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Adams and Reese LLP
Who We Are
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.
Lend a Helping Hand
Construction Attorney Trent Cotney is continuing his annual tradition of matching donations, up to
a total of $10,000 ($2,500 per foundation)! During this season of giving, as we look back on how the roofing industry has been so good to us, consider supporting one of these organizations that is helping to shape the future of our industry
through research, youth scholarships and more!
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.
Meet Ben Briggs
I view my role as equal parts counselor and advocate. As counselor, I advise clients regarding the law and their strategic options, and as advocate, I aggressively defend or prosecute their legal positions. But in either role, my focus remains the ‘big picture’ and the client’s underlying objectives.
Primary Practice:
Benjamin S. Briggs counsels and represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including matters pertaining to wage and hour, discrimination and retaliation claims, risk mitigation, human resources training and internal audits, drafting and enforcing employment contracts, restrictive covenants, separation agreements and workplace rules and policies.
Ben has received several accolades in labor and employment law, including Top Lawyers, Employment Law: Management by Tampa Magazine, and Legal Elite Up & Comer by Florida Trend. He is recognized by his peers among Florida Super Lawyers® Rising Stars.
Get your copy of OSHA Defense!
The second biggest threat to the construction industry, behind the lack of skilled labor, is the unchecked expansion of regulatory agencies. Recent government expansion has granted the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) the authority it needs to single-handedly put contractors out of business through targeting, and repeat or excessive fines.
The purpose of this book is to 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.
Topics include safety compliance, recordkeeping and reporting, responsible use of social media, constitutional protections, witness statements, settlements with OSHA, willful citations, and a discussion of defenses including unpreventable employee misconduct, multi-employer site defense and the greater hazard defense.
Finally, the book discusses some of the recent regulation changes including the new silica standard, the new confined space standards, and the increase in OSHA fines.
Latest Promotions and Rebates
Trent Cotney to match your donations to these four roofing industry foundations!
Construction Attorney Trent Cotney is continuing his annual tradition of matching donations, up to a total of $10,000 ($2,500 per foundation)! During this season of giving, as we look back on how the roofing industry has been so good to us, consider supporting one of these organizations that is helping ...
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Attorney Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese LLP Offers Free Contract Audit Services to Members of Owens Corning Roofing Contractor Network
Trent Cotney and the Adams and Reese LLP team set the standard for providing high-quality legal expertise within the roofing industry. As a global leader in advocacy for construction professionals, his knowledge and experience protect the best interests of roofing contractors nationwide.
Whether you require project-specific advice or need a broader ...
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Get your copy of OSHA Defense!
The second biggest threat to the construction industry, behind the lack of skilled labor, is the unchecked expansion of regulatory agencies. Recent government expansion has granted the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) the authority it needs to single-handedly put contractors out of business through targeting, and repeat or excessive ...
View Promotion
Latest Contests and Games
Get your copy of OSHA Defense!
The second biggest threat to the construction industry, behind the lack of skilled labor, is the unchecked expansion of regulatory agencies. Recent government expansion has granted the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) the authority it needs to single-handedly put contractors out of business through targeting, and repeat or excessive ...
View Contest or Game
Latest Podcasts
Roy Hadley - What You Need to Know About Cybersecurity in Roofing
S5:E45
Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Adams & Reese Special Counsel Roy Hadley who specializes in cybersecurity. As an expert, Roy offers information that is vital to every roofing company. Find out what is happening with government officials, corporations and construction companies around the risk of cyber-attack. ...
Listen to the Podcast
Being Prepared for OSHA
As the roofing industry heads into Stand Down for Safety Week, Kyle Rea of Adams & Reese provides insight into the current OSHA inspection and citation process on this important RLW. With a deep dive into the key issues of OSHA inspections and processes, Kyle shares with Heidi J. Ellsworth ...
Listen to the Podcast
Get to Know David Toney
S5:E26
Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with David Toney of Adams and Reese. It is a great conversation that takes the opportunity to get to know David Toney who is the co-chair of Construction with Trent Cotney. They talk about what is happening with construction defects, personal injury, jobsite issues and much ...
Listen to the Podcast
Latest Webinars
Scaling up With BI: Business Strategies for Roofing Companies
In this RoofersCoffeeShop RLW, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with experts in customer service, estimating, service, safety, regulations and legal issues. Eugene Zukowski of Jobba, John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group and Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese join the conversation to share their 2023 insights on how business intelligence ...
Watch the Webinar
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; ...
Watch the Webinar
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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Read Listen Watch - Educational Content
Scaling up With BI: Business Strategies for Roofing Companies
In this RoofersCoffeeShop RLW, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with experts in customer service, estimating, service, safety, regulations and legal issues. Eugene Zukowski of Jobba, John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group and Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese join the conversation to share their 2023 insights on how business intelligence ...
View Content
Being Prepared for OSHA
As the roofing industry heads into Stand Down for Safety Week, Kyle Rea of Adams & Reese provides insight into the current OSHA inspection and citation process on this important RLW. With a deep dive into the key issues of OSHA inspections and processes, Kyle shares with Heidi J. Ellsworth ...
View 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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Buy Online
The second biggest threat to the construction industry, behind the lack of skilled labor, is the unchecked expansion of regulatory agencies. Recent government expansion has granted the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) the authority it needs to single-handedly put contractors out of business through targeting, and repeat or excessive ...
Read More
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
Episode 92 of The Weekly Blend is Here!
Join Heidi and Karen every Friday to learn about what's going on in the roofing industry.
The 92nd episode of The Weekly Blend is here! Join the Coffee Shops’ President Heidi J. Ellsworth and COO Karen L. Edwards for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original web series.
This week, Heidi ...
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Episode 89 of The Weekly Blend is Here!
Karen Edwards and Trent Cotney discuss the latest roofing industry news in this week's episode of The Weekly Blend.
The 89th episode of The Weekly Blend is here! Join the Coffee Shops’ COO Karen L. Edwards and special guest Trent Cotney, partner at Adams and Reese for the latest episode of ...
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Episode 61 - Watch Our Upcoming Grosso MetalTalk, Don't Miss METALCON Live, Come on a Walking Architectural Tour
Join Heidi and Karen every Friday to hear about the latest news in the roofing industry.
Episode 61 of The Weekly Blend is here! Join the Coffee Shops’ President Heidi J. Ellsworth and COO Karen L. Edwards for the newest episode of this Coffee Shop original web series.
This week, Heidi and ...
View Video
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Suite 4000
Tampa, FL 33602