Adams and Reese LLP
At Adams and Reese, we take things personally. Our people are connected — to each other, to our clients, our families and our communities. We care deeply about the people around us.
As lawyers, it’s our business to know and understand our clients, their businesses, their current needs and their future plans. As neighbors, our commitment to volunteerism has become a deep-rooted characteristic of our firm's personality.
Meet Trent Cotney
As an attorney, I make it my job to provide clients the resources they need to succeed in the construction industry. By combining legal acumen and business know-how, I’m able to offer them a proactive legal approach that aims to resolve their problems and eliminate risks.
Primary Practice:
Trent Cotney is a board-certified construction lawyer by the Florida Bar and is licensed in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and D.C. He focuses his practice on all aspects of construction litigation and arbitration, including OSHA defense, lien law, bond law, bid protests, and construction document review and drafting. He routinely represents construction and infrastructure clients, including general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, architects, engineers, roofers, developers, and others in various matters.
Trent is recognized by his peers throughout the construction industry as one of the leading attorneys in his field of practice. He has received numerous honors and distinctions because of his dedication to the legal profession and his expertise in construction and infrastructure law.
Before joining Adams and Reese, Trent founded and served as the CEO of Cotney Attorneys & Consultants, named a Top 50 Construction Law Firm by Construction Executive Magazine. With over 20 offices, Cotney Attorneys & Consultants serviced the needs of business, infrastructure, and construction clients throughout the United States, Canada and internationally.
In addition to nearly 25 years of assisting his clients in their legal matters, Trent is a zealous advocate for the international commercial roofing industry. He serves as general counsel for more than 10 trade associations and organizations, including the National Roofing Contractors Association, Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Association, National Slate Association, Roofing Technology Think Tank, Western States Roofing Contractors Association and several other industry associations.
Trent has published more than 1,000 articles in 100 different local, regional and national publications on such topics as construction mediation, arbitration, negligent design, delay damages, contract provisions and defective workmanship. He is the editor and primary author of two Amazon best-selling books, OSHA Defense for the Construction Industry and OSHA Defense: Know Your Rights. The books provide contractors, trades, design professionals, suppliers, manufacturers and others in the industry with an understanding of their rights during an OSHA inspection as well as critical defenses to use after an OSHA citation has been issued.
Trent is a frequent guest on nationally and regionally broadcast podcasts and regularly speaks at events across the globe on topics related to construction and infrastructure law.
Latest Podcasts
Coffee Conversations - A Season of Giving with Trent Cotney Sponsored by Hunter Panels!
Join Heidi J. Ellsworth for a Coffee Conversations that hits the heart of the roofing industry: giving back through roofing foundations. Sponsored by Hunter Panels, this episode welcomes Trent Cotney and industry foundation representatives including Kelly Van Winkle, president of the Roofing Alliance; Chuck Chapman, chairman of Davis Memorial Foundation; ...
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Susan Eccles - Drone Legalities for Roofing Companies
S4:E66
Heidi J. Ellsworth heads to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to virtually meet with Susan Eccles, Special Council for Adams & Reese to talk about drone regulations. Susan specializes in the legalities of drones on construction sites including how to get started, regulations, privacy and the need for pilot licensing. ...
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Trent Cotney - Industry Updates with Trent Cotney
S4:E36
Heidi J. Ellsworth road trips virtually cross country to visit with Trent Cotney for a mid-year industry update. Recently joining Adams & Reese, Trent continues to work with leading roofing associations as general counsel. Working with NRCA, WSRCA, FRSA and many more, Trent sees what is happening in ...
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Latest Webinars
Coffee Conversations - A Season of Giving with Trent Cotney Sponsored by Hunter Panels!
Join Heidi J. Ellsworth for a Coffee Conversations that hits the heart of the roofing industry: giving back through roofing foundations. Sponsored by Hunter Panels, this episode welcomes Trent Cotney and industry foundation representatives including Kelly Van Winkle, president of the Roofing Alliance; Chuck Chapman, chairman of Davis Memorial Foundation; ...
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Adams & Reese LLP Webinar Playlist
Learn more about Adams & Reese LLP by visiting their RCS Directory.
Subscribe to the Adams & Reese LLP Youtube Channel.
Maximizing Part 107 Waivers for Drone Program Implementation
Adams and Reese drone attorney Grant Guillot is joined by Brendan Stewart of DroneUp, Brandon Packman of SkyWatch.AI and Trent Nichols of JE Dunn ...
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Coffee Conversations - OSHA! The Top Five Things to Watch in 2022
S3:E19
It is all about safety and the top five OSHA initiatives that roofing contractors need to be aware of in 2022. In this Coffee Conversations, sponsored by Tremco and WTI, Heidi J. Ellsworth brings together a team of experts to answer hard questions about safety and OSHA. Trent ...
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Read Listen Watch - Educational Content
OSHA: Know Your Rights
Trent Cotney joins Heidi J. Ellsworth for a timely and highly relevant RLW on OSHA and how contractors need to know their rights around risk mitigation and defense. With the National Safety Stand-Down starting out the month of May, this RLW will wrap up all the conversations and information ...
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Reducing Risk With Legal Maintenance
May 26, 2021
Today it is more important than ever to have up to date, pertinent employee and safety manuals along with the most current contract language. During these turbulent times, Cotney Attorneys and Consultants have been helping roofing contractors navigate the risk of COVID, material supplies, employee law, ...
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Ask Trent Cotney- Five Key Roofing Contract Provisions
April 8, 2019 Trent Cotney joined Heidi Ellsworth to discuss Roofing Contract Provisions. This webinar focuses on five of the most important commercial and residential roofing contract provisions with the opportunity to ask Trent Cotney important legal questions concerning overall contract provisions. Presented by Trent Cotney Moderated by Heidi J. ...
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Latest Classifieds
Business Development Manager - Construction
The Business Development Manager, a member of our Business Development team, is responsible for identifying opportunities for business growth, managing opportunities, and optimizing marketing strategies with our Construction Practice Team. The successful candidate will be a team player with strong writing and editing skills, excellent project management skills, and a ...
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Buy Online
Get your copy of Trent Cotney's latest book, OSHA Defense: Know Your Rights! This book is designed to be an overview of common issues frequently encountered by companies when dealing with OSHA. The goal is for employers to gain a better understanding of the basic processes and procedures that take ...
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Latest Videos
Trent Cotney's Industry Update Playlist
To learn more about Trent Cotney & Adams & Reese, visit their RCS Directory.
January 12, 2023 Industry Update
January 5, 2023 Industry Update
December 15, 2022 Industry Update
November 30, 2022 Industry Update
October 5, 2022 Industry Update
August 30, 2022 Industry Update
July 18, 2022 Industry Update
June 8, 2022 Industry Update
April 12, 2022 Industry ...
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