Cotney Construction Law earns
Top 10 for industry focus
With offices in Tampa, Jack-
sonville, Orlando, Tallahassee, and
Fort Lauderdale, Cotney Construction
Law, LLP formerly Trent Cotney P.A,
has developed into an industry
leader in Florida, participating in the
construction industry on a policy and
educational side, sharing information
through events and resources, and
representing the industry as a legal
and business partner.

Florida Bar board certified con-
struction lawyer, Trent Cotney, presi-
dent, established the firm in 2012.

Growing up with a family who
worked in construction and personal
experience in the industry as he
made his way through school, Cot-
ney says his focus was on creating a
business whose sole purpose was
properly serving the customer, and
specifically representing the industry.

To ensure a unique and relevant
understanding of the industry, most
of the 19 attorneys the firm now em-
ploys, along with key staff, come
from construction backgrounds.

“When I sit across the table from
someone at another firm who does
construction law, I know they’re
smart, but I also know that there are
very few who have had their hands
dirty, so to speak, actually working in
the field.”
Cotney specifically hires people
with backgrounds in construction be-
cause they know the industry from a
business side and can better relate
to clients about the nuances of their
business and legal matters. “Con-
struction is in all of our roots. An
ethic of hard work, an understanding
of the people and of the work, it is
part of who we are and will always
be the basis under which we oper-
ate.” The firm advocates for the indus-
try and serves as general counsel for
a number of industry related Florida
associations including the Florida
6 – MARCH 2018 — Florida Construction News
Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors
Association (FRSA), Florida Refrigera-
tion and Air-Conditioning Contractors
Association (FRACCA) and the
Florida Irrigation Society (FIS). Last
year the firm donated more than
$130,000 in pro bono time for indus-
try-related work, and Trent has do-
nated tens of thousands personally
to construction associations.

Other support for the industry in-
cludes assisting with the formation
of the National Women in Roofing or-
ganization that launched early in
2016 and whose members now
number in the hundreds, and two
scholarships established to support
young people pursuing careers in the
industry. “We try to give back to the
industry personally and profession-
ally, through time, talent and treas-
ure,” says Cotney.

Cotney has developed and shares
his expertise in OSHA (Occupational
Safety and Health Administration) de-
fense, and has published an Amazon
best-selling book titled OSHA De-
fense for the Construction Industry.





The firm was also named Lawyer
Monthly’s OSHA Defense Law Firm
of the Year (2015-2017).

The team represents clients rang-
ing from small, family-owned opera-
tions, to publicly-traded companies.

Cotney speaks at various state and
national construction association
events on topics such as construc-
tion contracts, employment and im-
migration issues, contractor
licensing and collecting payments on
projects The firm is a full service construc-
tion law firm and handles all aspects
of construction law, immigration and
employment issues, business plan-
ning and formation, and creditor’s
rights and bankruptcy. “We are fortu-
nate enough to have been recog-
nized by our peers and the industry
for our service and professionalism,”
says Cotney, referencing the lengthy
list of honors and awards both he
and the firm have won including the
Gold Circle Award for service from
the National Roofing Contractors
Association (NRCA 2014),
LegalComprehensive.com's Leading
U.S. Construction Law Firm of the
Year (2017), and Florida Super
Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers
(2016-2018). For more information, visit
www.cotneycl.com. Florida Construction News — MARCH 2018 – 7