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A New County Attorney for Baltimore County

Baltimore County Executive John A. Olszewski Jr. (D) announced Tuesday that James R. Benjamin Jr., will join his leadership team as county attorney.

Once confirmed by the County Council, Benjamin will replace Michael Field, who has held the job for nine years and has been with the county’s law department since 1997. Field will remain with the county government as a senior policy adviser to Olszewski.

Benjamin is currently an attorney at Gordon Feinblatt LLC in Baltimore, where he handles environmental and administrative matters for his clients and regularly counsels clients on state and local regulatory issues. He has substantial trial experience and also has significant experience representing and advising small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses.

Benjamin was a law clerk in Baltimore City Circuit Court for Baltimore City and served as an assistant city solicitor with the Baltimore City Law Department’s Land Use and Litigation divisions. He also served on the Maryland State Ethics Commission.

“James brings a wealth of experience in litigation, deep knowledge in a variety of areas relevant to local government, and has been a trusted advisor to small, minority and women-owned businesses,” Olszewski said. “I’m honored that an attorney and community leader of his caliber is joining our team.”

Field has served as county attorney since 2010. He first joined the Baltimore County Office of Law in 1997 to conduct the decennial Code Revision, and subsequently redesigned and rewrote the County Code. He has served as counsel to the Ethics Commission, the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Animal Hearing Board.

Field has drafted every major piece of legislation introduced by any county executive since 2005, and has been involved in the drafting of many county regulations. As senior policy adviser, Field will continue to advise on and draft legislation, as well as oversee efforts to put the complete Code of Baltimore County Regulations online for the first time.

“Mike Field has a remarkable grasp of the law and public policy, and a tireless commitment to social justice,” Olszewski said.

 

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A New County Attorney for Baltimore County