David Taylor

David L. Taylor is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent rated attorny practicing in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Mr. Taylor has vast litigation experience in state and federal courts in a variety of civil litigation matters.  A majority of his time is spent on insurance coverage and defense cases.  He has been selected a Top Lawyer in Indiana, Top Lawyer in the Midwest, Top Attorney of the United States, Top Attorney of North America, Top Lawyer in Insurance, and America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators for Indiana.  Mr. Taylor was named Indiana’s top environmental litigator for 2019 and 2020.

Mr. Taylor has practiced law for more than 30 years in Indianapolis, Indiana.  His practice involves both first party insurance coverage as well as third party liability defense litigation.  His coverage experience involves property, casualty, general commercial liability, general liability, environmental, uninsured/underinsured motorist, automobile, fidelity, life, construction, arson, fraud, appraisal, bad faith, workers compensation, appraisal, and other coverage areas.  His third party defense litigation includes environmental, catastrophic bodily injury and death, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, construction and construction accident litigation, liquor and dram shop liability, uninsured and underinsured motorist cases, subrogation, trucking accident litigation, hotel and restaurant security cases, fidelity bonds, fire loss, sexual molestation litigation, appellate litigation, real estate, trade secrets, covenants not to compete, sports litigation, and contract litigation.

Mr. Taylor also focuses his practice on commercial and business litigation, nonprofit organizations, general business and corporate law, and the representation of professional athletes.  He was certified as a player agent by The Major League Baseball Players Association in 1998.

Mr. Taylor is licensed to practice law in Indiana State Courts (1986), United States District Courts for the Northern District (1986) and Southern District (1986) of Indiana, and the United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit (1987).

Mr. Taylor is a certified mediator and has acted as a mediator and arbitrator.

Mr. Taylor is a graduate of Indiana University School of Law- Indianapolis, 1986, where he was a leader in student government and President of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity.  While in law school, Mr. Taylor worked as a research and writing assistant to Professor Debra K. Falender and clerked for Hamilton County, Indiana Judges Donald Foulke, Jerry Barr and Judith Proffitt.  He obtained his B.A. in Psychology from Wabash College, cum laude, in 1983, where he was captain of the baseball team, a leader in student government, a member of Psi Chi National History Society in Psychology, Sphinx Club, and Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.

Mr. Taylor is a founder and director of Indiana Bulls Baseball, Inc., Scott Rolen’s E-5 Foundation and founder and member Southmont High School Athletics Hall of Fame, Inc.  He also served on the national Board of Directors of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity.  He is a member of the Indiana Bulls Baseball Hall of Honors and Southmont High School Alumni Hall of Fame.

Mr. Taylor is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Indiana State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

Representative clients include Auto-Owners Insurance Company, Property-Owners Insurance Company, Owners Insurance Company, Citizens Insurance Company of America, Hanover Insurance Company, West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, United Automobile Insurance Group, Scott Rolen, Enis Furley Foundation, Inc., Lids Indiana Bulls Baseball, Inc., Neff Construction, Inc., Top Line Athletics, Inc., Uveitis & Retina Consultants, Inc., Indy Steel Erectors, Inc., Three Rivers Barricade Co., Victory Trucking Company, and Tracy Smith Baseball Camps, Inc.

A native of Montgomery County, Indiana, Mr. Taylor has four children and lives near Brownsburg, Indiana.

Misti Presnell DeVore

Misti Presnell DeVore has vast litigation experience in state and federal courts in and out of Indiana in a variety of civil matters.  She has practiced law in Indianapolis, Indiana for more than 20 years.  Ms. DeVore focuses on insurance coverage analysis and litigation and defense litigation including motor carrier matters, environmental matters, commercial liability, catastrophic bodily injury and death claims, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, property claims, construction and construction accident litigation, liquor and dram shop liability, uninsured and underinsured motorist cases, trucking accident litigation, insurance bad faith claims and contract litigation.  She also has extensive experience in litigation concerning commercial and business disputes.

Ms. DeVore is licensed to practice law in Indiana State Courts (1997), United States District Courts for the Northern District of Indiana (1997), Southern District of Indiana (1997), and the District of Colorado (2013).

Ms. DeVore is a graduate of Indiana University School of Law – Bloomington, J.D. magna cum laude, Order of the Coif.  While in law school, Ms. DeVore was a member of the Indiana Law Journal, clerked for Jennings Taylor Wheeler & Bouwkamp, an Indianapolis firm, and was a certified intern for Student Legal Services.  She also was a legal intern for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

She obtained her B.A. in Chemistry from DePauw University, magna cum laude, in 1994.  At DePauw, Ms. DeVore served as President of Delta Zeta sorority and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society, Phi Lambda Upsilon National Honorary Chemical Society, and Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Societies.

Ms. DeVore is a member of the American Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, Indianapolis Bar Association, Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana, Defense Research Institute (DRI), and a Graduate of National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s (NITA) Trial Skills.

A native of Sullivan County, Indiana, Ms. DeVore currently resides in Carmel with her two sons.

Jerry M. Padgett

Jerry M. Padgett has significant litigation and trial experience in state and federal courts in a variety of civil litigation matters.  Mr. Padgett’s practice focuses on litigation, including representing businesses in commercial litigation and contract disputes, as well as defending businesses and individuals in premises liability claims, product liability claims, construction defect claims, dram shop claims, fire loss claims, and personal injury claims.  Mr. Padgett also represents insurance companies with regard to first party insurance coverage issues.  Furthermore, Mr. Padgett has served as local counsel for out-of-state clients.

Mr. Padgett is admitted to practice in Indiana, the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.  Mr. Padgett is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association, the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana, and the Defense Research Institute.  He is also a member of the Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Padgett graduated from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2007.  In law school, Mr. Padgett participated in the Robert H. Staton Intramural Moot Court Competition, where he was named to the Order of the Barristers.   Mr. Padgett obtained his B.A. from the University of Indianapolis in 1998 with a double major in political science and history. While in college, Mr. Padgett was a four time letter winner in both cross country and track.

Mr. Padgett’s wife, Jennifer, is also an attorney. They have a son and daughter, and happily reside in Brownsburg. In his free time, Mr. Padgett is very involved in youth sports.  He has served as a board member and team manager for Brownsburg Little League Baseball, as well as having been an assistant coach for the Brownsburg Girls Softball League and Hendricks Community Soccer.

Audrey L. Smith

Senior Associate Attorney Audrey Smith is an experienced civil litigation attorney who has practiced in a wide variety of insurance, business and general civil litigation matters since 2007. Ms. Smith focuses her practice on civil insurance defense analysis and litigation, including premises liability, errors and omission, professional negligence, automobile accidents, products liability, and construction defect cases as well as insurance coverage and bad faith cases. Her experience also includes general business litigation and contract disputes.

Ms. Smith graduated cum laude from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2006. While in law school, she was a member of the Executive Board of the Women’s Caucus, serving as Treasurer and Co-President. Ms. Smith obtained her undergraduate degree from Indiana University – Bloomington. She earned a B.S. in public policy, with a concentration in environmental policy from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. While in college, Ms. Smith participated in the Governor’s Public Service Summer Internship in the Commissioner’s Office at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Ms. Smith is admitted to practice in Indiana and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. She is a member of the American Bar Association.

Ms. Smith is a proud Hoosier and native of Indianapolis, Indiana. In her spare time, she is an avid cook and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Richard J. Proie

Senior Associate Attorney Richard (“RJ”) Proie focuses his practice on civil insurance coverage defense analysis and litigation, including environmental contamination, general liability, property, appraisal, and construction defects.

Mr. Proie is a cum laude graduate of the evening program at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law (2015), earning a certificate in Environmental, Energy, and Natural Resources Law. As a student, Mr. Proie was named to the Order of the Barristers and was a recipient of the Mitzi H. Martin Moot Court Winning Team in the Competition Award in the 2013 Robert H. Staton Intramural Moot Court Competition, arguing at the Indiana Supreme Court before several Justices and federal court judges. Mr. Proie was selected as Chief Justice of the 2014 Staton competition, and also traveled and competed with the school’s national moot court teams for the American Bar Association and Pace School of Law Environmental competitions. He was named the 2015 Friend of the Court as the alumnus providing the most assistance to the McKinney moot court program.

Mr. Proie earned his B.A. in English at Allegheny College in 2003.

Mr. Proie is a member of the American Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, and the Indianapolis Bar Association. He is licensed to practice in the State of Indiana (2015), and the United States District Courts of the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana (2015).

Prior to entering the practice of law, Mr. Proie worked for Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He resides in Indianapolis with his wife and son.

Sarah J. Love

Sarah J. Love focuses her practice on insurance coverage and insurance defense litigation, including general liability, fire, property coverage, appraisal, wrongful death, and construction defects. Before joining the firm, Ms. Love clerked for two state court judges in Elkhart, Indiana.

Ms. Love graduated from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2018. She graduated from Hanover College, magna cum laude in 2015. While a student at Hanover, Ms. Love was a member of the women’s tennis team and an active member of Chi Omega sorority.

Ms. Love is licensed to practice in Indiana and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana. Ms. Love is a member of the Indiana Bar Association and the Indianapolis Bar Association.

A native of Brown County, Indiana, Ms. Love currently lives in Carmel, Indiana. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, playing tennis, and reading.

Molly Weiss

Molly M. Weiss

Molly M. Weiss has civil litigation experience in state and federal courts in a wide variety of tort and contract matters. Before joining the firm, Ms. Weiss worked as a Deputy Attorney General within the Government Litigation section at the Indiana Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Weiss has also clerked within the Civil and Criminal Appellate Section where four of her appellate briefs were affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals.

Ms. Weiss is licensed to practice in Indiana and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana. Ms. Weiss is a member of the Indiana Bar Association and the Indianapolis Bar Association.

Ms. Weiss graduated from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2020. She graduated from Purdue University in 2016 obtaining degrees in public relations & strategic communication and organizational leadership. While a student at Purdue, Ms. Weiss was a member of the Association for Women in Communication and an active member of Alpha Phi sorority.

Prior to entering the practice of law, Ms. Weiss utilized her communications degree by working at the Indiana Statehouse for the House of Representatives where she managed the public relations of eight state representatives.

A native Hoosier from Kokomo, Indiana, Ms. Weiss currently lives in the Fountain Square area in Indianapolis, Indiana. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, walking her two dogs, and reading.

Support Staff

Beverle S. Dixon – Paralegal

Beverle Dixon joined Taylor DeVore in December 2013 as a Paralegal.  She has more than ten (10) years of experience in insurance defense and coverage litigation in central Indiana.  Ms. Dixon has extensive document management and discovery experience.

Ms. Dixon is a Notary Public for the State of Indiana, and has held her commission since July 2003.

Ms. Dixon was raised in the State of Utah.  She currently resides in Noblesville, Ind. with her husband, Robert, and two children.

 

Gina Turner – Billing / Accounts Payable

Gina Turner handles all financial matters for the firm, including billing, budget, banking, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accounting, bookkeeping, payroll and insurance. 

Ms. Turner attended Purdue University and graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University, where she majored in Human Resources. Prior to joining the firm, Ms Turner worked as a Branch Manager in the banking industry and as a controller for an agribusiness. 

Ms. Turner is a native of Crawfordsville, Ind., lives near Brownsburg, and has two adult sons, Jake and Jordan Turner.