The Best Leather Briefcases for Men in 2022

When you invest in a new leather briefcase, it's going to become your daily go-to business bag, for every meeting, every commute, every time.

That means it has to represent you, in both style and substance, being both practical and stylish, to help you progress in your career and life goals.

Instead of a generic list of the best briefcases for men, we've listed them in sections, with a list based on the type of briefcase (eg laptop briefcase), or by profession (eg briefcase for lawyers), so you can skip to the section that's most relevant to you (simply click the quick links below):

Best Briefcase by Type:

• Best Luxury Designer Briefcase
• Best Budget Briefcase
• Best Laptop Briefcase
• Best iPad Briefcase
• Best Convertible Briefcase Backpack
• Best Briefcase on Wheels/Travel Carry-On
• Best Messenger Briefcase
• Best Satchel Briefcase
• Best Locking Briefcase

Best Briefcase by Profession:

• Best for the Office Professional
• Best for the Executive/boardroom
• Best for Lawyers, Attorneys, and Notaries
• Best for Teachers
• Best for Doctors
• Best for Realtors/Real Estate Professionals
• Best for Accountants
• Best for a young professional

Best Briefcases Ordered by Type/Style

Here we go into the best leather briefcases by briefcase type.

Best Luxury Designer Briefcase - The Executive

When you think of luxury, you think of high quality materials, and all of the extra touches that help a bag stand above the rest.

Whether you're using it for your daily work bag, or for a less used business briefcase, it will exceed your expectations.

That's what the Executive leather briefcase has, including:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK solid brass zippers.
• Locking function.
• Structured edges.
• Top handle & detachable shoulder strap.
• Dedicated 14 inch laptop compartment.
• Multiple inner compartments.
• Can be personalized.

It's available in solid black or brown leather.

Browse the Executive online here.

Best Budget Briefcase under $400 - The Elegant Slim

If you're looking for a cheaper or slightly smaller leather briefcase than the classic designs, then you need the Elegant Slim leather briefcase.

This briefcase packs a punch in a small size and for a great price, including features like:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Minimalist design and profile.
• 14 inch laptop compartment.
• Top handles & detachable shoulder strap.
• Can be personalized.

It's available in black, brown, tan, and red leather.

Browse the Elegant Slim online here.

Best Laptop Briefcase - the CITY Large

When your tech is integral to your work, you need a briefcase that's going to take care of it. It has to have enough room for your laptop, chargers, and other tech.

That's what makes the CITY large laptop briefcase the ideal choice, offering a versatile range of features, including:

• 17 inch laptop compartment.
• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Spacious design, without being bulky.
• Can be personalized.

The CITY large is available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the CITY Large online here.

Best iPad Briefcase - the CITY

If you need your iPad or Tablet in day to day business meetings and at the office, then it's essential to have a briefcase that can both hold it and protect it.

That's where the CITY leather laptop bag comes in, ideal for carrying iPads and laptops up to 15.6 inches.

It has a whole host of premium features, including:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• 15.6 inch laptop compartment.
• Slim profile, not bulky.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, and tan leather.

Browse the CITY online here.

Best Convertible Briefcase Backpack - the 10X Travel Bag

If you're looking for a briefcase that can be converted into a backpack for convenience during your commute or traveling, then you need the 10X briefcase backpack.

It has a whole host of features designed to make it really useful as a multi-purpose briefcase, including:

• Large compartment - versatile for work or travel.
• Dedicated sleeve for a 16 inch laptop/Macbook Pro.
• Detacheable backpack straps.
• Top and side handles.
• Customizable internal seperators.
• Expandeable main comparment.
• Detacheable shoulder strap.
• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, tan, and red leather.

Browse the 10X online here.

Best Travel Briefcase/Carry-On on Wheels - The Voyager

When rolling through an airport terminal, you don't want your bag holding you back. That's where the VOYAGER roller leather travel bag comes in, keeping all your essentials by your side, in a compact but stylish carry-on.

Premium features include:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• 16 inch laptop sleeve.
• Hand luggage compliant.
• Leather luggage tag included.
• Multiple compartments.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, tan and red leather.

Browse the Voyager online here.

Best Messenger Briefcase - Essential Modern

If you like to use your quality leather briefcase as a shoulder bag as well, then you need a messenger briefcase.

One of the best options for this is the Essential Modern briefcase, which combines a functional compartment, with a detachable (and adjustable) shoulder strap, making it the perfect briefcase messenger combination.

Premium features include:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Shoulder or crossbody strap (detachable and adjustable).
• 15.6 inch laptop compartment.
• Slim profile, not bulky.
• Can be personalized.

Browse the Essential Modern online here.

Best Satchel Briefcase - The No.3

The satchel briefcase is a very unique design, which signifies tradition, with two over-the-top straps, and a pronounced stitching along the side. Full grain Italian leather helps to give it the authentic look and feel of a premium bag.

The No.3 Satchel Briefcase is designed with this in mind, and includes a whole host of premium features, including:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Locking function.
• 13 inch laptop compartment.
• Detacheable shoulders strap.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the No.3 online here.

Best Locking Briefcase - The No.1

If you want to keep sensitive documents or your laptop safe in a public environment, then having a lock on your briefcase is essential.

The No.1 leather briefcase includes a robust lock of the main compartment, and includes:

• Locking main comparment.
• Useful easy access back compartment.
• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• 15.6 inch laptop compartment.
• Detacheable shoulders strap.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the No.1 online here.

Best Briefcase by Profession

Here we go into the best leather briefcases by job/profession.

Best for the Office Professional - The No.1

For day-to-day style in the office, you need a briefcase that's both structured and practical.

That's where the No.1 briefcase comes in, with a spacious triple-gusset design, a dedicated 15.6 inch laptop compartment, and a locking main compartment.

Some of its premium features are:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• 15.6 inch laptop compartment.
• Locking main comparment.
• Useful easy access back compartment.
• Detacheable shoulders strap.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the No.1 online here.

Best Briefcase for the Executive/Boardroom - The Executive

If you're looking to dominate your next high level business meeting, then you need a briefcase that's going to match your winning attitude.

The executive briefcase has all the features you need to demonstrate cool confidence, including:

• Full Grain Leather
• Handmade in Florence, Italy
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK solid brass zippers.
• Locking function.
• Structured edges.
• Top handle & detachable shoulder strap.
• Dedicated 14 inch laptop compartment.
• Multiple inner compartments.

It's available in solid black or brown leather.

Browse it online here.

Best Briefcase for Lawyers, Attorneys, and Notaries - The No.3

If you're a lawyer, then you need a briefcase that demonstrates dependability and strength. Your clients are looking to you as a leader in their litigation, and so your style and accessories need to demonstrate this.

The No.3 has a traditional appearance, making it perfect for showing depandability and longevity, as well as a locking feature to show security, and multiple compartments to make it practical for storing your documents.

It has many premium features, including:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Locking function.
• 13 inch laptop compartment.
• Detacheable shoulders strap.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the No.3 online here.

Best Briefcase for Teachers - Essential Modern

To connect with your students, you want a briefcase that's not too formal, but still shows professionalism, and is practical too.

The unstructured style of the essential modern is ideal for this, with a dedicated laptop compartment, and optional shoulder strap.

Premium features include:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• 15.6 inch laptop compartment.
• Slim profile, not bulky.
• Can be personalized.

Browse the Essential Modern online here.

Best Briefcase for Doctors - The No.3

As a doctor, your patients rely on you completely, and so you need your briefcase to reinstate that trust, and no create friction or doubt in their minds.

The No.3 briefcase uses a traditional design, which helps to convey longevity and dependability, and the large practical design can hold both a laptop and your documents with ease.

It has many premium features, including:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Locking function.
• 13 inch laptop compartment.
• Detacheable shoulders strap.
• Can be personalized.

Available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the No.3 online here.

Best Briefcase for Realtors/Real Estate Professionals - The CITY Large

As a realtor, you need all of the information your clients need on a house at the touch of a button, so it's integral that your briefcase can also hold a laptop.

When conducting open houses, the questions you receive may not always be on the top of your mind, so having a document open or access to the internet can be the difference between making and not making a sale.

The CITY large briefcase has a range of premium features, including:

• 17 inch laptop compartment.
• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Spacious design, without being bulky.
• Can be personalized.

Browse the CITY Large online here.

Best Briefcase for Accountants - The CITY Large

As an accountant, when you're conducting client meetings, you need to be showing professionalism and trust in everything that you do.

You may also need to bring your tech along with you, and have the answers to complicated number problems at the drop of a hat.

That's where the stylish CITY large laptop briefcase excels, with a range of premium features, including:

• 17 inch laptop compartment.
• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Spacious design, without being bulky.
• Can be personalized.

Browse the CITY Large online here.

Best Briefcase for a Young Professional - The Elegant Slim

As a young professional, you want to be taken seriously when conducting your work business, but you also likely won't have a large budget to invest in a leather briefcase, making price a sensitive issue.

The Elegant Slim briefcase helps to address this, offering a contemporary style of briefcase that can hold a laptop, but all for under $400.

This briefcase packs a punch in a small size and for a great price, including features like:

• Full grain leather.
• Handmade in Florence, Italy.
• Soft cotton lining.
• Durable YKK brass zippers.
• Minimalist design and profile.
• 14 inch laptop compartment.
• Top handles & detachable shoulder strap.
• Can be personalized.

It's available in black, brown, tan, and red leather.

Browse the Elegant Slim online here.

Best Briefcase Color

There is no one color that's best for a briefcase, and in most cases it will depend on your personal choice or style.

Brown is by far the most popular briefcase colour, either solid brown or tan, so consider that when choosing your briefcase.

You may also want to match it with the color of your watch strap, shoes, and belt.

Who should get a briefcase?

If you want to look the part of a professional, a briefcase is key. When one conjures up an image of a professional businessman or businesswoman the image is one of a sharply dressed person in a business suit for ladies, and a suit and tie for men. They do not have a backpack slung across their shoulders or a messenger bag laying low on their hip. No, they have a briefcase in their hand. For this reason, a briefcase makes a great gift for a graduate of a law school or business-related program. A briefcase is not always the most practical way to carry your work-related items though. Because a briefcase is designed to be carried with a handle it can be more difficult to manage if you have a lot of stuff or if you need to carry your briefcase for an extended period of time. If you are not concerned about looking formal or professional, sometimes a backpack or a messenger bag will make it much easier to get all of your necessary items to the office and home again.

Although briefcases are meant to be carried by the small handle on the top of the bag most briefcases now come equipped with a shoulder strap. The shoulder strap is great for very short term use but people have found that overusing this feature can lead to damage to their attire. The strap rubs against the shoulder of your coat or shirt and causes wrinkling and sometimes even rips and tears.

If you like the look of a briefcase and plan to use one, remember that these bags are designed for short trips to and from your home and the office. Trying to use this type of bag to hold all of your gym clothes, library books and water bottle will not work out too well. If this is the situation for you consider a backpack or a duffel bag.

Learn why we DON'T think you should wear a backpack with a suit here.

Best Alternative to a Briefcase

If you don't want to carry a traditional briefcase to work, then some good alternatives are:

• Laptop Bags
• Messenger Bags
• Backpacks

While these may not be as professional as a briefcase, they will offer a functionally similar bag.

Read our similar guides below:

• Best Laptop Bags
• Types of Men's Bags
• How to Organize your Briefcase
• History of the Briefcase
• Best Modern Briefcases