Law & Mortar

Welcome to Episode 107 of Law and Mortar featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. This episode explores two essential topics for roofing business owners: succession planning and the responsible integration of AI in operations.

🔎 Topics Covered:
 ✅ Why every contractor needs a succession plan—even if retirement feels far off
 ✅ How to start with third-party valu...

Welcome to Episode 106 of Law and Mortar featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. This episode covers the current landscape of the construction industry—offering practical strategies to help contractors navigate economic pressure, backlog slowdowns, and rising costs.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ Shrinking backlogs, a quiet storm season, and contractor concerns for 2025
...

Welcome to Episode 105 of Law and Mortar with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. In this episode, they explore how AI and automation are reshaping the roofing and construction industries—from estimating to operations and beyond.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ Real-world applications of AI in estimating, scheduling, and communication
✅ Why AI is a support tool—not a replacemen...

Welcome to Episode 104 of Law and Mortar with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. In this episode, Trent and John dive into emerging legal and operational issues in the construction industry—from AI and data privacy to workplace marijuana safety.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ The evolving role of AI in construction, estimating, and admin operations
✅ AI’s legal risks: data pr...

Welcome to Episode 103 of Law and Mortar featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. This episode covers urgent updates on tax reform, contractor insurance, and the increased risk of immigration audits and ICE raids.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ The “Big Beautiful Bill” and what it means for contractor taxes
✅ What’s changing with pass-through deductions, car loan interest...

Welcome to Episode 102 of Law and Mortar with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. This episode focuses on one of today's most urgent threats facing the roofing and construction workforce: immigration enforcement and its immediate and long-term impact on labor availability.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ Why up to 40% of the roofing workforce is undocumented—and what that mean...

Welcome to Episode 101 of Law and Mortar with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. This week’s episode delivers a candid discussion on the critical role immigration plays in the construction workforce, especially in roofing, and what contractors need to know to navigate evolving enforcement and compliance challenges.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ The reality: 38–40% of the roofing...

Welcome to Episode 100 of Law and Mortar, a special milestone edition featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. In this commemorative episode, Trent and John reflect on the podcast's origins, evolution, and the industry challenges they've covered over the years.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ The podcast's journey from a pandemic project to 100+ episodes strong<...

Welcome to Episode 99 of Law and Mortar with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. This week, Trent and John break down the current political, economic, and labor uncertainties in the construction industry, including how tariffs, immigration, and automation are shaping contractor operations.
🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ Political changes and their effects on labor availabilit...

Welcome to Episode 98 of Law and Mortar, featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. In this episode, Trent and John discuss the construction sector's economic challenges and uncertainty.

🔎 Topics Covered:
✅ The potential recession and how contractors should prepare
✅ Budgeting strategies and maintaining a strong financial position
✅ The latest on IC...

Welcome to Episode 97 of Law and Mortar, featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. In this episode, Trent and John explore the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in the construction and roofing industries.

They discuss:
 ✅ How contractors are using AI for email management, proposal writing, and process optimization
✅ The future of roboti...

Welcome to Episode 96 of Law and Mortar, featuring Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. In this episode, Trent and John break down the latest policy shifts affecting the construction industry, including executive orders, immigration policies, and tariffs. They discuss the impact of these changes on labor costs, materials, and business strategy. Plus, they share insights on p...

Law and Mortar- Episode 95: Roofing Legal Issues, Trump-Era Construction Impacts, and Year-End Financial Planning

 Join Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, for an insightful discussion on the roofing and construction industry's latest challenges and opportunities. 

This episode covers: 

·         Roofing Legal Issues: Analyzing fraudulent practices and navigating settleme...

Dive into Episode 93 of 'Law and Mortar,' where hosts Trent Cotney and John Kenney dissect the latest FTC rulings, discuss building trust through authentic testimonials, and explore effective risk mitigation in the roofing and construction industry. This episode covers:

• FTC Ruling and Legal Insights: Learn about the implications of new FTC rulings on roofing companies and the importance of genuine reviews.
• Building Trus...

 Welcome to Episode 92 of "Law and Mortar" with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group.
In this episode, we dive deep into the latest trends in the roofing industry, discussing crucial developments that every contractor needs to know. We talk about the impact of recent regulatory changes, best practices for risk management, and how to leverage technology to stay a...

Welcome to Episode 90 of "Law and Mortar" with Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group.

In today's episode, we dive into the evolving roofing industry, focusing on automation, the role of manufacturing, and the future dominance of private equity-owned installing companies. John previews his upcoming estimating training course and the deep dive workshop in Lakeland,...

Welcome to Episode 89 of our podcast! Get ready to dive into the construction world with our special hosts Trent Cotney, Partner at Adams and Reese LLP, and John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. Join us as we dive into the highlights of Roofing Day in DC, discussing the key takeaways and the impact on the industry. We will also share their expert insights on the current political climate and its effects on the market. Whethe...