Super Lawyer Creates Super Lawyers

Move over, Daredevil and She-Hulk, there’s competition on the horizon! 

Olen M. “Mac” Bailey Jr., an estate planning and probate lawyer in Memphis, has, with his son Jackson and artist Andy Gray, created Barrister Comics, which he dubs “The world’s first legal comic universe.”

“As a father of a teenage son, I was looking for a father-son collaborative project for us to connect and bond over,” says Bailey. “As a lawyer, I was always looking for original ideas to market my law practice.”

The two ideas merged during a road trip to Pigeon Forge in 2020. As the miles clicked away, father and son created superheroes, their powers and their relationships—all with a legal bent. “I would describe to my son a legal issue, principle or practice area, then we would brainstorm ideas and he would start sketching characters.” Later they attended comic-cons to interview artists, which is how they met Gray. “Andy really identified with our vision,” says Bailey.

Bailey’s own practice area, no surprise, gets a deep dive, with characters such as Probator, a former judge with an oversized gavel; Contestor, a plaintiff’s attorney with a giant wax seal; and the I-Contest Triplets, who create mayhem and misfortune.

As for the Superman of this universe? “American Justice is the quintessential representative of what our justice system should look like,” says Bailey. A public defender by day, he uses 

super hearing and sight to detect unjust acts, and super strength and speed to bring relief to the downtrodden.

“Comics are relatable,” Bailey says. “What better way to teach young people about the law than with comics?” You can see more at barristercomics.com.