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7 Things to Do With Your Old Casebooks (Besides Sell Them)

By Mark Wilson, Esq. on August 20, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Well, law school is over. The bar exam is over. And yet you still have a pile of casebooks from 3L year -- as well as a smaller pile from previous years you couldn't get rid of because the federal rules advisory committees have to change the rules every single year!

Sure, you could sell these books and make about 18 cents on the dollar, but that takes time and it's no fun at all. Instead, consider these seven more creative uses for Chemerinsky's Con Law book. Plus, it's an excuse to use power tools.

1. Target Practice.

FindLaw blogger William Peacock discovered a creative use for Singer's "Property Law" -- a .25-'06 at 150 yards in a snowstorm. (See image below.)

Casebook target practice. (Photo by FindLaw Senior Writer William Peacock)

Also applicable for just after finals when you need some stress relief.

2. A Lamp.

Glue a bunch of books together, then drill a hole through all of them to create a base for a lamp. Bonus: you can make lamps themed to different practice areas. That's fun, right?

3. Bookshelves Made of Books.

Secure a metal plate into the wall, then slide a book over it to create a bookshelf. It creates a neat effect making it look like the books are floating on the wall. Plus, it's so meta.

4. A Secret Compartment.

Furtively store your emergency cash (or emergency booze) inside a hollowed-out book. A casebook is just the right size to store a small bottle of ... um ... money. Yeah, that's the ticket.

5. A Christmas Tree.

Get into the holiday spirit by crafting a Christmas tree out of your old books. (This may require books of consistent size, so this probably shouldn't be your first option. Unless you have a circular saw; in that case, go to town.)

6. Make Some Art.

Old books don't have to be turned into something functional. You can also make artwork and sculptures out of them if utility isn't your thing and law school didn't wring the last bit of creativity out of you like a used sponge.

7. An End Table.

Instead of paying almost $200 for a table made out of fake books, go find a round piece of glass and then glue a bunch of books together to make a small table. (Although, in reality, your table ended up costing much more than $200, and it might not be that sturdy. But how else can you have this much fun with glue?)

Any more creative uses for old casebooks? Let us know via Twitter (@FindLawLP) or Facebook (FindLaw for Legal Professionals).

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