William B. Cowen Named Acting Associate General Counsel for the Division of Operations‑Management

Last Wednesday, January 14th NLRB General Counsel Crystal S. Carey announced the appointment of William B. Cowen as Acting Associate General Counsel for the Division of Operations‑Management and the appointment of Stephanie Cahn as Acting Deputy Associate General Counsel for the Division. In these roles, Mr. Cowen and Ms. Cahn will oversee the Agency’s 26 Regional Offices and support the nationwide enforcement and administration of the National Labor Relations Act.

Mr. Cowen most recently served as the Acting General Counsel pursuant to an appointment by President Donald J. Trump in February 2025. He began his NLRB career in 1979 and held a variety of positions at both Headquarters and in the field before entering private practice in 1985. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Board Member from January 22 to November 22, 2002, and later served as Executive Assistant (Chief of Staff) to Chairman Robert J. Battista. From 2006 to 2016, he served as the Board’s Solicitor. Prior to his appointment as Acting General Counsel, Mr. Cowen served as Regional Director of Region 21 (Los Angeles) beginning in 2016. He holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Case Western Reserve University, a Master of Theological Studies from Wesley Theological Seminary, and a J.D. from the Cleveland‑Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University.

“I am grateful to Bill for his work as Acting General Counsel,” said General Counsel Carey. “His extensive experience—as Acting GC, Regional Director, and in many other roles throughout the Agency—makes him exceptionally well‑suited to lead Operations as we address the backlog of cases in the Regional Offices.”

Ms. Cahn joined the Agency in 1997 and has spent most of her career in Region 21 (Downtown Los Angeles). She began as a Field Attorney, was promoted to Supervisory Field Attorney in 2013, and became Regional Attorney in 2024. In February 2025, she began serving as Acting Deputy General Counsel. Ms. Cahn holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine, and a J.D. from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California.

“Stephanie excelled as Acting Deputy General Counsel, and I am pleased that she will support Operations as we move forward,” said General Counsel Carey.