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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.
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Roofing and the New Presidential Administration
In this Roofing Road Trips® episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese to discuss the legal changes impacting contractors and businesses as the new presidential administration takes shape.
Trent shares his history in roofing and advocacy, and how he’s working to shape policies that directly affect the roofing industry. From new tariffs and immigration policies to the formation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trent breaks down what contractors should expect and how they can prepare for these shifts.
Whether you’re a contractor or simply curious about how the political landscape is shifting, this episode offers crucial insights to help you stay ahead of the curve.
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.
Latest Promotions and Rebates
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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Latest Spanish Content
Día 3: Sesiones y eventos esenciales en IRE 2025
Por Anna Lockhart, traducido por Jessica Bravo.
¡No te pierdas estas sesiones que tendrán lugar el viernes en IRE 2025!
International Roofing Expo (IRE) 2025 está a la vuelta de la esquina y los participantes están haciendo planes para asistir a sesiones y eventos interesantes. ¿Ya has echado un ...
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Día 1: Sesiones clave en IRE 2025
Por Jesse Sanchez, traducido por Jessica Bravo.
El primer día de IRE está lleno de experiencia e innovación en la industria.
Profesionales del sector de techado de todo el país se reúnen para un día completo de conocimientos, networking y estrategias visionarias en International Roofing Expo (IRE) 2025. Con ...
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Perspectivas legales clave en la IRE 2025
Por Emma Peterson, traducido por Jessica Bravo.
¡No te pierdas las sesiones educativas del experto en la industria Trent Cotney!
¿Estás listo para la 2025 International Roofing Expo (IRE)? Comenzando el 19 de febrero de 2025 en San Antonio, Texas, este es el evento comercial más grande para la ...
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Latest International Content
How President Trump’s proposed tariffs could affect the construction industry
By Trent Cotney, Adams and Reese.
While the full impact of the tariffs remains to be seen, proactive measures can help mitigate risks and ensure continued operational resilience.
If you have read the news lately, you know that President Trump plans to reintroduce tariffs on goods imported from key trading partners. These ...
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Latest Canada Content
How President Trump’s proposed tariffs could affect the construction industry
By Trent Cotney, Adams and Reese.
While the full impact of the tariffs remains to be seen, proactive measures can help mitigate risks and ensure continued operational resilience.
If you have read the news lately, you know that President Trump plans to reintroduce tariffs on goods imported from key trading partners. These ...
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Latest Podcasts
Legal Must-knows for Roofers
In this Read Listen Watch® (RLW), join host Karen Edwards and legal expert Ashlee B. Poplin, partner at Adams & Reese with extensive experience in civil litigation and construction law, as they discuss the essential legal aspects of starting and running a roofing business. From choosing the best legal structure ...
Listen to the Podcast
Roofing's Take on Tariffs
Join us for this important Coffee Conversations where experts, including Trent Cotney from Adams & Reese and Will Lorenz from General Coatings, will break down the policies, prices and pressures shaping the roofing world in light of the new administration's tariff policies. With changes happening every day, the industry is ...
Listen to the Podcast
Trent Cotney - Roofing and the New Presidential Administration
In this Roofing Road Trips® episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese to discuss the legal changes impacting contractors and businesses as the new presidential administration takes shape. Trent shares his history in roofing and advocacy, and how he’s working to shape policies that ...
Listen to the Podcast
Latest Webinars
Roofing's Take on Tariffs
Join us for this important Coffee Conversations where experts, including Trent Cotney from Adams & Reese and Will Lorenz from General Coatings, will break down the policies, prices and pressures shaping the roofing world in light of the new administration's tariff policies. With changes happening every day, the industry is ...
Watch the Webinar
Preparing for ICE on the Jobsite
In today’s construction industry, immigration enforcement actions can create uncertainty and fear on jobsites. Contractors and business owners must be prepared to protect their employees while staying compliant with the law. Join us for a critical Coffee Conversations, made possible by supporters like Central States Manufacturing, featuring legal and industry ...
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Coffee Conversations LIVE at IRE 2025 - Day 2
Join us for an exciting LIVE Coffee Conversations at the International Roofing Expo (IRE) 2025, sponsored by SRS Distribution, where a panel of manufacturers, distributors and service providers will dive into the biggest trends shaping the roofing landscape this year. From sustainability innovations and emerging technologies to workforce challenges and ...
Watch the Webinar
Read Listen Watch - Educational Content
Legal Must-knows for Roofers
In this Read Listen Watch® (RLW), join host Karen Edwards and legal expert Ashlee B. Poplin, partner at Adams & Reese with extensive experience in civil litigation and construction law, as they discuss the essential legal aspects of starting and running a roofing business. From choosing the best legal structure ...
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Navigating the Legal Side of Subcrews
In this Read Listen Watch®, Karen Edwards meets with Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese L.L.P. and Justin Bedwell of Camouflage Roofing & Construction, LLC to talk about the current impact of subcrews in the roofing industry. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of navigating subcontractor relationships and the inherent ...
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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 ...
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Latest Classifieds
Stay ahead of the curve with insights from Trent Cotney
Every year brings new challenges and changes for the roofing industry as the landscape around us grows and shifts. In 2025, the biggest change affecting contracting operations has been the new presidential administration. In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Trent Cotney of ...
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Buy Online
Roofing contractors across the country face a number of difficulties, beginning during contract negotiation and often ending with disputes or warranty claims on projects. From coast to coast, I hear common themes when talking to roofing contractors—insurance premiums are too high, there is too much state and Federal regulation, and ...
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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 ...
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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
The Weekly Blend - Episode 159
Join us every Friday to learn the latest news in the roofing, metal and coatings industry.
The 159th episode of The Weekly Blend is live! Join The Coffee Shops’ President Heidi Ellsworth and COO Karen Edwards for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original web series.
The two discuss some upcoming ...
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The Weekly Blend - Episode 158
Join us every Friday to learn the latest news in the roofing, metal and coatings industry.
The 158th episode of The Weekly Blend is live! Join The Coffee Shops’ President Heidi Ellsworth and COO Karen Edwards for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original web series.
This week, Heidi and Karen ...
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Episode 111 - Converge 2024, RCS is a Member of the Roofing Alliance, Sub Crews
Join us every Friday to learn the latest news in the roofing industry.
The 111th episode of The Weekly Blend is here! Join the Coffee Shops’ President Heidi J. Ellsworth and COO Karen Edwards for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original web series.
This week, Heidi and Karen discuss the ...
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