David M. Bell

Of Counsel

David Bell is a Certified Specialist in Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation and is a member of the State Bar of Arizona Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Advisory Commission and served as its Chair from 2018 to 2021.

Since 2001, David has been a member of Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), an invitation-only organization of attorneys who focus their practice on the defense of civil claims and representation of insurers and corporations. He has chaired the FDCC’s Extra-Contractual Liability Section and served on the FDCC Admissions Committee.

David is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national organization of trial attorneys, both plaintiff and defense, whose criteria for membership include extensive trial experience, excellence in the courtroom, and recognition of peers and judges He served as President of ABOTA’s Phoenix Chapter (2019) and remains on its Board as its Past-President.

David Bell’s trial and appellate experience and insurance work has earned him an AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ by Martindale-Hubbell® and recognition in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (annually since 1994). In addition, he is a Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers® honoree.

David has made numerous presentations at seminars sponsored by the FDCC, State Bar of Arizona, Maricopa County Bar Association, National Business Institute, Lorman Education Services, clients and others, on topics including, insurance law and bad faith litigation, personal injury litigation, law firm management, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.

Practice Areas

Appellate Law
Insurance Bad Faith Defense
Insurance Coverage
Commercial Litigation
Governmental Liability
Products Liability
Malpractice Litigation

Certification

Certified Specialist in Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation, Arizona Board of Legal Specialization

Bar And Court Admissions

Arizona, 1981
S. District Court, District of Arizona
S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Honors & Awards

AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ by Martindale-Hubbell®
The Best Lawyers in America®, Insurance Law, Litigation-Insurance, 2020-present
Super Lawyers, 2009-present
Arizona’s Finest Lawyer

Articles & Lectures

“Focus on the Insuring Clause: Elements as They Relate to Construction Defect Claims,” FDCC Quarterly, 57, No. 3, Spring 2007
“State Farm v. Campbell: Its Anticipated Effects for Bad Faith Litigation,” FDCC Quarterly, Vol. 54, No. 1, Fall 2003
“Survivor ESI” (co-author), FDCC E-Discovery Survival Manual, 2007
“Insurance Bad Faith: A Compendium of State Law” (author and regional editor), Defense Research Institute, 2004, 2006, 2010
“Discovery” (chapter co-author), Arizona Personal Injury Practice Guide, 1991

Professional Activities

American Board of Trial Advocates: Advocate; Member, Phoenix Chapter Board, 2014-present
American Bar Association
Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, 2001-present
Defense Research Institute
State Bar of Arizona: Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Advisory Commission, 2013-present
Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education: Board of Directors 2022
Fellow, Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education
Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Maricopa County Bar Association

Published Decisions

Allen v. United States, 588 F.Supp. 247 (D.Utah, 1984), reversed, 816 F.2d 1417, cert denied, 44 U.S. 1004
State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Johnson, 151 Ariz. 591, 729 P.2d 945 (App. 1986)
Ambrose v. Illinois-California Express, Inc., 151 Ariz. 527, 729 P.2d 331 (App. 1986)
Love v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 158 Ariz. 36, 760 P.2d 1085 (App. 1988)
Deese v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 168 Ariz. 337, 813 P.2d 318 (App. 1991)
Daggett v. County of Maricopa, 160 Ariz. 80, 770 P.2d 384 (App. 1989)
State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Lindsey, 182 Ariz. 329, 897 P.2d 631 (1995)
California Casualty Ins. Co. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 185 Ariz. 165, 913 P.2d 505 (App. 1996)
State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Arizona Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 187 Ariz. 526, 931 P.2d 426 (App. 1996)
Larsen v. Decker, 196 Ariz, 239, 995 P.2d 281 (App. 2000)
Schritter v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 201 Ariz. 391, 36 P.3d 739 (2001)
Demko v. State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co., 204 Ariz. 497, 65 P.3d 446 (App. 2003)
State Farm Fire & Casualty v. Grabowski, 214 Ariz. 188, 150 P.3d 275 (App. 2007)
Lennar Corp. v. United National Insur. Co., et al., 214 Ariz. 255, 151 P.3d 538, (App.2007)
Desert Mountain Properties, Ltd. Partnership v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 225 Ariz. 194, 236 P.3d 421 (App. 2010)
Quihuis v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 748 F.3d. 911 (9thCir. 2014) (Certified Question to Arizona Supreme Court)
Quihuis v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 235 Ariz. 536, 334 P.3d 719 (2014) (Response to Certified Question from U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals)

Education

J.D., With Distinction, University of Iowa, 1981
B.A., University of Iowa, 197