Gifts for Lawyers: Office Gifts and Ideas for Passing the Bar

The best gifts for lawyers are things that look right in a professional office and help with long hours at a desk: a classic desk toy, a quill pen for the signing ritual, something quiet for restless hands during calls. Skip the gavel-shaped novelties and joke mugs — lawyers get those every year, and they rarely leave the box.

The test: would it look at home on a partner's desk, and will it still be there in a year?

For the desk

A quill pen. The law was written by quill for centuries, and a feather pen with spare nibs is a lovely object for signing cards and letters, or simply to sit in a stand on the desk. How to write with a quill pen.

A Newton's cradle. The classic office desk toy, and still the one clients reach for. How a Newton's cradle works.

A metal push slider. For the lawyer who clicks pens on calls: two plates that slide and snap with a quiet click. Small enough to keep in a drawer.

An infinity cube. Eight hinged metal blocks that fold endlessly and silently, for thinking time between drafts.

For the pocket

A decision coin. Yes on one side, no on the other — a joke for someone who gives careful advice for a living, and genuinely useful for lunch.

A memento mori coin. A Stoic reminder to spend the hours well. Many lawyers find the long view steadying in a demanding job. The meaning of memento mori.

A pocket watch. For the barrister or trial lawyer who likes a touch of the old courtroom about them. How to wear a pocket watch.

For the table

A magnetic chess set. Strategy, patience and thinking several moves ahead — the qualities lawyers like to think they have. It folds flat for a briefcase. Chess openings for beginners.

Gifts for lawyers passing the bar

Passing the bar is a milestone, and a gift should mark it:

• A pocket watch for the start of a career.
• A quill pen for the first signature as a lawyer.
• A memento mori coin with a note: "Make the time count."

Gifts for lawyers: male, female, boss or colleague

• For a male or female lawyer: desk objects work for everyone — the quill pen, Newton's cradle and push slider are not tied to anyone's taste.
• For a senior partner or boss: keep it understated and well made. See gifts for a male boss.
• For a colleague: a small desk toy or decision coin, under the office gift limit.

For other professions, see gifts for engineers and gifts for writers.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good gift for a lawyer?

A well-made desk object that suits a professional office, such as a quill pen, a Newton's cradle or a quiet metal fidget for calls.

What do you give someone who passed the bar?

A gift that marks the start of a career, such as a pocket watch, a quill pen for the first signature, or a memento mori coin.

What is a good office gift for a lawyer?

A classic desk toy like a Newton's cradle or an infinity cube looks right in a professional office and gets used during long days.