Arturo Alvarez, a long-time government attorney and founding member of the Cuban American Bar Association, died Monday morning. He was 71.

Born in Havana, Cuba, on June 13, 1948, Alvarez graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1972 and went on to have a three-decade career as a Miami-Dade government attorney.

He worked as an Assistant State Attorney for Miami-Dade County from 1973 until 1988. He then joined the Office of the City Attorney, where he led the litigation division.

In 2011, he started his own solo firm: Arturo Alvarez P.A. Semi-retired, he joined the law firm De La Peña Group as of counsel in 2013.

Firm founder Leoncio de La Peña met Alvarez in the 1990s while both were serving on the board of CABA.

"Arturo had a contagious enthusiasm for the practice of law, a passion. He was one of the most positive people you'd ever have the pleasure of meeting in your life," de La Peña said.

Alvarez lent his time and energy to a host of causes outside of his practice. He served two terms on the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission, and also served on the nominating committees for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit and Third District Court of Appeals.

In 1974, Alvarez became one of the founding members of CABA and served as the organization's president in 1994.

He was not the only successful member of his family. One of his brothers, Carlos Alvarez, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. His other brother, Cesar Alvarez, is the longtime senior chairman of Greenberg Traurig.

"Arturo was a very special human being. He was a great optimist and always the guy to challenge authority. He did not care about getting paid; he cared about righting a wrong and helping people," Cesar Alvarez said.

Arturo is survived by his wife, Anni Viciana, as well as his mother, Isolina; brothers, Cesar and Carlos; his sister, Ana; his daughters, Vannesa, Alexandra, and Danielle; and his stepchildren Anita and Enrique.

A service will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Church of the Little Flower, 2711 Indian Mound Trail in Coral Gables. It will be followed by a Celebration of Life at The Danielson Room of the Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables.