Justin Isaac has taken overthe law firm started by his father in 1976, The Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group. More than that, he’s adopted his father’s style of dress – blue jeans of course. He’s started a podcast, much in line with what his media savvy dad did with television and radio broadcasts, and he’s hoping that the podcast will be a springboard to becoming a familiar television talking head on the legal implications of estate planning, wills, and related matters.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, he’s joined his father, Jeffrey Isaac, in publishing the third edition of “The Wacky World of Laws,” a light-hearted compilation ofzany laws and wills. “It’s really a good book just to laugh at some of the absurdities of some of our laws,” Isaac said.
Among the more unusual bequests that he’s come across was a space enthusiast who left his estate to anyone who could prove the existence of extraterrestrial life, a man who lefthis kidney stone to a grandson he didn’t like, and an 80-year-old woman whowanted to be displayed au natural at her wake to show off her breast implants.
“It’s always something new,” said Isaac, who specializes in estate planning, preparing wills and establishing trusts so people can arrange for their heirs to avoid probatecourt.
“You don’t want your assets stuck in our courts for a couple of years when you want your assets to go to your family,” Isaac said. “It’s not a great process and everything in probateis completely public.”
Isaac’s father has retired from the firm’s day-to-day operations and taken on an advisory role. “He’s a mentor I can calla t any time,” Isaac said.
“The firm has looked out for the little guy, and I see that commonsense approach to the law continuing for a long time under Justin’s leadership,” said Jeff Isaac. “I remember him taking an interest in the law and in my work when he was a boy, but I neverimagined this. Seeing him excel as an attorney, as a legal analyst, and as aleader is pretty special.”
The firm has grown to have a staff of 10, including Justin’s mother, who works part-time as the firm’s bookkeeper, and Taza, an Australian Shepard, who doubles as a therapy dog for clients who are nervous about talking to lawyers.
“He’s definitely a big hit in the office,” Isaac said of Taza. “He has not passed the bar, but he’s pretty good with the confidentiality thing and won’t say anything.” For now, Isaac said that he plans to keep Lawyer in Blue Jeans small and nimble.
“I like our size right now.I don’t know that I want to get much bigger. If I did, maybe it would be inNorth County so we could serve clients in North County,” Isaac said.
For a time, Justin Isaac said he dressed in the more formal attire most people associate with lawyers, but not everyone took to the look. “I kind of got yelled at by a couple of people because we weren’t wearing blue jeans,” Isaac said. “I was wearing a suit and a tie.”
He keeps a coat and tie at the ready, for the rare occasion when he has to make a personal appearance in court in front of a judge.
Otherwise, it’s back to the blue jeans.
Isaac said the casual look helps put clients at ease. “There’s a lot of people who don’t like talking about death. They try to avoid it,” Isaac said. “The blue jeans absolutely helps a lot. We want people to be relaxed.” Donna Silva, a realtor and property management consultant, said that she likes the casual approach. “Justin and his team are very good at what they do, but more than that, they simply know how to reassure their clients and remove so much of the anxiety during what otherwise is often a very stressful time for people,” Silva said. “I value their counsel so much, and I just really appreciate their approach.”
Silva said that she’s also a fan of Isaac’s podcast. “He’s great at calling balls and strikes in the legal arena,” she said.
Founded: 1976
Headquarters: Old Town
Managing Attorney: Justin Isaac
Founder: Jeff Isaac
Employees: 10
Business: estate planning
Website: lawyerinbluejeans.com
Contact: 619-683-2545
Notable: At The Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group, staff attorneys dress in blue jeansin keeping with the style set by the firm’s founder.
