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Trump names new acting general counsel for NLRB

CWS 3.0 - Contingent Workforce Strategies

Trump names new acting general counsel for NLRB

Katherine Alvarez
| February 4, 2025

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President Donald Trump on Feb. 3 appointed William Cowen as acting general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board. The placement comes within a week of the firings of General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo as well as her replacement, Acting General Counsel Jessica Rutter. Gwynne Wilcox, the only other Democratic member of the agency, was also let go.

Cowen has served as regional director in the agency’s Los Angeles Regional Office since 2016.

“I am truly honored to be asked to serve as Acting General Counsel,” Cowen said in a press release. “The men and women of this agency represent the finest in public service, and I thank the President for the confidence that he has shown in me by this appointment.”

Cowen joined the NLRB in 1979 and served in various capacities throughout the agency at both headquarters and in the field until entering private practice in 1985. He was later appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a board member from Jan. 22 to Nov. 22, 2002. He then served as executive assistant (chief of staff) to NLRB Chairman Robert Battista. From 2006 to 2016, Cowen served as the board’s solicitor.

More policy changes at the NLRB are expected under the Trump administration — but they could take time to implement, as a new general counsel must be confirmed and new NLRB members appointed, Thomas Stanek and Zachary Zagger of law firm Ogletree Deakins wrote in a blog post.

“The NLRB shake-up has created some uncertainty,” the post states. While the agency has said field offices will continue to hear unfair labor practices cases and representation cases, the board lacks a quorum to hear challenges. The board needs three members in place to have a quorum.