Prominent Maine employment attorney Rebecca Webber died Saturday at Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice in Auburn after a sudden and brief illness, according to family and colleagues. She was 60.

Webber was a resident of Turner and an attorney at Skelton Taintor & Abbott in Auburn, where she established herself as one of the preeminent employment lawyers in the state. A graduate of Williams College and alumnus of Boston College Law School, Webber ascended to the top of her field over her 30-year career in employment law and civil litigation.

Rebecca Webber, a partner in the law firm Skelton Taintor & Abbott, was one of the state’s most respected employment attorneys. She died March 30 at age 60. Photo courtesy of Skelton Taintor & Abbott

Colleagues described her as a tenacious litigator who worked tirelessly and faithfully for her clients.

“She was a brilliant lawyer and extremely gifted advocate,” said Bryan Dench, attorney and chairman of the board at Skelton Taintor & Abbott. “She could be a terror to her opponents, and I was on both sides of that before she joined our firm, but she was a wonderful person with the warmest of hearts and a fantastic and engaging sense of humor who was delightful to be around as a friend and colleague. She will be greatly missed.”

Webber volunteered her time and skills at a variety of organizations including the Maine Women’s Network in Androscoggin County, Auburn-Lewiston YMCA, Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, Maine State and Androscoggin County bar associations, Maine Trial Lawyers’ Association, National Employment Lawyers Association, Society of Human Resource Management and Central Maine Human Resources Association, where she recently served two years as president. She also was a frequent presenter on employment law at seminars across the state.

Webber was a committed athlete who participated regularly in running competitions, helped start the women’s ice hockey program at Williams College and more recently served as coach of the Tripp Middle School cross-country team and as a booster for both the cross-country and Nordic ski teams.

Webber is survived by parents Curtis and Judy Webber, husband Mark Evans, brothers John and Peter Webber, son Harrison Knowlton, and daughters Lucy Knowlton and Alana and Olivia Mallar.