Longtime Wellington resident Alfred J. Malefatto, an attorney with the firm Lewis, Longman & Walker P.A., passed away on Thursday, Sept. 21. Malefatto was a valued partner, mentor, dear friend, and beloved husband and father. His generous spirit and joyful outlook enriched the community.
Malefatto’s law career began in 1980, serving as assistant general counsel at the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, now the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, until 1983. He then went into private practice, focusing in the areas of environmental, land use and administrative law.
Malefatto served as chair of LLW’s environmental and natural resources practice group for many years, and he also held leadership positions in numerous professional organizations, including the Environmental and Land Use Law Section of the Florida Bar, the Central Palm Beach County and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches. A board member since 2011, Malefatto was chair-elect of the Urban League of Palm Beach County.
Malefatto was passionate about educating the next generation of leaders. He served as president for many years of the Friends of the Gale Academy of Environmental Science and Technology at Forest Hill High School. He earned his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1979 after earning a bachelor’s degree from New York University in 1975.
Malefatto will be deeply missed by his family, the LLW family, the Florida legal community and his innumerable friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be directed to the Urban League of Palm Beach County (www.ulpbc.org/donate) or the Gale Academy of Environmental Science and Technology at Forest Hill High School. Checks should be addressed to: Friends of the Academy of Env Sci & Tech Inc., P.O. Box 21686, West Palm Beach, FL 33416 or via PayPal at www.paypal.com/paypalme/FriendsESA.
Services for Malefatto were held on Thursday, Sept. 28 at Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boynton Beach. To view the obituary, visit www.bethisraelchapel.com/obituaries/Alfred-Malefatto.
