Trent Cotney, P.A. at work
Blue collar construction lawyers
focus on the industry they know
from personal experience
Florida Construction News special feature
B ased on a long, personal history, Trent Cotney P.A. de-
scribes itself as a blue collar legal firm uniquely rep-
resenting the construction industry. Through offices in
Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tallahassee, South Florida,
and Mobile, AL, the team focuses on several construction
specific practice areas, including roofing law.

President Trent Cotney grew up with a family who
worked in construction and he was employed in the indus-
try while attending school. When he began to practice law
in the late 1990s, he started by representing roofing con-
tractors and suppliers. Over time, his involvement in the in-
dustry and related associations grew.

Cotney was among the inaugural law class to be certi-
fied specifically in construction law. He maintains a subspe-
cialty in roofing law.

“The best way to represent, advise and argue for roofing
contractors is to know how to build a roof, to know the job
from all sides, and to know the law,” he says. “I don’t need
the ins and outs of the industry explained, or the process
involved, because I’ve actually done it.”
Building his firm, which he formed in 2012 and that now
has 12 attorneys, he sought the same kind of expertise and
personal experience in his colleagues. He says each lawyer
has experience in the field because “you can teach anyone
the legal aspect but you can’t give proper advice unless you
know the business.”
Today, the team handles construction litigation and arbi-
tration, lien and bond claims, alternative dispute resolution,
bid protests, license defense, contract review and drafting,
employment law, and Occupational Safety and Health Ad-
ministration (OSHA) defense.

16 – SPRING 2017 — Florida Construction News
Cotney has developed expertise in OSHA defense, and
has published an Amazon best-selling book titled OSHA De-
fense for the Construction Industry. “We can assist contrac-
tors in their defense and represent employers against
charges.” Beyond lawyers who know the industry, Cotney has also
spent years developing a network of suppliers, manufac-
turers and others in the know. Understanding who to call
or to connect with, he says, ensures he gets the informa-
tion and action his clients may need to clarify questions that
arise and keep jobs running.

“Representing the construction industry is truly what we
love, it is who we are and what we do,” he said. “There are
a lot of lawyers focused on construction work, representing
the owner, or the insurer, but very few who defend and ad-
vocate for the industry as we do.”
Cotney says team members advocate for the industry
on a basis of humility and collegiality. “Construction is in all
of our roots. An ethic of hard work, an understanding of the
people and of the work, is part of who we are and will al-
ways be the basis under which we operate.”
Trent Cotney P.A. represents clients ranging from small,
family owned operations, to publicly traded companies.

Cotney speaks at various roofing contractor events on top-
ics ranging from OSHA defenses to crisis management.

He publishes regular articles in industry magazines, is a
Florida CILB certified continuing education provider, and is
involved in helping develop roofing friendly building codes
and statutes.

“We try to give back to the industry personally and pro-
fessionally, by providing pro bono services to construction
associations and donating to industry charities,” Cotney
said. Cotney’s commitment to his clients, and the flexibility a
firm of his size carries, means he is able to be creative, of-
fering fixed price or monthly fixed fees for clients, and
thinks outside the box to ensure the team is meeting the
clients’ needs the best way possible.

That commitment also extends to offering clients lead-
ing edge and easy to use technologies supporting informa-
tion security.

Cotney is general counsel for the National Women in
Roofing (NWIR), and the Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal As-
sociation (FRSA), among others. He has been recognized
with numerous awards, including the Gold Circle Award for
service from the National Roofing Contractors Association
(NRCA), the OSHA Defense Law Firm of the Year, and Most
Outstanding Construction Lawyer.

For more information, visit http://trentcotney.com.





T R E N T C O T N E Y | P P. .P A .

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Florida Construction News — SPRING 2017 – 17