The promotions were decided at a firmwide management meeting last week at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
A Greenberg shareholder who asked to remain anonymous said he wasn't surprised by the changes but a bit dismayed.
"It's all members of the executive committee promoting themselves," he said. "At other firms, partners get to vote on these things."
But in a statement, a firm spokeswoman said a vote will be conducted among shareholders.
"All of our shareholders will have to vote on this (the changes) because we have to amend the shareholder agreement and the by-laws to implement this package," said Lourdes Martinez, spokeswoman Greenberg Traurig.
Bass is one of the most powerful female lawyers in South Florida and a litigator for 30 years. She recently completed an eight-year term as the national chair of the 600-member litigation department and serves on the firm's executive committee. Bass is lead counsel for the home-builder group in the Chinese drywall multi-district litigation and served as lead liaison in prior MDLs. She was not available for comment by deadline.
Former Greenberg Traurig partner Carlos Loumiet, now with DLA Piper in Miami, said Bass earned her promotion.
'I'm happy for Hilarie," he said. "I think she's a terrific lawyer and this is a very well-deserved promotion."
Duffy is known as a major rainmaker at the firm and is credited with bringing in Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as a client.
Kaufman also is a significant rainmaker.
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