Farley’s Wit began at a time I was locked up in a dispute. I believed it would be easily resolvable, but the series of events suggest that people chose the most difficult route possible and complicated the process to the point that it became unresolvable. At the last possible minute, they turned their representation over to a law firm. Any hope that they were brought in to come to a mutually beneficial solution was abruptly dashed. The law firm was unresponsive and didn’t seem to take the matter as seriously as I did. The problem for me, though, was that negotiated resolution was the only possibility I had to get this behind me quickly. They could wait me out, which was obviously their tactic, and made litigation a prohibitively expensive option for me.
Farley’s Wit was created to draw their attention to me. The name was close enough to their firm’s name that it was noticeable, and we were known in the same sphere of clients, friends, and business acquaintances.
The topic for the editorial cartoon was law, of course. In particular, it is about how law is slanted in favor of money interests over justice for common people. The format would be an attorney discussing an issue that affects justice and equity as a spot followed by a break for a sponsor who just happens to be the same character selling a service for the firm.
Though the name was close to that of the firm blockading resolution, the name of the firm in the cartoon is “Farley Swit,” which meant that the only thing they could do was raise hell over protected speech that does not damage them, and is not obviously about them except that both they and I knew it was an intentional dig!
I did not air our dirty laundry. It is truly parody. I did, however, make my protected speech as uncomfortable as possible for them, including my disclosure:
"Farley's Wit is satire, parody, editorial comment, opinion, and any other form of free speech that Goldwing Tom may think of later. Any resemblance between characters in Farley's Wit and any human beings or lawyers, alive or dead, is merely a figment of your imagination. Goldwing Tom is not responsible for truth, justice, or reality. In fact, Goldwing Tom is simply not responsible, and he has references."The first editorial cartoon in the short series drew their attention! They changed their website, including removing their motto that Farley Swit's motto mocked, emphasizing that they are Equal Opportunity Employers, and highlighting the attorney assigned to my case including a biography on how she has won big money for her clients in similar disputes!
It was all they could do, but I cost them a redesign of their website just for the honor of making my acquaintance!
They eventually waited me out on the issue they were hired to resolve. I do not know if they were paid for the time I took, or not. Either their client spent a lot of money on me keeping them awake on the job, or they spent a lot of productive time in order to do nothing during time I had nothing better to do!
It was bittersweet. I took every advantage the 'wait it out' tactic had for me. In the end, I came out just fine; likely better than did their client. I still wish it would have ended differently, but it didn't.
It is now ten years later. The firm has taken on a partner, and put that name in the middle. I have no idea if Farley's Wit cost Witt second billing in the long run, but I know it didn't help retain it!
I have enjoyed Farley's Wit, but it was not something to which I felt compelled to keep adding content. As such, there are fewer cartoons than there are years it ran, which makes it now time to retire it and subject it to archival reference on my website.
Here is the Farley’s Wit series slightly redesigned to accommodate the website’s new format.
Farley’s Wit Series:
Number 1: Attorneys Create Confusion and Personal Injury Representation
Number 2: Justice System in Anatomical Terms and Bankruptcy Representation
Number 3: Prosecutors Push Plea Deals and Divorce Representation
Number 4: Reasonable Doubt for Prosecutors and DUI Representation
Number 5: Abuse of Deferments and Class Action Representation
Number 6: Public Defenders and Pharmaceutical Lawsuit Representation
Number 7: No Contact Orders and Handy Free Pamphlet
Number 8: Federal Court Nominations and Setting Up a Super-PAC
