I would research a bit more before taking the promotion or firing the lawyer. Obviously we don't know gnu01's entire background. And his lawyer knows it the best.
So, gnu01 why don't you ask your lawyer for more details on why you should not take the promotion? Also, if there is a genuine problem, you could always take the responsibilities and salary, just not the title. This is a very accepted practice as we have seen in the AC21 cases.
Good luck!