NLD Member Spotlight: Justin Isaac

Justin Isaac is the owner of the Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group, a San Diego-based law firm specializing in estate planning, trust administration and probate administration. The Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group was founded by his father and mentor, Jeff Isaac, 24 years ago. His father coined the term “Blue Jeans Law” to connote affordable legal services without unnecessary legalese.

While Isaac’s career path to carry on his father’s legacy is now clear, becoming a law firm owner had a few twists. He graduated from California State University Channel Islands in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology. In line with his undergraduate studies, he wished to become a high school history teacher and considered obtaining a master’s degree. Justin juggled jobs working at a restaurant as a server and manager, and at an afterschool day care for children with autism.  

Isaac’s father gave subtle hints at the possibility of him attending law school and eventually taking over the firm. Isaac had a feeling he would be successful as an attorney and desired the freedom of owning his own firm. Deciding to trust his gut, Isaac enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and graduated in 2016. After passing the bar, he bought out his father’s firm, and his father retired from practice.  

As owner of The Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group, Isaac is proud to carry on the traditions of the firm established by his father, but also seeks to add his own unique signature. His background in customer service has influenced him to treat clients like family. Kind yet upfront with his clients, Isaac seeks to give clients the understanding needed to make informed decisions about their estate plan.  

“A lot of people come to us with very little understanding as to how an estate plan works and how it is formulated,” he said. “I enjoy explaining estate planning and what some of the options are to create a robust plan that is tailored to their family’s needs.”

The first step to creating an estate plan at the firm is to have clients fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire will generally lead to questions including, which assets should be held in the trust or how to disinherit certain family members. Isaac takes the time to answer any questions and help walk clients through the process of creating an estate plan. He prefers using flat fees instead of hourly billing, so that clients can ask questions and receive the information needed to make informed decisions without feeling rushed through the process.

Finally, Isaac seeks to create a relaxing environment for his clients, as “not a lot of people want to talk to a lawyer about dying.” As the firm name suggests, blue jean attire is welcomed at the firm. The firm also has a support dog, Nala, that will occasionally join client meetings to comfort clients.

The firm is active on social media accounts including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Following in his father’s footsteps, Isaac previously hosted a weekly “Lawyer in Blue Jeans” radio show. He has also made several TV appearances on Channel 10 and periodically offers free seminars for the public to educate about estate planning.

Isaac encourages new lawyers to network as much as possible and to always have their business card on hand. Networking groups or blog discussions are another great way to interact with people to get potential business. He explains that networking is a long-term game, but if you spend the time to make connections it is almost a guarantee that something will come from it, or, at the very least, you will learn how to refine your approach to getting new business.