Louis Armstrong said, "Jazz is music that's never played the same way once." To second generation trumpeter Richard Sheldon, jazz music is a language, sometimes intimate, often boisterous, but always layered with experience and life profoundly lived. It is not found in websites or books or even written down in sheet music. It is in the act of creating the form itself. A key component to that creation is the trumpet.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Richard began playing the trumpet at a young age, playing his way through middle school, high school, and college. He reveled in the feeling he got as his fingers pressed against the valves and his lungs blew life into the valve end caps to produce a low wind-whistle, often heard in smooth jazz. The trumpet takes a few months to learn and a lifetime to master, and Richard relished the challenge of learning how to master this magical device. It was not just about choosing a tune, but an ideal that he created in his mind, inspired by passion. Jazz is interpreted in a different and unique way by every musician reading its notes. Richard applies this concept to his everyday practice of law, taking the words off the page and breathing life into them in unique and innovative ways.  

Despite no longer having the time to play the trumpet, Richard continues to live the “smooth jazz” lifestyle. On most weekends, you can find him grooving to the sounds of Chris Botti, Herb Alpert, Wynton Marsalis, and Al Hirt.

Legal Expertise

Richard Sheldon focuses his practice on civil litigation, with an emphasis on entertainment, intellectual property, unfair competition, and securities law issues.

Representative Matters

• Handled a major trade secrets and trademark infringement case for one of the country’s largest specialty cheese companies,
• Represented a major automaker in an antitrust matter asserting horizontal division of markets based on alleged cooperation of competitors.
• Represented numerous clients in business and entertainment suits, and partition actions.

Honors & Awards

• American Jurisprudence Awards in Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Federal and State Powers, Sales, and Trial Practice
• AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

Professional, Business and civic Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Commercial Law & Bankruptcy and Litigation Sections
• Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum

Publications

Events & Speaking Engagements