Chief Operating Officer, Truth Initiative
Mr. Dave Dobbins is the Truth Initiative’s Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he provides senior management for the organization’s programmatic activities, including its public education campaigns, grant making, research and other tobacco control efforts.
Mr. Dobbins began his career as an attorney in private practice doing complex litigation, intellectual property and corporate transactions. One of his very first cases was working on the team defending noted tobacco industry whistleblower Dr. Jeffrey Wigand from claims brought against him by the tobacco company Brown & Williamson. Mr. Dobbins was also involved in working on nationwide class action suits brought against the insurance industry, based on the industry’s claims processing procedures. In that capacity, he served as a lead coordinator in a multi-party team addressing legal issues relating to that matter. In his corporate practice, Mr. Dobbins led acquisitions projects for a major publishing client and government contractor and oversaw the intellectual property portfolios of both these clients.
Mr. Dobbins joined the Truth Initiative (previously known as the American Legacy Foundation) in 2002 as its Associate General Counsel, and his work with the organization primarily consisted of overseeing the legal elements of the organization’s business practices and intellectual property portfolio. He was also actively involved in defending the Foundation in litigation against the Lorillard Tobacco Company. The Foundation ultimately prevailed against Lorillard’s claims that the Foundation’s truth® youth smoking prevention advertising constituted “vilification” and “personal attacks” prohibited by the Master Settlement Agreement.
Mr. Dobbins is a graduate of the University of Missouri and the University of Michigan Law School.