Leland Eugene Backus

Leland Eugene Backus is a Nevada litigation lawyer and counselor at law at Backus Burden, with extensive experience in complex, construction, commercial, insurance, and health care law matters. His career includes work as chief trial counsel or special counsel in major mass-disaster and product litigation. His significant matters include the MGM Grand Fire, Hilton Hotel fire, PEPCON plant explosion, asbestos, Agent Orange, tobacco, bone screw, Redux, Yellow Brass, and City Center litigation.

Mr. Backus earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He later earned his J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles, receiving honors in the Order of Barristers and Moot Court. His legal education helped establish the foundation for a career involving sophisticated litigation, construction disputes, and trial practice.

Mr. Backus is a trained and approved American Arbitration Association arbitrator for construction and commercial disputes. He has written for the Nevada Civil Practice Manual and authored articles concerning litigation. His speaking experience covers construction law, insurance law, claims presentation, mass-disaster litigation, pharmaceutical and medical device cases, and litigation procedure. He has lectured internationally on several of these subjects and has handled significant appellate matters involving construction disputes.

Leland Eugene Backus holds the Certified Litigation Management Professional designation and has received recognition for his construction law work. He is a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America and the International Academy of Construction Lawyers. His professional involvement includes the American Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, and Dispute Resolution Board Foundation. He serves as a director of Eagle International Associates.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Backus | Burden, Attorneys and Counselors at Law
• Member, Dispute Resolution Board Foundation
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, International Association of Defense Counsel
• Fellow, Construction Lawyers Society of America
• Fellow, International Academy of Construction Lawyers

Licensed State

• Nevada

Education

• University of California at Los Angeles
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Nevada at Las Vegas
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges