Biography Nicole J. Becton Interim Director, District of Columbia Department of Small and Local Business Development Nicole J. Becton serves as the Interim Director of the District of Columbia’s Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). In this role, Ms. Becton oversees the agency charged with fostering the economic growth, development, and retention of District-based businesses. Ms. Becton is the chief advocate for small businesses in the city. She advises the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the Mayor on all programs, policies, and issues related to the local business community. Prior to her appointment as Interim Director of DSBLD, Ms. Becton was the agency’s General Counsel/Director of Policy and Planning. As its primary legal advisor and chief legal/legislative writer, Ms. Becton was responsible for providing assistance and support to DSLBD, the Small and Local Business Opportunity Commission, and the Office of the Attorney General in protest and appeals regarding vendor certification denials; providing legal advice to the director and other departmental personnel with respect to the implementation of opinions and advice of the Attorney General, Council opinions, and administrative decisions; drafting legislation and regulations proposed by DSLBD; furnishing legal advice on implications of legislation and regulations proposed or adopted by the Council or other District agencies; and reviewing for legal sufficiency proposed administrative issuances, regulations, legislation involving procurement, certification, and compliance and enforcement matters.  Before joining DSLBD, Ms. Becton worked in private practice with the law firm Kaye Scholer LLP in the District of Columbia, where she focused on a variety of regulatory and litigation matters and on civil rights law. Ms. Becton began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, a federal district court judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee. She received her BA in English from the University of Virginia and her law degree from the Duke University School of Law.  She is a member of the DC Bar and NC State Bar, as well as other federal court bar associations.