We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nick Leydorf a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nick, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I’m recording my first comedy special this September in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Actually, I guess you could say that I’m re-recording my first special. I recorded for the first time in April 2022 but the video ended up being unusable. When I found that out about a year later from the person that recorded it, I was devastated because I felt at the time that was my best work. As time went on, I realized that this must have happened for a reason. I ended up getting in contact with a company that was interested in helping me record again. I am excited to get another chance to perform in front of a larger audience. The additional time has also given me the chance to get better as a comedian. The gap in time has also given me the opportunity to work on new material that I feel is a better representation of who I am as a writer and performer.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been a lawyer for 16 years and about 10 years ago I finally stopped procrastinating and did stand-up comedy for the first time. My friend signed me up for an open mic and I was terrified. It turns out it was actually a competition so it added another layer of anxiety! I ended up winning the competition and advancing to the finals. Ultimately, I didn’t win in the finals but I was hooked. I couldn’t believe that I waited all that time to try stand-up for the first time.

Since then, I’ve been working hard balancing a career in law with my passion for writing and performing. I started out doing open mics where comedians are working on material and not being paid, to performing in front of hundreds of people and getting to perform on shows with some of my favorite comedians like Kyle Kinane, Todd Barry, and Robert Kelly to name a few.

There are A LOT of comedians, but there aren’t many comedians that are lawyers, so I think that’s my niche. In addition to being a comedian, I’m not the typical lawyer. I hate wearing suits. I don’t play golf. I’m not a jerk – sorry, lawyers!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Since I started writing and performing, I’ve been trying to find my “voice,” that part of me that makes me stand out from others. As I’ve gotten older, it’s gotten easier for me to do that by focusing on what makes me laugh or writing about things that interest me. As I’ve gotten more confident, it’s gotten easier for me to not worry about what the audience may think about my material. I’m not going to be able to make everyone laugh and I’m fine with that.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It’s that I’m in complete control of what I create. As a lawyer, I must do what my client wants and craft documents based on their needs. As a writer and performer, I’m my own boss.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.comedianat.law
• Instagram: @comedianatlaw