of justice in a snow globe (from San Francisco Music Box Company) and a crystal candy dish with a brass scales of justice lid.

I suppose a nice pen would be appropriate too. She'll be taking lots of notes.

This isn't very exciting, but a jump drive might be useful if she has a laptop. She may use the laptop and school and then need to transfer information to another computer to print, e-mail, etc.

[egfmba]

I just finished my first year in law school and I found that what I needed most was office supplies! You may just get her a gift card from a local office supply store. I needed tabs, binders, Sharpies, etc. I also found that a Starbucks card came in handy.

As for a dictionary, it's nice, but I rarely used mine, and if I forgot it (and after I stopped carrying it) I could get Black's online.

I think a lot of students find what they need most is time. That, and exam tips. I got the book "Getting to Maybe" by Fischl and Paul (it's a popular book) and because most students don't realize how important the job search is, you may look at "Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams" by Kimm Alayne Walton (I think that's how her middle name is spelled).

Otherwise, I'd suggest a gift card to a store that sells nice suits (for interviews) or a gift card to her campus bookstore (it may already be a Barnes & Noble) for textbooks.

Good luck!

eva

[miki]

Gift card for her school's bookstore is good, she'll be there a lot. One new law textbook can be over $50. A nice travel mug for coffee in class. A leather portfolio that holds a pad and resumes for interviewing. Or for fun and to drown out miscellaneous noise at the library whilst studying, a MPEG player like iPod Shuffle.

[bostonsmama]

I was going to say a nice pen...a Mont Blanc or Cross. Crane is (or at least was) having a great sale on a $150 Cross pen for $50-ish. That and a 6-pack of refills for the pen. Then you could afford a $30 Starbucks gift card and a pack of Crane's watermarked 100% cotton paper for printing those resumes to hand to high profile firms (nothing looks nicer)-less than $10.

Wow...how exciting for her.

[Mommy_Again]

Many years ago I saw a Waterford gavel - but I must say I think that would be more appropriate for gradudation.

What about a nice desk clock - either silver or crystal. Waterford's web site had several nice options under $100. You'd be able to find them in a nice jewelry store.

[tigalig]

I'm willing to bet she has a Black's Law Dictionary already. I had two leather-bound versions before I left for law school. A really nice bag would be nice. I had a leather backpack that I used my first year until I bought a messenger bag my second year so perhaps a gift certificate to a bag store. A bottle of NoDoz for finals week might be a nice gag gift too. :)

[aliceinwonderland]

Finished with 1L a few weeks ago.

In my class there was only one girl (one that I became friends with) that chose to take notes by hand, everybody else had laptops. SO if you can spare a $2000+ IBM laptop, that would be nice :) I actually chose to handwrite my second semester too, but I'll go back to my laptop next semester.

Seriously, I went thru a lot of high-lighters, and some people had specific colored ones for specific things. A nice bag is also a good idea, except I used one with wheels for my first semester (book+laptop+pump= heavy)

I did NOT have a Black's before I went to law school, and even now I have a small one, not the very nicest ones.

Honeslty, the BEST gift for *me* would have been a gift certificate to a bookstore: in addition to the required textbooks, I ended up buying several "commercial" outlines/hornbooks.

No wonder I need to consolidate :(