Mark E. Standen

I've been practicing law now for 25 years or so, focusing almost exclusively on estate planning and estate and trust administration. The practice suits me well, as I enjoy working with individuals and families on matters uniquely important to them. During a typical day, the work calls for intuition and technical know-how in more or less equal measure, and I enjoy the challenge of keeping my left brain and right brain engaged at the same time.

My first eighteen years of law practice were spent in Portland at one of Maine's largest law firms, where I rose through the ranks to become the chair of the wills, trusts and estates practice group. In 2006 I left to begin my own law practice in Yarmouth. I did so with some trepidation, but also with an abiding belief that many of my existing clients, and many new ones as well, would rather have their personal legal needs met in an intimate village setting where neither parking garages nor elevators are required. Although I'm pleased and relieved to have been right about that, I'm even more humbled by those who have entrusted me with their legal work.

My first career was as a high school English teacher and coach. As a lawyer, I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to rediscover teaching as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maine School of Law. I have taught the Estate Planning course to 3rd year law students and and the Estate and Gift Tax course, also to 3rd year students, in academic years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-5. I am a member of the American Bar Association, the Maine State Bar Association, the Maine Estate Planning Council, and the Maine Medical Center Planned Giving Committee.

I am a trustee of the Freeport Conservation Trust. In addition, my wife Liz and I serve as Executive Directors of the George & Raymond Frank Foundation, a Maine charity that operates a traditional summer camp for boys in Weld, Maine. Liz and I have three adult children of our own and about 200 children on loan to us each summer who come to Weld from throughout the U. S. and from various other countries.