Century Tower and University Auditorium at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Photo: Bryan Pollard/Shutterstock.com

After almost a year as interim leader of the legal department at the University of Florida, Amy Hass is making it official.

Hass, who has been serving as the university's temporary vice president and general counsel since July 2017, has been promoted to the position on a permanent basis, UF president Kent Fuchs announced Thursday.

Before taking on the interim top lawyer role, Hass served as executive associate VP and deputy GC. She has been with UF's legal department since 2006.

Hass succeeds former GC Jamie Keith, who resigned last May after a battle with a prominent Gainesville attorney embroiled her office in controversy for several months.

Hass' appointment to the position comes after a national search, the promotion announcement said.

Amy M. Hass.

Before joining the 52,000-student public university, Hass was a litigator in the Atlanta and New York offices of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan (now Eversheds Sutherland). While in private practice, she represented financial services companies and individuals in a wide range of government enforcement proceedings, civil litigation, white-collar criminal defense, arbitrations and internal corporate investigations.

Keith submitted her letter of resignation on May 25 of last year after over two months of administrative leave.

She took leave three weeks after Gainesville lawyer Huntley Johnson of Johnson & Osteryoung wrote the university's chief audit executive questioning Keith's competence and ethics. The university then announced an internal “thorough and independent investigation” into the allegations.

Johnson submitted a similar statement to the board of trustees, “respectfully suggest[ing] that [Keith] is not the right person to be the general counsel of the University of Florida.”

That statement alleged malfeasance, misconduct and violation of state law and university procedures. It also included harsh comments, some from as far back as November 2015, made by employees in Keith's office about her performance.

The Gainesville Sun has speculated that the battle between Keith and Johnson, both high-powered attorneys, may have started over a complaint filed against Johnson's client, University of Florida Gator wide receiver Antonio Callaway. Johnson is arguably best known for his successful defense of Gator athletes charged with disciplinary violations.

Hass holds a degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.