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Jeffrey S. Bass is the founding member of the firm. He regularly litigates at the trial and appellate level in both state and federal court. In addition, Jeff maintains a robust practice before administrative agencies and local governments. He represents municipal and county government, universities, businesses, and individuals in all manner of conflicts involving the use and development of real property, property rights, entitlements, constitutional law, zoning disputes, historic preservation, local government law, business disputes, regulatory conflicts, environmental disputes, and trust and estate litigation. Beyond the foregoing, Jeff frequently serves as a counselor to large institutions and national law firms seeking to navigate Florida’s complex regulatory regimes with respect to zoning, land use, and development.

Best Lawyers named Jeff Lawyer of the Year 2021 in litigation, land use, and zoning. He enjoys a Band One ranking in Chambers and has been AV rated since 2002. Jeff is the recipient of the Carnegie Medal for Outstanding Act of Heroism.

Jeff pioneered a course on the regulation of design that he teaches at the University of Miami School of Architecture and within the University of Miami’s Masters in Real Estate Development program. He also lectures throughout the State of Florida on land use and litigation issues. Jeff was invited to join the faculty of the Good Government Initiative in 2011 where he lectured on comprehensive planning and zoning to a select group of elected officials from throughout the State of Florida.

The depth and breadth of Jeff’s practice is illustrated with the following sample of recent matters. Throughout 2020-21, Jeff represented the City of Miami Beach, Baptist Health South Florida, Dezer Development, TREO Group, and Deco Capital Group on a wide variety of complex regulatory matters involving the use, development, and regulation of land. Throughout 2019, Jeff successfully represented St. Lucie County as special outside counsel defending the County in federal court against an equal protection claim brought under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983.

Between 2015 and 2020 Jeff successfully entitled nearly 20-acres along the US-1 corridor in Coral Gables and South Miami with over 3 million square feet of mixed-use development. From 2015 to 2019, Jeff successfully represented Federal Realty Investment Trust together with Grass River Property to secure a transformational entitlement suite for the property known as the Sunset Place. The entitlements authorized the development of over 1.1 million square feet of mixed-use development along the US-1 corridor in South Miami. Between 2014 and 2017, Jeff successfully represented NRI in the entitlement of Gables Station, the Thesis Hotel, and the Residences at Thesis – resulting in 1.6 million square feet of new mixed-use and hotel development along the US-1 Corridor in Coral Gables. With these approvals the US-1 corridor is being transformed from antiquated strip-shopping centers with seas-of-asphalt parking into elegant mixed-use, vertical development with vibrant public spaces and connectivity to Metrorail.

In 2010, Jeff concluded a successful, multi-year effort to negotiate a comprehensive development agreement between the University of Miami and the City of Coral Gables. Then University of Miami President – and former United States Congresswoman – Donna Shalala was quoted as saying, “The agreement sets us on a course for appropriate and thoughtful development. I consider this agreement to be the most important accomplishment of my presidency.” The development agreement authorized the development of 6.8 million square feet of development on the Coral Gables Campus over a twenty (20) year build-out term together with a host of robust community enhancement packages. It also included a comprehensive re-write of the City’s existing land development regulations and comprehensive plan. The development agreement was approved unanimously by the City of Coral Gables City Commission in September 2010.

On September 29, 2008, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission awarded the Carnegie Medal for Outstanding Act of Heroism to Jeff for risking his own life to successfully rescue an unconscious and badly injured near-drowning victim in the waters off of Key Largo, Florida. For this life-saving rescue, Jeff was also recognized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners.

In 2006, then Governor Jeb Bush appointed Jeff as a Commissioner for the Third District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission. In 2010, then Governor – now United States Congressman Charlie Crist – re-appointed him. In 2014, then Governor – now United States Senator Rick Scott – re-appointed him to a third term. Jeff served as Chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission from 2011-2012.

Jeff enjoys running, swimming, cycling, and playing the guitar. Jeff is an avid catch-and-release angler who loves to fly fish in both fresh and salt water all over the globe (fish do not live in ugly places). At age 50, Jeff elected to take up the game of golf. He is unable to describe his golf game in language suitable for this website.

Ms. Falce centers her practice in the areas of administrative law, business torts, commercial litigation, municipal litigation, and civil appeals, with a particular emphasis on disputes involving the use, development, and regulation of land. Ms. Falce tries jury and non-jury trials in both state and federal court. Ms. Falce has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Land Use and Zoning in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. 

Ms. Falce joined Bass Law as a partner after working for thirteen (13) years with Jeff Bass at ShubinBass. She graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 2010. During law school, she served as Vice President of the Charles C. Papy, Jr. Moot Court Board, Articles Editor of the University of Miami International & Comparative Law Review, and successfully completed the Litigation Skills program with honors. She was also the recipient of the CALI Book Award for Business Associations. 

Ms. Falce completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Miami graduating cum laude in 2006, with a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a dual major in public relations and economics, and a minor in marketing. As an undergraduate, she was the recipient of the Henry King Stanford Scholarship and Hank Meyer Public Relations Scholarship. 

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ms. Falce now lives in Fort Lauderdale with her husband Christopher and twin sons Luigi and Dominic. She loves dance, musical theater, golfing with her husband, and spending time with her sons – who are ice hockey and soccer players. 

An expert problem solver, Judge Bailey spent most of her career in the Civil Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit where she managed a Complex Business Litigation docket for over a decade.  She also presided over long-duration trials whose onerous demands exceeded the capacity of any one division, including everything from tobacco product liability trials to the FIU pedestrian bridge collapse cases. During her time on the bench, Judge Bailey conducted over one thousand (1,000) trials. She is a member of the American Arbitration Association’s Construction and Commercial Litigation panels.  

Judge Bailey served as Administrative Judge of the Circuit Civil Division for more than fourteen (14) years at the request of four different Chief Judges. She led the Eleventh Judicial Circuit through many of the most consequential moments in the recent history of our judicial system. She quarterbacked the great judicial pivot to Zoom during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and worked closely with the trial bar to resume jury trials as soon as it was safe to do so. Prior to that, Judge Bailey led the system-wide transformation from paper to digital filings and, relatedly, she directed the development of CourtMAP – the one-stop digital interface for all court users. In addition, Judge Bailey spearheaded the establishment of Miami’s International Arbitration Court.  Perhaps most notably, Judge Bailey, along with Chief Judge Bertila Soto, was at the forefront of the successful effort to secure, develop, and construct a new, safe, and modern courthouse for Miami-Dade County, scheduled to open next year. 

Judge Bailey is a national expert on case management. In addition to her law practice, private judging and alternative dispute resolution, Bailey keeps busy teaching and consulting with various court systems on court leadership and how to innovate, deploy technology and improve judicial efficiency, frequently working with the National Center for State Courts as a Senior Judicial Advisor.  She is often consulted on cutting edge issues such as data quality, change management, and AI in the justice system.  She earned her L.L.M. in Judicial Studies from Duke University School of Law in 2018 and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law.  

Ms. Kouvaris devotes her time to our litigation and appellate practice. Before joining the firm, Ms. Kouvaris served for several years as the Judicial Law Clerk to The Honorable Barbara Lagoa at Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal. She graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law where she served as the Executive Board Research Editor on the University of Miami Psychology, Public Policy & Law Journal. Additionally, Ms. Kouvaris interned at Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal and worked as a teaching fellow within the Miami Law Academic Achievement Program.  

Ms. Kouvaris was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. She graduated from the prestigious Bolles School before moving on to Amherst College where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought. Ms. Kouvaris played and captained the Amherst varsity volleyball team.  

Ms. Kouvaris, her husband, and their three sons enjoy collecting seashells at the beach and taking in museums.  

Emily serves as the firm’s Chief of Staff and Chief Paralegal providing vitally important support across all of the firm’s practice areas. Prior to working alongside Jeff, Emily ran a professional organization firm – no surprise to anybody who has ever worked with her – because she instantly knows where everything is all of the time. A gifted graphic artist, Emily designs many of the firm’s demonstrative exhibits and ensures the visual continuity of all work product. Emily has provided frontline courtroom support in the firm’s most consequential trial and appellate matters. In addition to the foregoing, Emily provides superlative support to the firm’s land use practice where she analyzes and drafts technical regulatory instruments such as ordinances, resolutions, master plans, site plans, and plats. 

Emily Vaughan was born and raised in Merritt Island, Florida. Emily graduated from the University of Miami with degrees in Journalism and Graphic Design. She began working with Jeff Bass in 2012 and became a certified paralegal in 2013. Emily is a devout sports fan. She loves her Miami Hurricanes and is an avid supporter of the Tottenham Hotspurs.