Trump appoints William B. Cowen as NLRB actor
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Trump appoints William B. Cowen as NLRB actor

Fast hits

  • President Trump appointed William B. Cowen as acting general lawyer for NLRB.
  • The appointment comes after President Trump, over the past week, released former NLRB’s general lawyer Jennifer Abruzzo and her replacement, NLRB acting general lawyer Jessica Routes. President Trump also removed NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox.
  • NLRB said that field office will continue to treat unfair work practice and representation items.

Acting General Lady Cow has served as regional director for NLRB’s Los Angeles Region Office (region 21) since 2016 and previously served as NLRB member from January 22, 2002 to 22 November 2002, after being appointed by then President George W. Bush, According to the statement from NLRB.

The statement did not indicate who President Trump will formally appoint to fill the position of the general lawyer. The appointment must also be confirmed by the US Senate.

On February 1, 2025, President Trump released the former acting general lawyer routes, which was raised to acting general lawyer after President Trump discharged Former General Attorney Abruzzo on January 27, 2025. Routes had previously served as vice general lawyer under Abruzzo.

On the same day as Rutter’s discharge, NLRB issued a message to the public that the NLRB Office of General Counsel’s Field Offices will continue to treat unfair work practice (ULP) cases and representation items which, according to the National Labor Relations ACT (NLRA), applicable regulations and cases .

However, President Trump’s removal of member Wilcox leaves NLRB without a decision -making to hear cases. The Board has only two sitting members: Republican appointed Marvin Kaplan, as President Trump appointed the NLRB chairman on his first day in the service, and the democratic appointed David Prouty, whose mandate will be concluded in August 2026.

The changes at NLRB come as President Trump has Also removed Democratic US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioner Charlotte A. Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels and dismissed EEOC’s general lawyer Karla Gilbride.

Next step

The NLRB shaking has created some uncertainty. While the agency has said that field office will continue to hear ULP cases and representation things, the board lacks a decision -making to hear challenges. At the same time, former NLRB member Wilcox has said that she is investigating legal alternatives to question her removal, which is likely to lead to a long case that could ultimately land at the US Supreme Court.

During the Trump administration, more political changes at NLRB are expected, but they can take time to implement as a new general lawyer must be confirmed and new NLRB members are appointed.