• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Law School Toolbox®

All the tools you need for law school success

  • Tutoring
  • Courses
    • Start Law School Right
  • Job Help
  • Law School 101
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • About

All the Supplies You Need to Start Law School Right

April 7, 2015 By Leah Singer 1 Comment

shutterstock_176775371Are you starting law school this fall? Congratulations! You’re in for an incredible journey of hard work that can also be very rewarding. To make sure you start law school ready for success, we recommend having your supplies and technology ready to go before attending class. To help you get started, we put together a shopping guide to help you start law school right.

The Basics: Notebooks, Pens and Highlighters

Having the right technological supplies is important, but those basic supplies like paper and pens are also worth their weight in gold. If you’re going to handwrite your notes in law school (and we recommend you do), you’ll want to have plenty of notebooks on hand. Consider something like Circa notebooks, where you can reorder pages and move things around without creating a mess. You should also purchase a few binders since professors will likely give you some paper materials—syllabus, hypotheticals, and other handouts for the class—and you will need to keep them organized.

You will be doing A LOT of writing in law school, so make sure you purchase several of your favorite pens. Highlighters are a must in law school (even if you’ve never used one before). Buy more highlighters than you think you need. You may want to have several different colors if you plan to brief cases in your books.

Bags: Backpacks, Rolling Bags and Lunch Boxes

Did you think you’re back in elementary school when we said lunch box? Believe it or not, it’s one of the smartest purchases you can make. Many schools don’t have on-site food options (or the choices aren’t that great). You’ll likely spend more time on campus than you think, so get yourself a reusable lunch box and pack snacks, water and your lunch for the day. This will help make sure you are eating through the day and you’ll save money too.

Law school books are heavy! Get yourself a sturdy backpack or rolling bag to carry around books, your laptop and notebooks. Bake sure to consider whether you’ll be walking to school, taking public transit, or driving as your mode of transportation will likely impact which type of bag you’ll want. Since these can be expensive, consider asking a parent to buy this as your college graduation or starting law school gift.

Technology

You will definitely need a computer or laptop in law school. If you already have a computer that’s working for you, you may not need to rush out and buy a new one for law school. If it’s in decent shape, save the money for something else you may need like a tablet or software. We recommend starting law school with the computer you used in college before making a new purchase. You may find after your first semester that a different type of technological solution is the way to go.

E-readers and tablets are also great resources if you prefer to read electronically. Many law students now use their iPad to read electronic casebooks for classes, and these are certainly more mobile than a laptop. Whatever you chose, make sure you also have the supplies to keep the technology safe. A laptop or tablet case is important, as is a lock to assure someone doesn’t walk off with your expensive computer.

Speaking of technology, some law students love note-taking software. Programs like Microsoft One Note and Evernote have become increasingly popular as a way to organize class notes. Law school also requires you to be hyper-organized about your time. Be sure to spend some time looking at apps, calendars and programs to help you manage your time well.

— – —

Want more law school tips? Sign up for our free mailing list today.

And check out these helpful posts:

  • What to Think About Before Starting Law School
  • Five Things To Do This Summer (Before Law School)
  • Be Ready to Throw Your Writing Style Out the Window
  • To Prepare for Law School, Read the Newspaper

Photo Credit:  donatas1205/Shutterstock


 

Looking for some help to do your best in law school? Find out about our law school tutoring options.


About Leah Singer

Leah Singer is the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator for Trebuchet, Law School Toolbox, and Bar Exam Toolbox. She loves finding just the right marketing tools, writing and social media strategy to help businesses reach their ideal audience. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Leah was a speechwriter for two college presidents at a large San Diego public university. Leah is also a freelance writer who regularly contributes to The Huffington Post, Red Tricycle, Edible Communities, and numerous other publications.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. michael piri

    09.29.15

    Hello,

    My name is Michael. I’m a law student at St. Mary’s in Texas.

    I invented and patented a great product for law students called Studdy Buddy.

    It’s an attachable, collapsible book prop for big hardback books like law books. It allows the reader to sit back and relax while they read. It attaches to and sits neatly on the spine of the book, so there’s no need to carry an extra book prop around with you.

    I’ve sold over a thousand in my area and looking to connect with law students from other parts of the country.

    Any way I can work with you? Or can you point me in the right direction in connecting with other law students?

    Thanks a lot.

    I’ve attached a little video I made last night in the library.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qB1g-slIzM

    Michael Piri
    (979) 255-9905

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Us

If you find law school tough, you are not alone! The Law School Toolbox team is here to help you through it. Check out our helpful free content, podcasts, courses and one-on-one tutoring. Thanks for stopping by and drop us a line if you have any questions. We also invite you to join our weekly mailing list, for advice right to your inbox.

Recent Posts

Podcasts to Keep Up with News and Careers in the Law

Podcasts to Keep Up with News and Careers in the Law

No matter where you are in your law school journey - whether you are an incoming, current, or former law student - podcasts are a simple and effective … Read More about Podcasts to Keep Up with News and Careers in the Law

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 348: Getting Ready for On-Campus Interviewing (w/Sadie Jones)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're chatting with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about how you should be preparing for a … Read More about Podcast Episode 348: Getting Ready for On-Campus Interviewing (w/Sadie Jones)

Bankruptcy 101

Bankruptcy 101

“I. Declare. BANKRUPTCY!” If you are like me, this iconic line from Michael Scott may be one of the first things that comes to mind when you think … Read More about Bankruptcy 101

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 347: Listen and Learn — Assumption of Risk (Torts)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, in another "Listen and Learn" episode, we're focusing on assumption of risk as a defense to … Read More about Podcast Episode 347: Listen and Learn — Assumption of Risk (Torts)

WRITING A LEGAL MEMO – THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Writing A Legal Memo – Things To Keep In Mind

Every law student knows that producing a legal memorandum is no small feat. It’s the result of a long process of research, writing, and revising. I’ve … Read More about Writing A Legal Memo – Things To Keep In Mind

Want Better Law School Grades?

Sign Up for Our Exam Tips!

Footer

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Tutoring
  • Courses
  • Job Help
  • About
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Refunds

Copyright 2022 Law School Toolbox®™