Cotney Construction Law to Speak at the International Roofing Expo

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, RCS Partner.

Cotney lawyers speak on diversity and immigration during the 2020 IRE.

Attending the International Roofing Expo in February is a must for roofing professionals.  It is the time to meet up with manufacturers, distributors, technology companies and much more.  In fact, one of the leading providers of legal services in roofing will not only have a booth at the tradeshow but will also be speaking three different times. 

Cotney Construction Law,  general counsel of the NRCA, offers a national reach employing almost 40 lawyers with 14 offices across the country, all focused on representing the construction industry.  With over twenty years representing the roofing industry, Cotney’s passion and focus has always been on roofing.  Five Cotney lawyers, including Trent Cotney, will be speaking at the IRE, sharing important information for roofing companies.

The first seminar will be Wednesday, February 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on the “Legal Issues Surrounding Diversity in the Workplace.”  Attorneys Marci Britt and Roscoe Green will explain the legal issues surrounding diversity in the workplace.  Topics will include EEOC compliance, fair wages, the Me-Too movement, integrating workforce issues and hiring and tips for maintaining a diverse working environment. 

This session will recognize the importance of diversity and its economic benefits while helping attendees identify employment issues as they relate to diversity.  Britt and Green will also help roofing contractors determine how to promote diversity through immigration and identify how to effect change through diverse management.  This is a seminar that is critical to not only the cultural growth of companies but the ability to attract and hire a talented labor force.

Marci Britt is a senior associate attorney at Cotney Construction Law who represents roofers in all aspects of labor and employment law and is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Florida. Britt has significant litigation experience in a wide array of employment disputes, including discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims, wage and hour compliance, whistleblower claims, OSHA defense, family and medical leave issues, and termination.  Roscoe Green, Partner at CCL, utilizes his experience in the construction field to better understand and assist his clients in roofing. He currently serves as general counsel to the National Association of Minority Contractors Central Florida Chapter.

The second seminar will also be Wednesday, February 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and will feature Hilary Morgan, general counsel for National Women in Roofing (NWIR), on a panel of women leaders talking about “How to Get Women on the Roof – Successful Strategies & Case Studies.”

Whether it be through attention to detail, enhancing professionalism or bringing a fresh perspective on safety, women on the roof are a tremendous asset to a crew and to any company’s bottom line. This panel will include discussion on successful strategies to incorporate women into roofing crews by re-imagining operations through a female lens. Morgan will contribute important information on how to include policy and procedure adaptations to roofing company’s employment manuals, an important part of recruiting and retaining women in the workforce.  The panel will also discuss how these changes will improve creativity, productivity and profitability.  

Hilary Morgan, Partner at Cotney, represents clients in all aspects of construction law including lien law, surety bond law, litigation, arbitration, construction defects, contract review and drafting, delay claims, bid protests, design professional liability, corporate law, and administrative law. Hilary’s construction roots run deep; her family operated a ladder manufacturing company for over 100 years.

The final Cotney seminar will be on Thursday, February 6 from 7:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and will cover the “Top 5 Immigration Issues for Roofers.”  In this seminar, Trent Cotney and Benjamin Briggs will teach attendees about the top five immigration issues affecting the construction industry. Attendees will learn about I-9 verification and audits, ICE audits, green cards, employment sponsorship and deportation defense. 

This important and timely seminar will identify the necessary documents to keep on file in case of an ICE audit and provide help in evaluating the I-9 verification process for employees.  Cotney and Briggs will also help attendees determine who can legally work in the U.S. and review the penalties associated with immigration compliance violations.

Since 1999, Trent Cotney, CEO of Cotney Construction Law, has been dedicated 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.  Benjamin S. Briggs is a Partner at Cotney Construction Law who represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including discrimination, wage and hour, and retaliation claims, and drafting and enforcing employment contracts, restrictive covenants, separation agreements, and employee handbooks.

Be sure to also visit Cotney Construction Law at booth 509.  For more information on Cotney Construction Law visit their RCS Directory here.   To register for the IRE click here.