Bettina Backes was born in 1963 in Rheine near Münster and grew up in Essen. She completed her studies at the University of Bonn. After working in publishing for several years, expanding her specialisation in a media law firm in Frankfurt am Main (music, film, TV, entertainment) and a stint at a management consultancy in Zurich, she was a partner in several commercial law firms for more than twelve years. Now she is a lawyer and IT law specialist in an international business law firm in Stuttgart. Due to advising numerous non-profit institutions, Bettina Backes developed a specialisation in the area of non-profit in addition to her professional focus on IP/IT, in that she provides legal support in particular to non-profit foundations during their establishment and restructuring as well as in the context of their operational business.  

In addition to her voluntary work in various cultural and educational institutions, such as the board of the Literaturhaus Stuttgart, she is a judge (deputy) at the Constitutional Court of Baden-Württemberg and a member of the board of the Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg (LFK). From 1994 to 1995 she was a member of the Stuttgart City Council for Alliance 90/The Greens. She has been a member of Alliance 90/The Greens since 1992. Her political activities focus on media and cultural policy as well as economic policy.

Bettina Backes represents the Heinrich Böll Foundation Baden-Württemberg in the General Assembly.

She is married and has a daughter.