As Elon Musk and OpenAI chief Sam Altman face off in a legal battle shaping the future of artificial intelligence, one unexpected name from Musk’s legal camp is quietly stealing attention. A recent Business Insider report introduces Jaymie Parkkinen, a courtroom litigator whose after-hours life looks nothing like his day job.

The lawsuit between Musk and Altman has drawn some of the most powerful legal minds in Silicon Valley into a San Francisco federal court. Altman is backed by heavyweight firms known for representing tech royalty. Musk, however, has leaned on smaller boutique litigation shops. Among them is Toberoff & Associates, where Parkkinen plays a key role.

According to Business Insider, Parkkinen has been deeply involved in the dispute, even taking on multiple lawyers representing OpenAI and Microsoft on his own during a heated discovery hearing earlier this year.

A litigator by day, something else by night

What sets Parkkinen apart is not his legal résumé, but what happens once court adjourns. Outside the law firm, he performs as a clown and runs a venture called “Clown Cardio.” It is a contrast that surprises almost everyone he meets.

As he told Business Insider, his comedy friends struggle to believe he is a lawyer, while his legal colleagues find it hard to imagine him performing on stage. The disbelief works both ways.

Not the clown you are picturing

Forget red noses, balloon animals, and birthday party routines. Parkkinen’s version of clowning is closer to physical comedy and improvisation. He draws inspiration from legends like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Lucille Ball, treating clown as an art form rather than a costume.

In the report, he described clowning as a way to peel back social roles and expectations. Strip away power, status, and labels, and what remains is raw human behaviour. That, he says, is what his performances explore.

When the audience becomes part of the act

Parkkinen’s shows are fully improvised. He often sets simple rules for himself and then tests them in front of a live audience. One performance involved avoiding words with a specific letter, forcing him to adapt on the spot while the audience watched for mistakes.

As he explained, the tension between success and failure keeps the audience engaged and reveals how people respond to risk, vulnerability, and error. It is comedy built on awareness rather than spectacle.

From top law schools to high-wire improvisation

Parkkinen’s professional credentials are formidable. He earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law in 2017, graduating in the top three percent of his class. His career spans complex civil litigation across several federal circuits, with a focus on intellectual property and entertainment law.

He also teaches as an adjunct professor, has authored a legal ethics textbook, and remains an active member of the California State Bar. Comedy, he says, is what keeps him grounded.