Top 10 Must Read Books for Lawyers In 2019

As lawyers, we read a lot.  So, why not use that tool to improve our careers as well?  When it comes to books for lawyers it always helps to get some great recommendations.  No question, there are a lot of books for lawyers out there, so we at Oamii wanted to help you by providing a top 10 list of the must-read books for lawyers in 2019.  

After you have perused this list of books for lawyers, you will most likely be inspired to put your own law practice into high gear. In order to do that you need a marketing partner by your side. We welcome you to contact us at Oamii to help you market your law firm and build your book of business.  Please fill out our online contact form  , or call us at 561-228-4111 today. 

Now, on to the top 10 list . . .

1. Flourish – On How to Stay Calm Under Pressure

Losing your cool is never, well . . . “cool.”  But, losing your cool as a lawyer is even worse.  A career in the law can be a stressful one. So, you need to find ways to employ healthy mental habits that will allow you to stay calm when you are in high-pressure situations.  This book, Flourish, by Dr Martin Seligman, provides helpful methods and interactive exercises to assist you in forming positive relationships, find professional successes that will boost your professional and personal life. 

2. The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow – Inspiring Activist Attorneys

One of the most prominent attorneys in the nation, Clarence Darrow had a legal career that spanned 50 years.  Best known for representing Leopold and Loeb in their murder trial, and teacher John Scopes in the famous Scopes “Monkey” Trial in 1925, Clarence Darrow had an amazing legal career in which he helped establish union workers’ rights, expose terrible conditions in coal mines, and reveal the horrors of child labour.  In his book, Darrow discusses his life’s work, the cases that brought him celebrity, and his motivation to fight the forces of oppression. This is a must-read for any lawyer who hopes to use his legal career for something more than making money.

3. From Law School to Lawyer – Inspiring You to Keep Going

Law school is one thing.  Practicing law is something else altogether.  This book, From Law School to Lawyer , speaks to that person who is unsure whether law was the right profession.  The book is full of stories of people who left the practice of law to do something else entirely.  The book is framed to help the reader choose whether to go to law school in the first place. But, the book also helps those who feel “stuck” in the legal profession, and wonder if there are options outside of the practice of law.

4. And the Dead Shall Rise – Great Legal History

In 1913, there was a trial of a Jewish factory manager named Leo Frank.  He was accused and convicted of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl, based on the testimony of a single person.  A media frenzy surrounded the trial, and stoked anti-Semitic tensions in Atlanta, GA, where the trial took place. When the Governor of Georgia commuted Frank’s death sentence to life in prison due to problems with the trial, a lynch mob took Frank and killed him.  Those events sparked a revival of the Klu Klux Klan, and the birth of the Jewish Civil Rights organization the Anti-Defamation League. This book, And the Dead Shall Rise , looks into the famous case, and helps all lawyers understand the terror that could result when justice fails, and mob rule takes over.  

5. The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law – Funniest on the Practice of Law

Seen through the eyes of a fictional curmudgeonly lawyer, and his secretary, you can learn the ups and downs of an attorney’s life from learning about legal strategy to how to dress for success.  The book has funny anecdotes, hilarious mishaps, and great advice that is sure to stick with you.  

6. My Life in Court – Solid Legal Memoir

Attorney Louis Nizer brings to life his participation in some of the most significant trademark, copyright, and defamation cases in U.S. legal history.  Peppered with tips on legal strategy and tactics, Nizer’s book tells of the complex cases he handled in a marvelous, engaging way. By learning about his defamation cases, he helps the reader come to a deeper understanding about how harmful it can be to willfully damage another person’s character.

7. The New Lawyer’s Handbook – Navigating the Legal Workplace

This book is a great gift for someone just out of law school.  Similar to doctors’ need to gain “bedside manner,” which is something no covered in medical school, lawyers are not taught how to build relationships, work with others, and handle difficult clients.  This book taps into those important skills. While a lot of the advice may be considered common sense, it is structured in a way that will have you coming back to the book time and again to remind yourself of some nuggets of great advice. 

8. The Young Lawyer’s Jungle Book:  A Survival Guide – Dealing with the Beginning of a Law Career

When you have just graduated law school and started your first big law job, there is not a whole lot of time for reading.  This book, however, is something that a new lawyer should try to squeeze in whenever he or she can. It is light, easy to read, and can be digested in small chunks, but it is immensely helpful.  It covers workplace etiquette, working with superiors, and handling a young lawyer’s workload. Loaded with great advice, this must read is truly that – a must read.

9. How to Argue and Win Every Time – Shaping Your Communication for Your Audience

Gerry Spence is a well-known lawyer, both for his legal prowess as well as his home-spun manner.  In this book, Spence discusses how compassion and understanding another person’s perspective will help you communicate more effectively and persuasively.  He discusses tools for how to listen, how to stay credible, and how to understand prejudice, so that you can better make arguments that will be heard by others.  It is a great book for young and old lawyers alike. 

10. Never Eat Alone – On Building a Professional Network

If you need a primer on how to build a book of business, then this book is the one for you.  The book, never eat alone , tells you how to make networking an art and a way of life.  The whole idea is to strive to add value to your network. As our network gets more successful, so will we.  

Again, to learn more about how Oamii can help your law firm thrive, please fill out our online contact form , or call us at 561-228-4111 today.