David J. Backer

Attorney

207.253.0529 Direct
207.772.3627 Fax

dbacker@dwmlaw.com

84 Marginal Way, Suite 600
Portland, ME 04101-2480

Assistant: Janet Roy

PRACTICE AREAS

EDUCATION

  • Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, J.D., 1977
  • University of Texas at Austin, B.A., with high honors Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, 1974

BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS

  • Maine
  • Indiana

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Maine State Bar Association
  • Former probate court commissioner
  • WealthCounsel, a national collaborative of trust and estate planning attorneys
    Founding Member
  • Maine Estate Planning Council
    Member
  • Maine State Bar Association Committees that reviewed and promoted the adoption of Maine’s versions of the Uniform Principal and Income Act and the Uniform Trust Code.
    Member
  • Maine's Probate and Trust Law Advisory Committee
    Chair
  • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
    Fellow

COMMUNITY/PUBLIC SERVICE

  • Maine's Probate and Trust Law Advisory Commission
    Appointed member (2010 - current); Chair (2010 - current)
  • Board of Directors, USA Canoe/Kayak, the United States Olympic Committee’s national governing body for the sports of whitewater slalom and flat water sprint canoe and kayak
    Appointed member (2009 - 2011); Board Chair (2009 – 2011)
  • Cape Elizabeth Town Council
    Elected Member (2003 – 2006); Finance Chairman (2005); Chairman (2006), re-elected (2006-2009)
  • Cape Elizabeth Town Zoning Board of Appeals
    Member (1999-2003); Chairman (2000-2003)
  • Town of Cape Elizabeth, Thomas Memorial Library Foundation
    Incorporator (2004); member, Board of Directors (2004-2008)
  • Institute for Civic Leadership’s Collaborative Leadership Intensive
    Member, Mu class (2004 – 2005)
  • TD Beach to Beacon 10K, Inc.
    Board of Directors (2001 - current)
  • Butler University, College of Business, graduate school Masters of Business Administration program
    Adjunct Professor of business law (1995-1997)
  • Board of Directors, USA Triathlon, the United States Olympic Committee's national governing body for the sport of triathlon in Colorado Springs
    Elected member (1988-2004); President (1990-1992); and legal counsel
  • United States Olympic Committee, USA Triathlon’s Athlete Support Committee
    Representative (1996-2000)
 

David Backer is Drummond Woodsum’s Practice Group Leader for Trust and Estate Planning. His practice includes trust and estate planning and administration. He is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. David serves as Chair of Maine's Probate and Trust Law Advisory Commission, charged with conducting a continuing study of the probate and trust laws in Maine and making recommendations to the Legislature for improvements in Maine's probate and trust laws. In addition, David has been included in the Best Lawyers in America each year since 2007 in the category of Trusts and Estates.

David is a frequent speaker to attorneys, accountants and financial professionals on various trust, estate and tax planning topics. Recent Professional Presentations, including his most recent 2015 Estate Planning Year in Review.


AWARDS

  • Estate Planning Lawyer of the Year, Portland, ME (Awarded by Best Lawyers) (2015)
  • New England Super Lawyers, Estate Planning & Probate (2008-2014)
  • Best Lawyers USA, Trusts and Estates (2008-2016)
  • Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent

NEWS

ARTICLES

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PRESENTATIONS

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