Last updated: November 19, 2024
One of the best things about the holiday season is that we get a chance to show people how much we appreciate and care for them. It is also an opportunity to reconnect with our hobbies, joys, and each other.
These gift ideas are great for:
- Your friend, spouse, or family member who is a lawyer or works with contracts.
- Your team members who work with contracts.
- Your clients who reach out to you for contracting advice or services.
- Your…self!
1. Reasonably Happy New Calendar Year Ornament by Contract Nerds
I’m biased so don’t just take my word for it. These nerdy ornaments from Contract Nerds nearly sold out last year because so many people ordered them. But not to worry…they’re restocked now!
On one side of the ornament is the Contract Nerds logo (so cute, right?). And on the other side of the ornament is a common holiday sentiment that has been redlined for clarity. All wrapped up with a pretty red bow! No matter which way you hang it or which way it turns, you’ll get a nerdy treat.
2. 2024 Desk Calendar by the Introverted Attorney
The Introverted Attorney (@theintrovertedattorney on Instagram) creates unique and funny comics about lawyer life. They have an expansive merchandise shop but the top item that caught my eye this year is the Holiday Lawyer Gift Box. It is a one-of-a-kind gift box filled with lawyer-related humorous gifts for the attorney in your life who has mastered the art of quiet quitting and could use a nice care package to brighten up his or her day. It’s so cute! I mean, cool!
I also love this comic poster from The Introverted Attorney. I have one hanging up in my home office to remind me not to take myself too seriously at times. I put it in a black 12×12 frame.
3. Spring Conference Where Legal Learns Business – 5% Promo Code
CrushLegal Academy of Success 2025 is an Executive MBA style learning experience in downtown Chicago for lawyers, legal professionals, corporate leaders, and decision makers. CrushLegal Academy of Success 2025 is an Executive MBA style learning experience in downtown Chicago for lawyers, legal professionals, corporate leaders, and decision makers. Hosted at the prestigious Deloitte conference center, this two day fast paced training event provides grad school level legal and business administration training, workshops, professional development, and networking starting with an evening of fine dining. I’ll be a presenter and hope to see you there from April 8-9, 2025. Use this promo code for 5% off: CLAS25CN5.
4. Contract Redlining Etiquette Book by Nada Alnajafi
She’s making a list and checking it twice! Did you know that 78% of all contracts professionals learned how to redline contracts on the job? Sounds…frustrating, right? This holiday season, make your gift recipient’s life a tad bit easier by showing them the contract redlining ropes.
My first book Contract Redlining Etiquette: How to leverage the power of redlines for faster and smarter contract negotiations provides the first and only uniform set of rules about redlining and negotiating contracts from a process standpoint. I lay out 10 rules, aka best practices, that will help any contracts professional close contracts faster and more efficiently.
My second book, Contract Redlining Etiquette: A Technical Companion focuses on system improvements by providing the top tips, tricks, and workarounds that every contracts professional should know when using Microsoft Word to redline contracts. It is currently available as a downloadable ebook.
Keep Learning: Subscribe to the Contract Nerds newsletter for expert content all about contracts.
5. Caffeine Before Contracts Mug by Contract Nerds
This mug was the first, aka OG, product in the Contract Nerds shop. I initially created it so that I could give it away to people who helped me out with something as a “thank you” gift. As people started posting pictures with the mug on LinkedIn, the demand to be able to purchase it grew. So I opened up a formal shop with nerdy goodies that now has a total of eight products.
Aside from carrying any sort of liquid in it that you desire, this mug also doubles as an excellent pen holder.
6. A Banned Book from Barnes & Nobles or Any Bookstore
Lawyers and contracts professionals have a certain respect for words. As an author and a mother, my respect for other authors and for a world where we are free to read any book we chose is multiplied. Without getting too political, I wonder if there are special people in your life who would like to read a banned book to support the right to free speech and the right to a free education. Or, if anything, who would like to learn and grow with an open mind. If so, here’s a list of great books to start with, created by Barnes & Nobles.
Barnes & Nobles’ List of Top Banned & Challenged Books You Should Probably Read Immediately:
- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
- New Kid by Jerry Craft
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
7. Contracts Whisperer T-Shirt from Legal Tech Tees
This shirt is sold by Legal Tech Tees, which was created by Legal Ops Enthusiast Rian Kennedy and his family to learn together how to run a simple online business. Rian has been in the legal technology space since 2005 and has seen a lot change over the years. The themes of the designs will draw from that experience covering subjects such as Bates stampers or floppy disks or modern contract lifecycle management and litigation support technologies.
Keep Learning: Subscribe to the Contract Nerds newsletter for expert content all about contracts.
8. Ticket to ContractsCon hosted by How to Contract
I’ll be heading to Las Vegas from January 22-23, 2025 to attend ContractsCon–the best contract training event in the world. So who wants to come and join me?! You can attend in-person or virtually. While tickets aren’t cheap, they are totally worth it. Purchase your tickets here.
Here are some of the reasons to attend this conference:
- 100% practical teaching about how to work with contracts you handle all the time
- Built around training bursts with tons of practical training in small groups with experienced lawyers
- Fun and laughter are built into every part of the event
- Contract Karaoke hosted by our Contract Music Master
- $2,500+ in prizes for both in-person and virtual ticket holders
- Be part of this incredible contract community
Plus, did I mention that I’ll be there?! That’s right. I’ll be moderating a panel on How to Negotiate Without Talking. I hope to see you there!
9. The Tech Contracts Handbook by David Tollen
The Tech Contracts Handbook is a practical and accessible reference and training manual on IT contracts, published by the American Bar Association. Now in its 3rd edition, it’s a clause-by-clause “how to” guide on cloud computing agreements, software licenses, technology services agreements, and other IT contracts — covering the issues at stake and offering negotiation tips and sample contract language. Since initial publication in 2010, it has regularly topped the list as the #1 bestseller from the IP Section of the ABA.
More from David Tollen: Catch a webinar we hosted with David Tollen on Contracts for Generative AI: Terms and Troubles for 75 minutes of masterful information about contracting with AI vendors.
10. Weekly Newsletter by Contract Nerds
This one is free but hey, it’s the thought that counts! Do you know someone who love contracts and wants to learn more? Subscribe them to our totally free and awesome newsletter! Every Wednesday, we will send an email straight to their inbox with expert tips about contracting. If they don’t like it, then can subscribe at any time.
I hope these holiday gift ideas will help you show some appreciation to a #contractnerd in your life. Happy holidays!
