Trent Cotney - RCS Influencer
Partner, Adams and Reese
Since 1999, Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese LLP, has dedicated himself to serving the roofing industry. Trent specializes in roofing litigation and arbitration, including defending roofers on construction defect claims, prosecuting lien and bond law claims, defending OSHA citations, contractor licensing defense, and bid protests. In addition, Trent Cotney reviews and drafts hundreds of roofing-related contracts a year for roofing contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, and others in the industry.
Trent Cotney is a member of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) as well as ten other local roofing associations across the United States. He is a director, Treasurer and General Counsel to the West Coast Roofing Contractors Association (“WCRCA”); the General Counsel, a director, and co-chair of the public relations committee for FRSA; and the General Counsel and member of the Governance Committee for the National Women in Roofing (NWIR). In addition to donating his time to a variety of roofing organizations, he is also a Governor-level contributor to the FRSA Educational & Research Foundation endowment program.
He has received the Byron Curry Memorial Achievement Award given by the WCRCA for excellence and service to the roofing industry (2009). He has also received the FRSA’s President’s Award (2008) and the Earl Blank “Heart” Award (2010) for his commitment and dedication to the roofing industry. In 2014, he received the NRCA’s Gold Circle Award for Service to the Industry during the International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. He frequently lectures on a variety of legal topics and has spoken at multiple Best of Success conferences and the International Roofing Expo and is the editor and primary author of the Amazon best-selling book OSHA Defense for the Construction Industry.
The premier Coffee Conversation featured Trent Cotney and John Kenney of Cotney Construction Law and Cotney Consulting Group. It was a Q&A conversation about strategies for protecting your companies the right way during the current pandemic and economic instability. Valuable information and thought provoking advice. Click below to watch now!
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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NRCA Legal Conference "Decks to Dockets" Webinar Recordings Available Now!
Did you miss NRCA’s Virtual Legal Conference, Roofing Issues: Decks to Dockets? You are in luck! All nine conference session recordings now are available for purchase in NRCA's bookstore for only $49/session ($69/session for nonmembers). This is a great opportunity to learn the latest legal, business and technical information from ...
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eBooks
Rethinking OSHA’s Multi-Employer Citation Doctrine: A Comprehensive Policy Analysis and Reform Blueprint
The National Construction Policy Institute (NCPI) has released a landmark white paper, “Rethinking OSHA’s Multi‑Employer Citation Doctrine,” which outlines a practical, legally durable framework to align accountability with actual control on complex construction sites. The paper traces the doctrine’s evolution, highlights the operational and economic costs of inconsistent enforcement, and ...
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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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Línea de Ayuda para el Aumento de Precios activada para proteger a las víctimas del huracán
Por Trent Cotney, Adams and Reese.
A medida que Florida continúa limpiando y comenzando a reconstruir tras la devastación del huracán Helene, ahora enfrenta la amenaza aún mayor del huracán Milton.
Es importante saber que la Fiscal General Ashley Moody ha activado la Línea de Ayuda para el Aumento de ...
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Latest International Content
Last call for IIBEC’s 2026 International Convention!
By Emma Peterson.
Join The Coffee Shops™ crew and our industry partners in Sacramento for four days of education, innovation and industry connection.
The Coffee Shops™ crew is putting the finishing touches on our travel plans to get to Sacramento, California March 12–15, 2026 for the International Institute of Building ...
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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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S2:E41 Jeremy Power and Samuel St-Jean – Cotney in Canada
By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter.
Translating legal language, starting careers in the pandemic and Cotney’s expansion into Canada.
In this episode of Roofing Road Trips, RoofersCoffeeShop® (RCS) partner, Heidi J. Ellsworth chatted with two friends from the north, Jeremy Power and Samuel St-Jean, the newest associate attorneys of Cotney ...
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Latest Podcasts
What Contractors Need to Watch in 2026
In this episode of Roofing Road Trips, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with attorney and industry advocate Trent Cotney to discuss the major economic, legal and workforce issues shaping the roofing industry in 2026. From global events affecting fuel and material costs to tariff uncertainty and immigration enforcement, they explore ...
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The State of Roofing Today
In this Coffee Conversations®, Megan Ellsworth is joined by Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese for a timely discussion on the state of the roofing industry. The conversation explores how immigration policy and economic conditions are influencing labor availability, project planning and contractor decision-making. They break down the importance of ...
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Unpacking AI: The Digital Shift Shaping Roofing
In this Read Listen Watch®, Karen Edwards is joined by Jon Gardner of Owens Corning and Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese for a deep dive into artificial intelligence and its expanding role in roofing. The conversation explores what AI really means for contractors and manufacturers today, breaking down its ...
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Latest Webinars
Federal Immigration Enforcement, ICE Raids & I-9 Audits What Employers Need to Know - Webinar
Federal Immigration Enforcement Is Increasing – Is Your Company Prepared?
Join ARCA for an important webinar with nationally recognized construction attorney Trent Cotney focused on what Arizona roofing companies need to know right now.
Federal immigration enforcement has intensified through increased ICE worksite actions and I-9 audits, placing employers at greater risk ...
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The State of Roofing Today
In this Coffee Conversations®, Megan Ellsworth is joined by Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese for a timely discussion on the state of the roofing industry. The conversation explores how immigration policy and economic conditions are influencing labor availability, project planning and contractor decision-making. They break down the importance of ...
Watch the Webinar
Lunch & Learn: Worksite Enforcement Awareness: What you and Your Crews Need to Know - February 11
NTRCA and RCAT are teaming up for an important Extended Lunch & Learn for North Texas Roofing Contractors. Join Trent Cotney, Partner with Adams & Reese, LLP and legal counsel for NRCA and other roofing associations, as he focuses on what worksite enforcement may look like on roofing jobs and ...
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Read Listen Watch - Educational Content
Unpacking AI: The Digital Shift Shaping Roofing
In this Read Listen Watch®, Karen Edwards is joined by Jon Gardner of Owens Corning and Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese for a deep dive into artificial intelligence and its expanding role in roofing. The conversation explores what AI really means for contractors and manufacturers today, breaking down its ...
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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
Legal insights at IRE 2026
This year has brought a variety of unique challenges to the roofing and construction industries from immigration enforcement crackdowns to shifting tariffs. Luckily, Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese will be breaking down these topics at the 2026 International Roofing Expo (IRE)! Trent will be a part of two sessions: ...
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Tune in to this month’s episode of Law and Mortar
Looking to learn more about the legal, business and safety side of the roofing industry? Law and Mortar is the perfect podcast for you!
In the show, industry experts and leaders Trent Cotney and John Kenney dive into a variety of timely topics for contractors today. Trent is a partner at ...
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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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Latest Videos
The Weekly Blend - Episode 202
Join us every week to learn the latest news in the roofing, metal, coatings and outdoor living industry.
The 202nd episode of The Weekly Blend is live! Join The Coffee Shops’ COO Karen Edwards and En Español Program Coordinator Jessica Bravo, for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original web ...
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The Weekly Blend - Episode 201
Join us every week to learn the latest news in the roofing, metal, coatings and outdoor living industry.
The 201st 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.
Tune in to ...
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The Weekly Blend - Episode 196
Join us every week to learn the latest news in the roofing, metal, coatings and outdoor living industry.
The 196th episode of The Weekly Blend is live! Join The Coffee Shops’ Multimedia Manager Megan Ellsworth and En Español Program Coordinator Jessica Bravo for the latest episode of this Coffee Shop original ...
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