Casually Clad Attorney Serious About Small-Claims Court

There is three-piece-suit law, and then there is blue-jeans law. Jeffrey A. Isaac subscribes to the latter.

San Diego’s famed “lawyer in blue jeans” and prodigious author has released his latest book, “Blue Jeans Law: Guide to Winning in Small Claims Court.”

But, first, a brief tutorial on what constitutes blue-jeans law.

According to Isaac, a multimedia pundit and host of 760 KFMB AM’s “The Lawyer in Blue Jeans” talk fest, this brand of justice is “a pro-active, common-sense approach to everyday legal problems.”

“A lot of people think that lawyers are in cahoots with each other,” he mused. “They see them having lunch, slapping each other on the back in the hallway, and many of us know each other socially. But clients feel like it should be a battle, and you’re not supposed to like your enemy.”

Isaac said he tries to defuse this inherent distrust of lawyers by plain talk.

“I think I do it a little differently,” said the 30-year law veteran. “I tell people what’s going on, I dress down. I’m always wearing blue jeans. People feel they can’t relate to three-piece-suit lawyers.”

For the record, Isaac owns 48 pairs of blue jeans and can wear them just about everywhere but the golf course and court , a place he has managed to avoid for a couple of years now.

When he’s not mining the media as a radio, TV and print legal expert, Isaac spends much of his professional time working on living trusts.

“Living trusts are the most important thing you can do,” he said. “Most people don’t do it or know about it, but they keep you out of the grasp of lawyers and the bureaucracy.”

Isaac also incorporates businesses.

“I put a shell around them and protect them from the 11 lawsuits that are filed in California every minute,” he said. “I make money, but it’s the opposite of what most lawyers do. I try to put out the fire before things happen.”

So, it’s true that we are indeed a litigious society?

“Yes, it’s true,” he said. “We have 5 percent of the world’s population, and 70 percent of the world’s lawyers.”

Not that he’s anti-lawyer.

“We’re not like Iran or Iraq, where when they have disputes, they shoot people,” he said. “I’d rather have a shootout in court with pens, than guns.”

As for his latest book on small-claims court, Isaac calls the system, “Phenomenal. People have the opportunity to resolve their disputes without lawyers and the incredible high costs, and it’s more consumer-friendly than the major bureaucracy of Superior Court.”

But too many consumers go there unprepared.

“They are not organized, they don’t have evidence, they are not prepared to show the judge in a very easy way what their side of the story is,” said Isaac. “Usually, they’re too emotional and bring in other stuff that judges don’t want to hear, or have time to hear, and that brings a negative to their case.”

Running 65 pages with a retail price of $29.95, the spiral-bound guide covers everything from the basics: “Who Is the Plaintiff, Who Is the Defendant,” to “Your Day in Court,” “The Judgment,” and “Collecting or Satisfying the Judgment.”

It can be ordered through Isaac’s Web site at www.lawyerinbluejeans.com.

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Front-Burner Issue:

The folks at Robert Half Legal bring glad tidings to seasoned lawyers. As the economy brightens and the hiring climate improves, they tell us, job opportunities for veteran legal eagles are on the rise.

As a result, said the national staffing service, managing partners and general counsel “must make a concerted effort not only to address growth, but also to make retaining their best and most experienced attorneys a front-burner issue.”

“Compensation is an important element in any retention strategy, but it’s just one of several variables that must be considered,” said Charles Volkert, the executive director of Robert Half Legal. “Law firms and legal departments also must bolster their investment in staff through avenues such as professional development, training and mentoring, while working to foster a balanced work environment.”

Be warned.

“If efforts are not made to prevent staff migration, an organization may find itself in a difficult position, as experienced attorneys look elsewhere to find a workplace that better meets their goals and needs,” he said.

A few tips from Volkert:

- Keep compensation competitive. A firm’s pay and “benies” should at least match prevailing rates, and salary levels and bonuses should exceed industry standards.

- Facilitate employee development. By focusing on career growth and training, law offices can demonstrate their support for their workers’ success, while investing in the organization’s future.

- Create a worker-friendly environment. A workplace that promotes a healthy work/life balance can be instrumental in keeping your best talent, so consider adopting practices such as telecommuting, flexible workweeks, and job-sharing.

- Celebrate a job well done. Don’t be stingy with the praise, because when workers feel appreciated, they tend to do better and consider themselves part of the team.

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Onward And Upward:

Camille Sobrian has been promoted to managing director of Procopio Business Consulting, a subsidiary of the San Diego law firm of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves