Jeffrey S. Bass

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 holds a Band 2 ranking in Chambers USA 2024 for Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use 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.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

• Daschuta v. City of N. Miami, No. 2024-76-AP (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. App. Div. Mar. 28, 2025);
• Moving Partners Inc. v. City of Hollywood, No. 4D24-2115 (Fla. 4th DCA Dec. 23, 2024);
• Moving Partners Inc. v. City of Hollywood, 32 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 207a (Fla. 17th Cir. Ct. July 17, 2024);
• EFTX, LLC v. St. Lucie County, No. 2020-CA-1296 (Fla. 19th Cir. Ct. Aug. 15, 2024);
• E. Shores Prop. Owners Ass’n, Inc. v. City of N. Miami Beach, 357 So. 3d 113 (Fla. 3d DCA 2022);
• Setai Resort & Residences Condo. Ass’n, Inc. v. BHI Miami Limited Corp., No. 21-016693-CA-07 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct.);
• Setai Resort & Residences Condo. Ass’n, Inc. v. BHI Miami Limited Corp., 31 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 240a (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. App. Div. July 10, 2023);
• Setai Resort & Residences Condo. Ass’n, Inc. v. BHI Miami Limited Corp., No. 2021-24426-CA-07 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct.);
• EFTX, LLC v. St. Lucie County, No. 4D23-0735 (Fla. 4th DCA Apr. 11, 2023);
• EFTX, LLC v. St. Lucie County, No. 2020-AP-26 (Fla. 19th Cir. Ct. App. Div. Feb. 20, 2023);
• EFTX, LLC v. St. Lucie County, No. 4D22-0589 (Fla. 4th DCA Mar. 29, 2022);
• EFTX, LLC v. St. Lucie County, No. 2020-AP-19 (Fla. 19th Cir. Ct. App. Div. Jan. 27, 2022);
• Beach Towing Services, Inc. v. Sunset Land Associates, LLC, 27 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 929a (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. Jan. 16, 2020);
• EFTX, LLC v. St. Lucie County, No. 18-cv-14282 (S.D. Fla. July 24, 2019) (granting summary judgment);
• Valladares v. Univ. of Miami, No. 17-24282 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. June 6, 2019) (granting summary judgment);
• Friguls v. City of Coral Gables, 24 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 482a (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. App. Div. Oct. 18, 2016); aff’d 2017 WL 1325453 (Fla. 3d DCA Jan. 6, 2017);
• Atlantic Civil, Inc. v. Edwin O. Swift, 118 So. 3d 271 (Fla. 3d DCA 2013);
• Sunbeam Television Corp. v. Clear Channel Metroplex, Inc., 117 So. 3d 772 (Fla. 3d DCA 2012);
• Remseaoliv, LLC v. City of S. Miami, 19 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 237b (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. 2011)
• Miami-Dade County v. Redland Estates, 964 So. 2d 701 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007);
• Gateway Se. Props., Inc. v. Dept. of Cmty. Affairs, Town of Medley, 960 So. 2d 771 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007);
• Redland Co. v. Atlantic Civil, Inc., 961 So. 2d 1004 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007);
• City of Pompano Beach v. Swerdlow Lightspeed Mgmt. Co., 942 So. 2d 455 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006);
• Palmetto West Park, L.C. v. City of Doral, 13 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 427a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 2006);
• Clear Channel Metroplex, Inc. v. Sunbeam Television Corp., 922 So. 2d 229 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005);
• Herbits v. City of Miami, 12 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 432a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 2005);
• Oceanside at Fisher Island v. City of Miami Beach, 870 So. 2d 916 (Fla. 3d DCA 2004);
• Williams Island Synagogue v. City of Aventura, 12 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 34a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 2004);
• City of Miami Beach v. Chisholm Prop. South Beach, 830 So. 2d 842 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002);
• Spiral Tech Elementary Charter School v. Miami-Dade County School Bd., 9 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 689a (Fla.11th Cir. 2002);
• Dusseau v. Metro. Dade County Bd. Of County Com’rs, 794 So. 2d 1270 (Fla. 2001);
• Brickell Avenue Homeowners v. City of Miami, 9 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 16a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 2001);
• Framer Realty, Inc. v. Ross, 768 So. 2d 5 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000);
• City of Miami v. Carollo, 748 So. 2d 397 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000);
• City of Miami v. Miami Ass’n of Firefighters, Local 587, 744 So. 2d 555 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999);
• Earnest & Stewart, Inc. v. Codina, 732 So. 2d 364 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999);
• In Re the Protest of Election Returns and Absentee Ballots, November 4, 1997, Election for the City of Miami, Florida, 707 So. 2d 1170 (Fla. 3d DCA 1998);
• Scheer v. City of Miami, 15 F. Supp. 1338 (S.D. Fla. 1998);
• Bird-Kendall Homeowners Ass’n v. Dade County, 695 So. 2d 908 (Fla. 3d DCA, 1997);
• Sheets v. Metro. Dade County, 5 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 142a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 1997);
• Rafter v. Metro. Dade County, 5 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 510a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 1997);
• Rothman v. Metro. Dade County, 4 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 9a (Fla. 11th Cir. App. Div. 1996).