Best Pen for a Lawyer?

[Jimmy James]

If he's in court all day with regularity, he's probably my kind of lawyer. Does he practice criminal law like I do?

 

I'm way too fascinated with cheap pens to reserve the budget for the pen I'm looking for, but I think there are pretty much only two ways to go here:

 

1) Pelikan M215 (I prefer the lozenge pattern) -- it's a metal pen, so it should be more durable than the M200/M400. Unlike the higher number Pelikans, it's not a big or wide pen. Whatever pattern you go with, the silver tone on black is what I'd consider a courtroom classic.

 

2) Restored Parker 51 vac -- These suckers (bad pun) hold a ton of ink in their own right. It's a classic durable pen, and you can take it from the typical black with steel cap all the way up to one of the rare double jewel versions if you really want something special.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Jimmy James

[kazoolaw]

First, your husband is to be congratulated on marrying so well. You are very thoughtful in looking for a pen for him to actually use.

 

Second, what kind of fountain pen does he have now? I often carry two pens of different diameters and nib sizes just for some variety, and variation in grip. I still hold on too tightly, and a switch from large diameter to small is a nice break. Plus you can do contrasting ink colors for coding your notes as well.

 

As for the pens, there is something to be said for a MB 149 (a tip of the hat to Pier Gustafson)

 

http://members.aol.com/pengod/LAWYER.JPG

 

My first suggestion was going to be a Parker 51. A good one is pretty much bullet proof, and with a fine or medium nib should write all day. Plus they come in a variety of appearances, from steel cap and black barrel, to gold or sterling caps and double jewels, to the plain but stylish Flighter. I prefer the vacumatic fill, but have to admit the Flighter with the aerometric filler is quicker and is always in my pocket. I'm guessing you'll have thoughts on coordinating a pen style to your husband's wardrobe.

 

The Pelikan suggestion is a good one. If you're going to surprise your husband I'd go to Richardspens.com. There's plenty of good advice on the webpage and Richard Binder tests each pen before it goes out.

 

Finally, next time you are looking for a present, poke around the paper page and get your husband a couple pads of nice paper. They make the writing even smoother.

 

Check back and let us know what you buy, and how he likes it.

 

gary

[KClaw]

I'm a trial lawyer and my pens get used a lot, for note taking at trial and in depos, among other uses.

My carry pens are a Parker 51 Vac DJ with a fine nib, and a Parker Vacumatic Major DJ with a medium-fine wet nib. Both are nice, reliable pens, which write very smoothly and hold a lot of ink. They are elegant without being flashy or ostentatious.

Sorry MB fans, but I think pulling out a big MB 149 in court can be a bit off putting to both the judge and jury, like wearing loud, expensive jewelry or flashy suits. It possesses the "ambulance chaser" aura. Since I am an insurance defense lawyer with a big, downtown " la dee dah" law firm, "conservative quality" is the look I am going for.

That is my $275 per hour opinion, anyway. LOL!

[CharlieB]

Any conservative black pen with gold trim. A Montblanc 149 would be perfect, as would the black GT versions of the Parker Duofold Centennial, the Pelikan M1000, the Omas Paragon, the Aurora Optima, or the Conway Stewart Nelson.

[Hennypenny]

How about one of the Pilot/Namiki Custom 823's? -- I hope I have that name right. I don't have one, but everyone I know who has one LOVES it !! Perhaps someone who has one will speak up as to ink capacity -- I know they write fabulously well and are very discreet looking.

 

HP

[Cerebus]

I'm a trial lawyer and my pens get used a lot, for note taking at trial and in depos, among other uses.

My carry pens are a Parker 51 Vac DJ with a fine nib, and a Parker Vacumatic Major DJ with a medium-fine wet nib. Both are nice, reliable pens, which write very smoothly and hold a lot of ink. They are elegant without being flashy or ostentatious.

Sorry MB fans, but I think pulling out a big MB 149 in court can be a bit off putting to both the judge and jury, like wearing loud, expensive jewelry or flashy suits. It possesses the "ambulance chaser" aura. Since I am an insurance defense lawyer with a big, downtown " la dee dah" law firm, "conservative quality" is the look I am going for.

That is my $275 per hour opinion, anyway. LOL!

 

Then again, there is always that possibility that he wants to be loud and flashy. I would imagine it depends on what sort of law he is practicing.

 

I am a law student, just finishing in May, and I wanted a "lawyer pen". I ended up going with the m605 from Pam Braun. Not only is it currently priced right, I think it is a very nice looking yet subtle pen. It is the nexis of everything that I look for in a pen. Others have other style preferences though...

[coco]

but I think pulling out a big MB 149 in court can be a bit off putting to both the judge and jury, like wearing loud, expensive jewelry or flashy suits

 

Or as my husband, a retired trial attorney says, "When you're in front of a jury, you leave the Maserati in the garage and drive your pick-up truck to court." He'd use a Waterman fountain pen in court. I recently gave him a Pelikan 800, which he'll use in court (he still sometimes sits second chair).

[goodguy]

I'm a trial lawyer and my pens get used a lot, for note taking at trial and in depos, among other uses.

My carry pens are a Parker 51 Vac DJ with a fine nib, and a Parker Vacumatic Major DJ with a medium-fine wet nib. Both are nice, reliable pens, which write very smoothly and hold a lot of ink. They are elegant without being flashy or ostentatious.

Sorry MB fans, but I think pulling out a big MB 149 in court can be a bit off putting to both the judge and jury, like wearing loud, expensive jewelry or flashy suits. It possesses the "ambulance chaser" aura. Since I am an insurance defense lawyer with a big, downtown " la dee dah" law firm, "conservative quality" is the look I am going for.

That is my $275 per hour opinion, anyway. LOL!

Thats a good valid point coming from a pen fan and a lawyer,I think KClaw is the one you should listen more then anyone else.

Getting a Vintage Parker 51 Vacumatic or a Parker Vacumatic will mean you will have to buy the pen though an online pen shop or ebay and then send the pen to a Vacumatic specialist.In my opinion this is too complicated for you and it will be much easier just to buy a new pen.

Since in KClaw eyes the MB 149 is a NO NO then I think a FULL black Pelikan M1000 is the perfect pen for you.Its a very solid pen that will not attract any negative attantion.On the other hand as I said befor it will hold a ton of ink and is a very reliable pen that has an amazing writing qualities.

Edited December 29, 2007 by goodguy

[KClaw]

Don't get me wrong, though. I do like vintage MBs. They are top quality pens. But the whole "Polo", Wall Street and Gordon Geko trip of the late 80s and early 90s have stigmatized these pens. They are perceived as being used by rich plaintiff's attorneys and "big shot" corporate lawyer-types, not the image you wish to convey to a jury of regular folks.

And the beauty of the hooded nib "51" is it is a FP that looks like a "regular" pen.

Edited December 29, 2007 by KClaw

[CD7]

KClaw has it.

I'll just suggest picking up some Red and Black notebooks.

Available all over and make for some nice and easy fountain pen writing.

 

[CaseyK]

I am surprised no one has mentioned a Mont Blanc 146. A little more discrete and slimmer than a 149 but still holds a ton of ink. I second the motion for a Namiki Pilot Custom 823 too. HUGE ink capacity... like a vacummatic but new.

[yachtsilverswan]

A lawyer needs a Montblanc 149. No question.

 

 

Ditto - very, very ditto.

 

Until you mentioned the need for a large ink capacity, I had the perfect solution - Montblanc's Boheme in Sharkskin - the metaphors flowing from that are just way too easy.

[wspohn]

I would rule out cartridge pens just because it is a hassle to have to either get the hypo out to refill them, or toss a part filled cartridge and replace it with a new one to make sure you don't run out.

 

Having said that, just about any converter fill pen should get him through a day at work. If he likes thinner pens, the Parker 75 would be perfect for him, available in a wide range of patterns and as others have said, the finer the nib the longer the ink lasts.

 

Ironically, one of the pens that I would otherwise suggest as being suitable has an unusually small ink capacity. The Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point is very handy for note taking as you click it out like a ballpoint. He might not get through a day with it unless he gets a special XXXF nib, though.

 

BTW, I don't know any lawyers that don't have at least one back-up pen in their pockets, so even if it did run out, he could quickly switch to the BP or whatever else he was carrying.

[aunt rebecca]

any pen with invisible ink! :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd:

[Deirdre]

3.The third choice is very different,its the Delta Dolce Vita Oversize.Its a big pen that can work either as a cartrige/converter pen or as an eye dropper.As an eye dropper this pen holds a HUGE ammount of ink.With a F nib this pen will be a pure ink tanker.But its a bit of a flashy pen with its red body and black cap.

That's a great suggestion I wouldn't have thought of. ::adds it to the want list::

[Deirdre]

but I think pulling out a big MB 149 in court can be a bit off putting to both the judge and jury, like wearing loud, expensive jewelry or flashy suits

 

Or as my husband, a retired trial attorney says, "When you're in front of a jury, you leave the Maserati in the garage and drive your pick-up truck to court." He'd use a Waterman fountain pen in court. I recently gave him a Pelikan 800, which he'll use in court (he still sometimes sits second chair).

Pelikan would be my choice, but Waterman's good. Then again, there's usually breaks in these things, so having more than one pen isn't necessarily a handicap, especially with a Visconti traveling inkpot.

[Brian]

Why not a Namiki Vanishing Point? He can carry two of them and if he uses fine points the cartridges last longer. How about two just in case of ink runing out. They don't cost much, are very useful in getting to the point of writing quickly, and are very reliable.

[jbn10161]

Speaking as a lawyer, it depends :-)

 

The replies so far have been good. KClaw's perspective in particular is correct, I think. I'll add a few issues to consider and one recommendation.

 

Pens these days come with either gold or silver trim. You might pick whichever would match his watch, belt buckle, etc.

 

I'll disagree with the suggestion that a fine point would be better for note-taking. Under controlled circumstances with smallish handwriting, yes; but if he will be writing very fast, taking notes of testimony at the same time as making notes of questions or issues, then he will not want the risk of the nib catching or throwing ink. Bold nibs, italics, and stubs would be too difficult to read later on, but a medium might be just the right compromise unless his writing is very small.

 

If he travels frequently and will want to take the pen, cartridge/converter models are fine. He can always check out the supply before court or a deposition starts and refill as necessary in a break. I generally use converters, but there are always cartridges in my computer bag or suitcase (in a zip lock bag).

 

It would be best IMO to find the middle ground between looking successful and not looking ostentatious. Traditional pens like Pelikan and Aurora might be perfect. You can never go wrong with black, unless you're sure that he'll want and use something bolder. (I don't own a Parker 51, but if he's conservative, that might be a good choice.) Even though a Mont Blanc 146 would once have been a foolproof choice, I agree with the comments that, nowadays, it has too many associations wrapped up in it to be a certain pick, especially if you live outside a large city or if he represents wage-earners.

 

I would recommend your looking at Dunhill pens. They are beautiful, appealing both to contemporary and traditional sensibilities, and the nibs, by Namiki, are excellent. The Dunhill Sidecar series, which comes in several finishes, might be just the ticket.

 

 

 

[Romeo Dog]

Hmm. Plenty of very good ideas here. My only real disagreement would be with the Pelikan 1000. Don't buy it without seeing it in person--it is a huge pen and is simply not comfortable for most hands.

[PamHB]

If he's in court all day with regularity, he's probably my kind of lawyer. Does he practice criminal law like I do?

 

Jimmy, he's been in practice long enough to do just everything that can done as a trial lawyer -- criminal prosecution, criminal defense, civil litigation, insurance law at both tables -- not as many days in court now as he would like, but still happy to be there.

Edited December 29, 2007 by PamHB