Selecting the Right Law School Supplies

For some people, the thrill of buying new school supplies wore off after the fifth grade. Others consider shopping for new highlighters, notebooks, pens, and binders an exhilarating experience — even as a grownup. Before you run out to your local office-supply store and load up on highlighters and printer cartridges, think about what supplies you need right now and which ones can wait. What follows is a rundown of the main school supplies that you'll need from the start during your first year.

• Computer: A personal computer is essential for your law school years. Many law schools actually state in their academic regulations that all students must have a computer; check with your school to determine its policies.

Many students wonder what type of computer to buy. Law schools generally send out flyers discussing the make, model, and minimum specifications of the computers they recommend. As long as your current computer is in fairly good working order, and doesn't crash too often, it should be fine to last you through your law school years.

Some law students wait until they arrive on campus to buy their computers because many university bookstores offer good discounts on computers and computer peripherals. However, remember to get there early — the lines can grow long closer to the start of classes. Don't forget to pick up a campus connectivity package from the bookstore so you'll be able to connect to the Web from home right away.

• Black's Law Dictionary: You and your dog-eared Black's Law Dictionary will become partners in crime as you furiously flip through it during class, trying to keep pace with the lecture or looking up a word when you're called on. But, as the first semester wears on, and you become more proficient in legal lingo, you'll rely less and less on your dictionary. Nevertheless, this book is an absolute necessity for getting through your years of law school. You can find the dictionary at your law school or regular bookstore.

• Notebooks and folders: With only a few exceptions, one way that law school classes differ dramatically from undergraduate classes is that you'll receive far fewer handouts. So buying a heap of folders may be unnecessary.

Notebooks, on the other hand, are crucial. Between briefing cases, taking class notes, and writing casebook notes, you'll need a bunch of notebooks (unless, of course, you take your laptop to class).

• Reading lamp: When you're sitting in your carrel late at night, hunched over your property casebook, and squinting at the tiny font sizes, you'll wish that you had a clip-on reading lamp. Most carrels have built-in lights, but they're sometimes broken or just not bright enough. You can buy cheap, clip-on lamps at any office-supply store. Save your eyes while you still can — you'll need them in good working order during your three years of law school!