- Alfred J. Malefatto Chair’s Choice Award
- Judy Florence Memorial Outstanding Service Award
- Stephens/Register Award
- Bill Sadowski Memorial Outstanding Service Award
- R. S. Murali Memorial Affiliate Member Outstanding Service Award
- Award Winners List (Updated June 2026)
Alfred J. Malefatto Chair’s Choice Award
- Alfred (“Al”) J. Malefatto
This award is named after Al Malefatto, Environmental and Land Use Law Member, 1985-1993, Chairman, 1991-92, who passed away unexpectedly in 2023. Al was a shareholder at Lewis, Longman & Walker and managed a broad range of land use and environmental approvals for all types of development projects, including brownfield redevelopment, contaminated property remediation, and defense of environmental enforcement actions. Al served as Board President-Elect for the Urban League of Palm Beach County at the time of his passing and was active in several other professional and civic associations. Al served as Assistant General Counsel at Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (now FDEP) (1980-1983). Al loved the Florida Gators, Bruce Springstein, and fishing, and had a gift of making everyone he spent time with feel like a dear friend.
- The Award
The Award is given by the Chair of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section to a member of the Executive Council or a Past Chair who provides exceptional leadership to the Section through education, connection and comradery, or scholarship. The award will be in the form of a plaque.
- Selection Criteria
The Chair will select the individual. In determining the recipient, the Chair may consult with other officers or members of the Executive Council. The individual selected must meet the following criteria:
- Be a member of the Executive Council of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section or Past Chair.
- Provide exceptional leadership to the Section through the core pillars of education, connection and comradery, or scholarship.
- Mode of Selection
This award is at the discretion of the Chair when such a member of the Executive Council or Past Chair is so deserving. The announcement of the recipient will be made at the annual meeting. This award is limited to one recipient per year, when such award is made.
Judy Florence Memorial Outstanding Service Award
I. Judy Florence
This award is named after Judy Florence, Environmental and Land Use Law Section coordinator, who died in 1983. Judy was an exemplary coordinator and exhibited outstanding talents for organization and attention to detail, while working under pressure. Judy exhibited loyalty and concern for the Section and performed her duties in a personable manner, with a spirit of cooperation which endeared her to all the Section Officers and members who worked with her. This award is given in her memory.
II. The Award
The Judy Florence Memorial Outstanding Service Award is given by the Executive Council of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section to an individual who has rendered outstanding service to the Section.
III. Selection Criteria
The individual selected must meet the following criteria:
- Be a member of The Florida Bar and a member of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section, but not a current member of the Executive Council or Immediate Past Chair.
- Perform substantial services on behalf of the Section which further the goals and purposes of the Section.
- Complete assigned duties in a manner which merits recognition.
IV. Mode of Selection
Nominations may be made by any member of the Executive Council. Selection shall be by majority vote of those Council members present at the Council meeting where the vote is taken. Nominations shall be made and voting carried out at a Council meeting prior to the annual meeting of the Section. The announcement of the winner will be made at the annual meeting.
Stephens/Register Award
I. Stephens/Register
This award is named after W. Daniel Stephens, III and William M. Register, both individual contributors to the Environmental and Land Use Law Section whose untimely passing occured in the 1980’s. Dan and Bill were both practitioners of environmental law who participated in Section activities. Dan was a speaker and author for the Section and Bill served on the Section’s first Executive Council. Their dedication to the area of Environmental and Land Use Law is remembered in this award.
II. The Award
The Stephens/Register Award is given by the Chair of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section to a (non-officer) member of the Executive Council who has provided outstanding leadership and vision for the Section. The award will be in the form of a plaque.
III. Selection Criteria
The Chair will select the individual. In determining the recipient, the Chair may consult with other officers or members of the Executive Council. The individual selected must meet the following criteria:
- Be a member of the Executive Council of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section but not an Officer or Immediate Past Chair.
- Perform substantial service, dedication, and leadership to and on behalf of the Section.
- Provide outstanding leadership above and beyond the normal service of the Executive Council members.
IV. Mode of Selection
This award is at the discretion of the Chair when such a member of the Executive Council is so deserving. The announcement of the recipient will be made at the annual meeting.
V. Stephens/Register Award History
W. Daniel Stephens III
On October 24, 1980, W. Daniel Stephens, III of Holland & Knight, was killed, along with two others, in an airplane accident in Gainesville. His death is not only a great personal loss to his family and to his firm but is also a major loss to all who knew him, and especially to the members of this Section. Dan’s singular expertise in the areas of environmental and administrative law was widely recognized and was well known to those of us who have experienced his skills firsthand. Among his many professional activities and accomplishments, Dan Stephens made a continuing and invaluable contribution to this Section and its CLE programs, both as a speaker and an author, particularly in the area of water law.
William M. Register, Jr.
On March 25, 1987, William M. Register, Jr., passed away. He was admitted to The Florida Bar on June 30, 1960. He was a long-time contributor to the Environmental and Land Use Law Section including service on the Section’s first Executive Council.
Of note:
*Excerpt from June 1987 Council Meeting: Chair Alderman announced that she had decided to establish a Chair’s Award to be given to an outstanding contributor to the ELULS.
*Excerpt from August 1987 Council Meeting: Chair Alderman noted that this annual update will be the first award to the Dan Stephens and Bill Register Award for outstanding leadership activity by a Council member. Ms. Alderman noted the importance of the award, since the Judy Florence Award is specifically for a non-Council member. The Stephens/Register Award is awarded by the current Section Chair.
Bill Sadowski Memorial Outstanding Service Award
I. Bill Sadowski
This award is named after William (Bill) Edward Sadowski. Bill was a father, husband, friend, colleague, counselor, and public servant. He was also a prominent environmental attorney and legislator. Bill died tragically in an airplane crash in 1992. Governor Lawton Chiles commented that “his record of public service shows the man he was and the life he loved – always working to improve the state to benefit the lives of others. He was a fine husband and father and his family was his highest priority. Bill will always be in our hearts.” Bill’s commitment as a public servant includes his appointment as the Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs, where from January 4, 1991 to his untimely death he worked to support and strengthen Florida’s commitment to growth management. He left a successful Miami law practice of Akerman, Senterfitt and Eidson, where he was a litigation partner, to assume this responsibility. Many of us will remember Bill as an exemplary member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1976 to 1982 or as a member of the South Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board from 1984-1987. Bill also served on many Committees of importance to the future of the state. As an environmental attorney, Bill assisted the ELUL Section, volunteering to speak at CLE seminars.
II. The Award
This award is given by the Chair of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section to an individual who has rendered outstanding public service in the areas of environmental and land use law. The award will be in the form of a plaque or similar recognition.
III. Selection Criteria
The individual selection must meet the following criteria:
- Perform substantial public service in the areas of environmental and land use law.
- Render such public services in a manner which merits recognition.
IV. Mode of Selection
The award is at the discretion of the Chair. In determining the recipient, the Chair may consult with other Officers or members of the Executive Council. The announcement of the recipient will be made at the annual meeting.
R. S. Murali Memorial Affiliate Member Outstanding Service Award
I. R. S. Murali
In honor of R. S. Murali’s dedication and service to the ELUL Section, the Executive Council has decided to name the Section’s Affiliate Award after him. The award is now known as the R. S. Murali Memorial Affiliate Member Outstanding Service Award. Murali, as he preferred to be called was a father of two children (son Vikram and daughter Ramya), husband (wife Latha), friend, and colleague. He was also a prominent environmental consultant, practicing environmental engineering. Murali’s untimely passing occurred in 2008. The ELULS would like to remember Murali’s commitment and dedication to the Section. Murali was a member and Past Chair of the Section’s, then active, Affiliate Membership Committee and was very instrumental in raising the profile of the affiliates; working tirelessly to increase the membership and involvement of the affiliates in Section activities. Murali successfully urged the ELULS Executive Council to conduct affiliate workshops and to include affiliate presentations in the Section’s Annual Update. The ELULS is proud of the variety of affiliate involvement the Section now has and the very successful affiliate networking activities that have been held around the state. This involvement is, in large part, due to the efforts of R. S. Murali in raising the profile of the affiliates in our Section.
II. The Award
This award is given by the Environmental and Land Use Law Executive Council to an individual who has rendered outstanding service to the Section and has made substantial contributions to affiliate membership and/or networking initiatives. The award will be in the form of a plaque or similar recognition.
III. Selection Criteria
The individual selected must meet the following criteria:
- Be an affiliate member of the ELULS.
- Has performed outstanding service, dedication, and leadership to the Section and its affiliate membership program.
- Has provided outstanding leadership above and beyond the normal service of Section affiliates.
IV. Mode of Selection
This award is at the discretion of the Executive Council when such an affiliate member of the ELULS so deserves. Nominations may be made by any member of the Executive Council. Selection shall be by majority vote of those Council members present at the Council meeting prior to the annual meeting of the Section. The announcement of the recipient will be made at the annual meeting.