Law School Essentials - The Supplies You Actually Need
- Third Year Law Student
- Jun 22
- 5 min read
Many of you are approaching the start of your 1L year and have no idea where to start with what to buy. You don’t need to break your bank to succeed in law school.
I remember shopping for law school supplies - everywhere I looked recommended spending hundreds on law student essentials. However, you truly only need a few items to succeed in law school.
This list includes the absolute essentials and a separate list for the items I recommend based on my experience. I personally cannot survive without any of these, but a lot of this comes down to your personal preference.
The Essentials
Laptop
Obviously, you will be doing a lot of work on your computer throughout law school. Throughout my 1L year, I used the same laptop I had used throughout all of undergrad. It got the job done, but after so long, it began slowing down, overheating, and completely shutting down. During my summer evidence class, I finally cracked and bought a new laptop.
Before I bought a new laptop, I did a lot of research into what laptop capabilities you need in law school. To sum this research up, you want to purchase a computer with higher RAM (Unified Memory for Apple) because you are going to be operating a lot of programs while you are in school. You want the higher RAM so you can keep multiple tabs open, switch between tasks quickly, and ensure that your laptop is able to handle all of your different tabs.
Your school likely has specific technology requirements, so please ensure that your laptop meets your school’s specific requirements.
The Budget Pick - Apple Macbook Air 13in, 24 GB Unified memory
As I mentioned, Unified Memory is the most important part of your law school computer. I technically “downgraded” from a 2019 MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM to a 2024 Macbook Air with 24GB of unified memory. The difference was astonishing. My computer no longer overheats, I have never lost a document due to the computer shutting down, and have had nothing but a great experience with this computer.
If I had the money, I would have upgraded to the MacBook Pro with 24GB of unified memory, but I could not justify pulling out of my savings for the computer. If you have the financial resources, I would suggest upgrading to the Macbook Pro. Pros operate better, especially for creating flowcharts and using multiple screens at once.
Apple does offer the Pros with up to 36GB of Unified Memory, but this is not necessary unless you are going to do serious graphic designing or other design intensive work. I would only ever recommend going up to 24GB of Unified Memory unless you have a reason to do otherwise.
I am solely a MacBook user, so I do not want to speak to what PCs are the best for law school. However, you can find a Reddit thread here that discusses the best PC options.
Second Screen
This is a controversial take among many law students, but I think that it is impossible to survive without a second screen. When I outline, I always need to have at least four different tabs open and having a second screen is essential for me. I use both my iPad and a monitor as a second screen.
Because I started law school two years ago, the exact model of my second screen is unavailable. However, this model is the most comparable to the model that I currently use.
I use my iPad as a second screen whenever I am at school studying. I recently upgraded to the 2025 iPad Air from a 2021 regular iPad. The 2025 Air is comparable to the 2023 iPad Pro model, so I would recommend the Air if you are trying to save a bit of money.
Bookstand
During 1L, I was insistent on using physical textbooks. The first three weeks of classes, I didn’t have a bookstand and my neck and shoulders hurt from spending hours leaning over a textbook. If I could go back in time, this would have been the first thing I bought.
By the time I bought a bookstand, I was desperate. I bought this exact one from Staples. It is functional and gets the job done.
In full transparency, I am CHEAP. I will not buy a new bookstand until my current one falls apart. However, I dog sat for a friend of mine and used her bookstand while there, and would highly recommend investing in a better one. You want to get one with a slightly higher base because it’ll help you avoid hunching over at your desk.
If you are reading from a physical textbook, colored highlighters are essential. Ibook briefed every single case during 1L and I went through multiple packs of highlighters during my first semester. I am extremely picky about my highlighters.
As a general rule, you need to get highlighter packs with at least five different colors in them if you are book briefing. I personally use the cheapest highlighters that I can find because I go through them so quickly.
The Highly Recommended
Standing Desk
I thought about buying a standing desk at the start of 1L, but for some reason, it took me a while to actually commit to it. If you have the money to do so, buy the standing desk. It’s great for long study sessions and after buying one, I cannot imagine my life without it.
Similar to the bookstand, I got my standing desk the same day that I wanted it. I definitely payed a pretty penny to get it that moment, but again, it was worth the investment.
This is the exact standing desk that I bought. I love the fact that it is an electrically controlled desk.
I have not personally used this desk before. However, I did a lot of research into the best standing desk options. If you are willing to spend more money, I would recommend purchasing from this company. They have received some of the best reviews and have long warranty guarantees.
Laptop Stand, Keyboard, and Mouse
When I finally splurged on the standing desk, I ended up creating a whole set up for myself. Buy the laptop stand, keyboard and mouse. It will keep you from slouching over and provides a lot more comfort during long study sessions.
This is the type of laptop stand that I purchased. I love it because it keeps me from hunching over, even when I am using my sanding desk.
You want to get a wireless keyboard and mouse. It makes your life a lot easier. When you use this in addition to the standing desk and laptop stand, you will be a lot more comfortable when you study.
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