In Memoriam Of Our Founder Sheldon H. Lytton

SHELDON HARRY LYTTON ("SHEL") was family to us all. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Shel graduated from Northwestern University and received his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review.

Shel was an attorney at O’Melveny & Myers and later a partner and head of the California Administrative Law Department at Finley Kumble Wagner Heine Underberg & Manley. He had more than 30 years of litigation experience in state and federal courts and before numerous federal, state, and local agencies, including the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the California Public Utilities Commission. He also served as president and chief operating officer of Musifilm, a motion picture production company affiliated with Universal Studios.

In addition to private practice, Shel held a number of California state and local public-service positions, including:

• Commissioner, Los Angeles Convention Center Authority Commission

• President, Los Angeles Convention Center Authority Commission

• Counsel, Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department legal affairs committee

• Orange County Reserve Deputy Sheriff

• Director, Los Angeles Police Protective League Foundation

• Co-General Counsel, National Latino Peace Officers Association

• Executive Director and Commissioner, California Commission on Citizen Participation in Government

• Chief of Staff to the Lieutenant Governor of California

• Lieutenant Governor’s designee to the State Lands Commission

• Special Assistant Attorney General, California Department of Justice

• Parks and Recreation Commissioner for the City of Calabasas

Shel also participated in Republican and nonpartisan political activities in California. He served as deputy campaign manager or senior adviser to two gubernatorial campaigns and three campaigns for lieutenant governor, as general counsel in California for a presidential campaign, and on the California legal committee for Reagan for President. From 1980 to 1996, he was a member and arbitrator on the Los Angeles County Bar Association Arbitration Committee for attorney-client fee disputes.

In 2013, Shel began a new adventure by opening Avensole Winery, a 22-acre winery estate in Temecula Valley, California, which closed in 2024.

Over the decades, Shel mentored countless young people. His positive influence on their personal lives and professional careers is his lasting legacy. He was a devoted family man, a warrior for justice, and a loving mentor whose example inspired all who knew him.

He is deeply missed by his family at HAKAKIAN WILLIAMS LAW GROUP PC.