The first person to assess your work bag is not the partner or the judge. It is a security officer with an x-ray machine, and at some courts the bag you love will not get past the door. The US Supreme Court publishes an exact size limit. The Old Bailey turns large bags away from its public gallery. One federal hearing in 2025 limited the public to items smaller than a paperback. This guide sets out what courts in the US and UK actually say, what has to fit, seven bags to consider on Amazon, and why a lawyer has more reason than most to avoid a fake.
Short answer: A good work bag for court is a plain, structured bag that clears the building’s size limit, opens easily for screening and holds an A4 or letter file, a laptop and flat shoes. Check the court’s own page first. The US Supreme Court bans any bag over 18 by 14 by 8.5 inches, and most courts x-ray what you carry.
Key takeaways
- There is no single rule. Bag limits differ by building and sometimes by hearing, so read the court’s page before you travel.
- A laptop can be a bigger problem than the bag: one federal court we checked requires a judge’s prior authorisation.
- A bag needs no logo to be protected. Bottega Veneta won US trade mark protection for a leather weave with no name on it.
- Owning a fake is not a crime for a private buyer in most of the US or UK, but France and Italy penalise buyers, and that is a poor line for a lawyer to stand on.
What do courts actually require of your bag?
We read each court’s own page on 6 November 2026. These are examples, not a survey. The other federal court pages we read described screening, not a bag size.
| Court | What it says | What it means for your bag |
|---|---|---|
| US Supreme Court | No bag over 18 x 14 x 8.5 inches in the building. No briefcases, purses or bags in the courtroom. Checkroom and lockers available | Measure it. Expect to leave it outside the courtroom |
| US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, one hearing | Notice for V.O.S. Selections v. Trump, 31 July 2025: bags and items over 5 x 7 x 3/4 inches barred; preapproved counsel may bring authorised bags | High-profile hearings can bring special rules, so read the notice |
| US District Court, District of Columbia | All bags, briefcases and backpacks are x-rayed; luggage gets airport-style screening | Pack so that nothing needs explaining |
| US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia | Laptops and tablets need a judge’s prior authorisation; no lockers; phones go into a locked pouch | Get the order first. Do not assume you can leave a laptop at the door |
| Courts and tribunals in England and Wales | Airport-style check every time. Barred items include glass, perfume, metal cutlery and full-length umbrellas | Clear out your everyday bag. Staff hold barred items and give a receipt |
| Royal Courts of Justice, London | All users and their possessions are searched; a security arch is in use | Allow time. HMCTS warns of queues between 9am and 10am |
| Old Bailey public gallery | Large bags or rucksacks not allowed; handbags acceptable; no safekeeping at the gallery entrance | For students and observers, carry small or leave it elsewhere |
Practitioners may get an easier route. HMCTS began rolling out a professional users’ access scheme in 2019, and the Federal Circuit notice above carved out arguing counsel. Do not rely on either without checking. Whatever your status, assume the bag will be opened, and avoid anything with a tricky clasp when a queue is building behind you. If you are visiting a court as a student, FLJ’s guide on what to wear to a law firm interview works for a court day too.
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What has to fit in a lawyer’s work bag?
Start with paper. A4 is 210 x 297mm, or 8.27 x 11.69 inches, and US letter is 8.5 x 11 inches. A bag only 12 inches tall holds both, but a stiff folder makes the fit tight, and brand dimensions are usually outside measurements. A bag with 15 inches of width lets you lay files on their long side, which is what most slim briefcases assume.
Then the laptop. Apple lists the 13-inch MacBook Air at 11.97 x 8.46 inches and the 15-inch at 13.40 x 9.35. Brands state a screen size, so check yours against the bag, and treat “holds a laptop” with no number as a question to ask.
- Flats or court shoes: a slim 2-inch briefcase will not take them. A tote with 5 inches of depth will. If you commute in boots, this decides the bag.
- Closure: a zip keeps a file private on a train platform. An open tote shows everyone your bundle.
- Base: a structured base stands up on a court bench and does not spill when you sit.
- Weight: check the empty weight on the listing, then add your laptop.
Which work bags should lawyers buy?
These seven were chosen by the FLJ editors, and the links are Amazon affiliate links. We have not measured them, so compare the size on each listing with your court’s limit, such as the US Supreme Court’s 18 x 14 x 8.5 inches, before you rely on one.
- 01
Banuce
Italian Full Grain Leather Briefcase
The classic choice: a full grain leather briefcase for deal documents and a 14-inch laptop.
- 02
KomalC
Leather Laptop Briefcase
Real leather, room for a 15-inch laptop, and it softens with age.
- 03
Michael Kors
Jet Set Top Zip Tote
Structured and zips shut, so a file stays private, and it fits a 13-inch laptop. The colour pictured carries the signature print, so choose plain black or brown for the office.
- 04
LOVEVOOK
Laptop Tote Bag, 15.6 inch
Separate compartments keep the laptop away from the bundle. A practical choice for a student or trainee.
- 05
befen
Soft Leather Slouchy Tote
A roomy, softly structured leather tote for files on days away from the security arch.
- 06
Coach
Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28
Soft leather that sits neatly under the arm and holds more than it looks. A bag for the office rather than the bundle.
- 07
befen
Genuine Leather Crossbody Bag
Hands free for a phone, a pass and a coffee, with an RFID lining. A small option for a public gallery that turns away large bags.
The tradition: junior barristers carry their robes and wig in a blue damask drawstring bag, made to order by robemakers such as Ede & Ravenscroft. A red bag is ordered by a KC as a gift for a junior, so it is not one to buy for yourself.
Our lawyer starter kit has more affordable options by practice area, with Amazon links.
Does a logo-free bag have any legal protection?
Yes, and a plain bag is more legally interesting than a monogrammed one. In the US, trade dress can protect a bag’s look, but the Supreme Court held in Wal-Mart v. Samara Brothers (2000) that product design is protected only on a showing of secondary meaning: the public must link the design to one source. FLJ has explained what trade dress protects and how a brand proves secondary meaning.
The best example for a logo-free bag is In re Bottega Veneta, decided by the US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in September 2013. The Board reversed refusals of a mark for slim leather strips of 8 to 12mm, interlaced at 45 degrees, with no word or logo in it. It found the weave had acquired distinctiveness for handbags and shoes, and it tied its functionality finding to that exact design. FashionUnited reported in February 2026 that the USPTO rejected a broader woven pattern from Naghedi, which shows the limit. A weave is not protected as such: a specific look that the public connects to one house can be.
So when you buy a quiet bag, you are not stepping out of trade mark law. A plain bag that copies another house’s protected shape can still infringe, and FLJ’s guide to dupes and counterfeits sets out where that line falls. On the practical side, and this is our view, a discreet bag also avoids a small problem for fashion lawyers: a rival’s monogram on the table at a client meeting.
Why should a lawyer never carry a counterfeit?
Start with what the law says. In the US, the federal offence at 18 U.S.C. section 2320 targets trafficking, so a private buyer who keeps one fake for personal use is not the target. Customs can still step in, and 19 CFR 148.55 limits the traveller’s exemption to one article of each type every 30 days. In the UK, the offence in section 92 of the Trade Marks Act 1994 requires a view to gain or intent to cause loss, which is aimed at sellers.
Europe is different. France’s Ministry of Justice says bringing in or holding a counterfeit is illegal, and its guidance for Paris Games visitors lists a penalty of up to twice the value of the genuine item, confiscation, a fine of €300,000 and up to three years in prison. In Italy, a buyer for personal use can face an administrative fine of €100 to €7,000 under Legislative Decree 35/2005, as law firm Barzanò & Zanardo explains. FLJ’s guide to replica bags compares the countries in more detail. So a fake in your bag on a trip to Paris or Milan is a real exposure.
Courts have also said why buyers matter. In Hermès v. Lederer de Paris (2d Cir. 2000), the court accepted post-sale confusion: harm occurs when a sophisticated buyer purchases a knockoff and passes it off as genuine, gaining the status of the real thing at a knockoff price. That is the buyer’s conduct, described by a federal appeals court, even though the case was against sellers.
Now apply that to a lawyer. We found no disciplinary case about a lawyer’s handbag, and we would not overstate the point. But ABA Model Rule 8.4 makes it misconduct to commit a criminal act reflecting on honesty, or to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, and the SRA’s Principles in England and Wales also require honesty. Knowingly carrying a fake in a country that treats it as an offence is not where you want to test that. There is also the plain credibility cost if you advise a brand, or hope to. If you bought a suspect bag by accident, FLJ’s guides on refunds for fakes on Amazon and spotting fake luxury are the place to start.
Frequently asked questions
What size bag can I take into court?
It depends on the building. The US Supreme Court bars bags over 18 x 14 x 8.5 inches and does not allow any bag into its courtroom. HMCTS guidance for England and Wales sets no general size, but bags are checked. Read the court’s page before you go.
Can lawyers take a laptop into a federal courthouse?
Not always. The Eastern District of Virginia bars laptops without a judge’s prior authorisation and offers no lockers. Other courts differ. Check the local rules or the judge’s standing order in good time, and ask the clerk if unsure.
What is the best work bag for a law student?
A light, zipped tote that takes A4 or letter files and a 13-inch laptop. The Michael Kors Jet Set Top Zip Tote in our picks zips shut and fits a 13-inch laptop. Look for a plain finish, and test it with your own folder before an interview.
Does a work bag need to fit A4 paper?
Yes, if you carry paper. A4 is 11.69 inches tall and US letter is 11, so a bag needs at least 12 inches of usable height or 15 inches of width to lay files sideways. Listed sizes are usually outside measurements, so allow for that.
Is it illegal to carry a fake designer bag?
In most of the US and UK, owning one for personal use is not a crime, though customs can seize goods. France and Italy go further and can penalise buyers. Selling a fake is unlawful in all four. This is general information, so check local law before travelling.
Why do barristers carry a blue bag?
It is how junior barristers in England and Wales traditionally carry their robes and wig. Ede & Ravenscroft describes it as a blue cotton damask drawstring bag, usually with embroidered initials. A red bag is different: a KC orders one as a gift for a junior.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Court rules change and differ by building, judge and hearing, so check the court’s own page before you travel. Rules on counterfeits depend on the country and the facts. Check the size and price on the listing before you buy.
affiliate disclosure · As an Amazon Associate, Fashion Law Journal earns from qualifying purchases. The Amazon links in this article are affiliate links, so FLJ may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and stock change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy.
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