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Obama Moves Out On The Union Front

Client Alert | 1 min read | 02.03.09

On January 30, 2008, President Obama issued three executive orders aimed at government contractors: (1) rescinds E.O. 13201, which required contractor to post a notice of employees' right to refuse to join a union, and substitutes a notice of rights to organize under the National Labor Relations Act; (2) deems unallowable contractor costs to persuade employees to exercise or not exercise their right to organize and bargain collectively; and (3) requires successor contractors to provide a right of first refusal for service employees (as defined by the Service Contract Act) of a predecessor contractor for the same or similar services at the same location. All three executive orders will require regulations to be issued before they become effective and are more fully described in the following link: Obama Administration Issues Pro-Union Executive Orders.

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Client Alert | 8 min read | 12.11.25

Director Squires Revamps the Workings of the U.S. Patent Office

In March 2025, President Trump nominated John A. Squires for the positions of Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). After being approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 20-2, Squires was confirmed by the Senate on September 17, 2025, by a vote of 51-47 after anti-filibuster measures were invoked. During and after the confirmation process, Squires emphasized several goals for the USPTO during his time as Director. Such goals included:...