Darryl Lee Isaacs (born February 18, 1964), is an American author, personal injury attorney, and internet personality.[1][2][3][4][5] He is the co-founder of Isaacs & Isaacs [1][6] and Brain Trust Legal Group, a think tank for attorneys and entrepreneurs to network and share legal and business strategies. Also known as The Kentucky Hammer [1][7][8] and Heavy Hitter,[9][1][8] he rose to national prominence in 2020 due to a widely viewed Super Bowl ad for his firm. In 2023, he published his debut book, Build Your Billion-Dollar Law Firm!: I Did It, and You Can, Too, co-authored with Chris Vander Kaay.
Darryl Isaacs | |
|---|---|
| Born | Darryl Lee Isaacs February 18, 1964 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Author, personal injury attorney, internet personality |
| Years active | 1993 - present |
| Website | wewin |
Career
editIn 1993, Isaacs, along with his father,[10] founded Isaacs & Isaacs,[1][6] a personal injury law firm.[11]
Isaacs and his firm are known throughout Kentucky for their more than 500 different television, radio, and print ads.[10] As a result of his prolific advertising and having been the subject of numerous viral videos, he has been called the most famous person in Kentucky.[12]
Isaacs rose to national prominence in the 2010s when his firm began producing a series of elaborate Super Bowl commercials,[6][13] one of which went viral and received over 12 million views on YouTube in 2020.[14] The A.V. Club called the firm's 2020 advertisement one of the best ads of Super Bowl LIV.[15]
Isaacs created and managed several attorney associations called Mastermind Groups throughout the United States for the purposes of networking and developing legal strategies.[9][16] This led to Isaacs founding the Brain Trust Legal Group, which brings law firm owners, CEOs, and marketing professionals together to share information and grow their firms.[17][18] His live marketing and management summit in Las Vegas[9] has featured celebrity attorneys such as Ben Crump, Rex Parris, Mike Morse, and Andrew Finkelstein.[17]
In 2023, Isaacs signed an endorsement deal with the University of Minnesota for the Golden Gophers soccer team to use his name, image, and likeness for publicity purposes.[19][20]
Personal life
editIn 2015, Isaacs was in a life-threatening accident when he was struck by a motorist while on his bicycle.[21][22][7][8] He suffered a broken neck and brain swelling, in addition to lower back, shoulder, and knees injuries.[23][24][1][4] Following the accident, Isaacs became involved in bicycle safety related campaigns and philanthropy programs.
In 2022, Isaacs went viral on TikTok for videos he posted documenting his attempts to lose weight following his accident. As a result, Green District, a chain of salad restaurants in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio named the "Hammer Time" salad after him, with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting special needs charities.[25]
Philanthropy
editIsaacs is a patron of The Salvation Army's Angel Tree Foundation, which provides toys and clothes to impoverished families at Christmas.[26][27][28] He is also a supporter of the American Red Cross' donations program Louisville.[29] Following a bicycling accident, he began giving away free bike helmets in his Helmets for Kids campaign.[30]
In 2007, Isaacs established the Betty and Shelly Isaacs Scholarship at Louisville's Trinity High School in honor of his parents. The scholarship is renewable and is awarded to sophomores on a need base. It is one of the largest scholarships at Trinity funded by a single individual.[31]
In popular culture
editJack Harlow, who grew up seeing Isaacs' commercials, wrote a song called "Heavy Hitter", inspired by Isaacs.[32][33]
Bibliography
edit- Isaacs, Darryl, and Vander Kaay, Chris. (2023) Build Your Billion-Dollar Law Firm!: I Did It, and You Can, Too! ISBN 979-8398605099
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Courier-Journal, Andrew Wolfson, The Louisville. "Personal injury lawyer Darryl 'The Hammer' Isaacs vows recovery from broken neck". The Indianapolis Star.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Graves, Will. "Charismatic Calipari winning over Bluegrass". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ "Charismatic Calipari winning over Bluegrass". New York Daily News. January 14, 2010. Archived from the original on 2023-01-13.
- ^ a b Wolfson, Andrew. "'The Hammer' Darryl Isaacs seeks $4.5M in bike accident". The Indianapolis Star.
- ^ Chinn, Valerie (April 15, 2021). "Louisville attorney makes generous donation to help youth program that had thousands of dollars stolen". WDRB.
- ^ a b c "How lawyers' TV ads became a billion-dollar industry - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. February 13, 2022.
- ^ a b "'Kentucky Hammer' attorney back at work after serious accident". WDRB. February 23, 2015.
- ^ a b c Wolfson, Andrew. "Darryl Isaacs struck by motorist while biking". The Courier-Journal.
- ^ a b c "Darryl Isaacs aka "The Hammer" on the Best of Louisville". Louisville Business Review. February 18, 2022.
- ^ a b "How "The Hammer" Cares For Clients, Works Hard, And Employs Smart Marketing, with Darryl Isaacs – PILMMA". PILMMA. September 13, 2023.
- ^ "Darryl Isaacs - MoxieTalk with Kirt Jacobs". MoxieTalk.
- ^ "The Million Job Mission: A Conversation with Entrepreneur Dennis Yu". Australian Business Journal. 21 February 2023.
- ^ Mann, David A. (2018-02-06). "Let's talk about Darryl Isaacs' 'very, very expensive' Super Bowl ad". Louisville Business First.
- ^ Bard, Jessica (January 29, 2020). "Darryl Isaacs launches preview of new Super Bowl commercial". WDRB.
- ^ All Other Super Bowl Commercials Pale in Comparison to this Lawyer's Insurance Based Space Opera
- ^ "Mastermind Groups Approach Education Through Alternative Learning Models". Forbes. January 6, 2023.
- ^ a b "Brain Trust Legal Group Comes to Las Vegas". 24-7 Press Release Newswire.
- ^ Hennessey, Jason (June 1, 2022). "The Billion-Dollar Legal Mastermind with Darryl Isaacs". Hennessey Digital.
- ^ "University of Minnesota Soccer Student-Athletes Sign Historic Endorsement With Legal Industry Icon Darryl "The Hammer" Isaacs". gophersports.com. September 19, 2023.
- ^ "Minnesota soccer players land teamwide NIL deal with legal icon, YouTube star Darryl Isaacs". www.on3.com. September 20, 2023.
- ^ Wolfson, Andrew. "'Heavy Hitter' Darryl Isaacs seeks $4.5M in bike accident". The Courier-Journal.
- ^ "Personal injury attorney Darryl Isaacs no longer suing driver who hit him in River Road crash". WDRB. March 8, 2016.
- ^ Dolan, Julie (May 21, 2019). "4 years later, 'The Hammer' feels fortunate after surviving near-fatal bike accident". WLKY.
- ^ Jackson, Sarah (January 29, 2015). "Attorney Darryl Isaacs listed in fair condition after being hit by vehicle". wave3.com.
- ^ Sutter, Chris (22 November 2022). "Restaurant Chain Names Salad After 'The Hammer'". WDRB.
- ^ "Darryl Isaacs trades in "The Hammer" for a Santa bag". whas11.com. December 20, 2017.
- ^ "2015 Crusade for Children - Eleven Days of Giving". Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
- ^ "Darryl Isaacs Attorney Louisville". distinguishedjusticeadvocates.com.
- ^ "Isaacs & Isaacs Host American Red Cross Blood Drive Event". Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
- ^ "WDRB teams up with 'The Hammer' for bike helmet giveaway". WDRB. July 16, 2019.
- ^ "6 inducted into Trinity High School Hall of Fame". whas11.com. October 27, 2013.
- ^ Adams, Kirby. "Jack Harlow to headline 2022 Forecastle, he says at first of 5 sold-out Louisville shows". The Courier-Journal.
- ^ Daniels, C.J. (17 September 2019). "Louisville rapper Jack Harlow debuts new single 'Heavy Hitter' ahead of mixtape release". WHAS11.
External links
edit- Issacs & Issacs - His law firm
- FindLaw Profile