July 30, 2026
After a 57-Year Career with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Legal Eagle James (Jim) Becker Retires
Baltimore, MD — After 57 years of dedicated service to children, families and vulnerable adults in Baltimore, James (Jim) Becker, Principal Counsel & Division Director for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services’ (BCDSS) Legal Services Division, has retired, effective June 30, 2026. James (Jay) Ruffin has been appointed Acting Principal Counsel.
As a true native son of Baltimore, Jim Becker dedicated over five decades of his professional career at BCDSS to supporting the city’s people and institutions. In 2017, Becker’s legal counsel role officially became housed under the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, which provides lawyers to Baltimore City DSS and other local social services departments across the state. Through it all, Becker’s work stayed focused on helping Baltimore’s children, families, and vulnerable adults find safety, stability, and support.
“Jim exemplified the highest ideals of public service by devoting his entire career to serving Marylanders,” said Attorney General Anthony Brown. “His unmatched knowledge of Maryland’s legal history and court policies, developed over more than half a century, has been invaluable. Jim’s genuine belief in government’s responsibility to protect the well-being of its people will serve as a guiding example for generations of public servants who come after him.”
Becker began his BCDSS career as a social worker before earning his law degree from the University of Baltimore in 1975. Hailing from a family of lawyers, he grew up believing that the law must serve as a tool to give a voice to the community and promote respect for human dignity.
“For 57 years, Jim has been a steadfast advocate for the people we serve and an extraordinary source of wisdom, integrity, and professionalism for our agency. It is remarkable to spend an entire career dedicated to one organization, and Jim’s longevity reflects his unwavering commitment to public service and to ensuring that the law is applied with fairness, compassion, and excellence,” said BCDSS Director Brandi Stocksdale. “While his departure marks the end of an era for our agency, his impact on this staff and our city will be felt for years to come.”
From courthouses to boardrooms across the city and the state, Becker demonstrated his commitment to utilizing the law and public policy to advocate for the benefit of our most vulnerable citizens and communities.
“His institutional knowledge of child welfare and adult protective services is remarkable; he possesses not only an incredible memory for the law but also a deep understanding of the history behind our regulations,” said Rashida Jones-Butler, Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Principal Counsel at BCDSS. “Jim played a lead role in guiding generations of lawyers, BCDSS Directors, DHS Administrators and countless other social services professionals, judges, and legislators to shape laws and practices that meet the needs of our people.”
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