
Joseph Strain
Beck is a member of the Firm’s Healthcare and Employment Law teams. Beck brings over ten years of experience serving as in-house counsel within the Department of Defense. Serving in various assignments, he practiced many areas of law including issues of national security, federal employment law, internal investigations, and regulatory compliance.
Prior to his work with the US government, Beck spent two years as a civil rights attorney in Baltimore, Maryland, representing clients facing legal issues resulting from sexual orientation and gender identity. The experience, which included partnering with non-profits and lobbyists to work on policy initiatives, contributed to the successful passage of state legislation advancing LGBTQ+ protections. This background in advising clients on discrimination complaints, reasonable accommodation requests, and other vital aspects of employment law has helped to inform and further his career dedicated to clients seeking justice.
Beck also spent over 15 years serving in the Maryland National Guard, both as a legal advisor to a workforce of over 6,000 individuals, and as a company commander providing full-service logistical support to an infantry battalion in excess of 400 personnel. Beck is driven to continue his commitment to service by providing legal guidance for businesses, organizations, and non-profits on their path to achieving great goals.
- Maryland
- Supreme Court of the United States
- United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
- United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals
- The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, L.L.M.
- University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D.
- Mary Baldwin College, B.A.
- Cadet, The Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership
- Adjunct Professor, International Human Rights Law, Defense Institute for International Legal Studies, Tallinn, Estonia, October 2022
- Instructor, Senior Leader Legal Orientation Course, Maryland National Guard, various dates, 2023
- Course Developer & Instructor, Investigating Officer’s Legal Orientation Course, Maryland Army National Guard, various dates, 2022-2023
- Instructor, Legal Orientation for Officer Candidates, Maryland Army National Guard, various dates, 2021-2023
- Instructor, Military Justice & Legal Orientation, Loyola University ROTC, Morgan State University ROTC, McDaniel College ROTC, various dates, 2015-2022
- Society for Human Resource Management
- US Army Judge Advocate General Corps
- Contributing Author, Domestic Operations Law & Policy, 3rd Ed., National Guard Bureau, June 2024
- Panel Speaker, Institute for National Security Policy and the Law, Syracuse University, October 2023
- Presenter, “Servicemembers Civil Relief Act”, Howard County Bar Association, November 2015