1. Laptop.
Most law students have their own laptops for taking notes and exams; indeed they are now mandatory at some schools.

2. Printer.
You may do just fine printing out everything at school, but not if your school makes you pay, so be sure to check on that.

3. Backpack/bookbag/rolling suitcase.
How you choose to lug around your extremely heavy law books (and possibly your laptop) is a matter of personal choice, but regardless you’ll need something large, sturdy, and reliable. Also make sure there’s a place to secure your laptop inside.

4. Notebooks/legal pads.
Even for those who take notes on their laptops, notebooks and legal pads always come in handy

5. Pens of different colors.
Jotting down notes in different colored pens will help you find important information later.

6. Highlighters in different colors.
Many students use highlighters when case briefing in the book; the most effective way is to use a different color for each section, e.g., yellow for facts, pink for holding, etc.

7. Post-it notes, including the small index tabs.
Use these for marking off important cases or discussions and for writing down your questions; the index tabs are especially useful in the Bluebook and codes like the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).

8. Folders/binders.
To keep handouts, outlines, and other papers organized.

9. Paper clips/stapler and staples.
Your method of choice for keeping papers together.

10. Daily planner (book or on computer).
Keep track of assignments, progress, and other engagements.

11. Printer paper and extra printer cartridges.
Only needed if you have a printer at home, of course. MK

A lawyer just starting out with the bare minimun is going to need the following:

An office to practice in
A competent secretary (this will be your most valuable asset)
An office calendar or legal scheduling software. A law office will either live or die by the kind of calendar they keep…
An office phone with answering service
A cell phone
A computer, one for each person working in the office (with legal document formatting software, a word processing program, and an internet connection among other types of software….)
A fax machine
A copy machine (a GOOD one! Nothing will make your secretary want to quit quicker than a crappy copy machine!)
A postage machine (not critical but sure is nice…)
A legal library consisting of code and law reference books applicable to the area of law the attorney is practicing in. These seem to be things that are accumulated over time and most attorneys start out having at least a small legal library of their own. There are also legal libraries in most courthouses.
Accounts at the following types of business- FedEx or UPS, Kinko’s, a local office supply store.
Several bank accounts- overhead account, trust account, and payroll account to name a few….
Assorted office supplies. The filing system and what kinds of file folders and such are a personal preference of the attorney.

That ought to get you started but I’m sure there is much more….You can’t get everything you need at first but over time, you will acquire these things…. lillllbit

Um, well, let’s see. Pens, legal pads, paper, stapler, a copier, a file cabinet and file folders, a computer and printer, a lawyers’ diary, a few legal references, a phone, a pda is nice these days. A trip to Staples or Office Depot would do it, except for the legal references, which you would buy from a legal publishing firm like WestLaw or Gann.

* Edit– Are you shopping for a new law school grad? Some business cards with a nice holder would be a nice thing.* Lexie