Latest / RoofersCoffeeShop / LEGALCon Live 2026
Transcript
- speaker-0: Welcome to Roofing Road Trips. speaker-1: Adventures, stories, innovations, and challenges tops over our heads. So fasten your seatbelts and join us as we embark on the exciting roofing road trip. Hello and welcome to Roofing Road Trips from Roofers Coffee Shop. My name is Heidi Ellsworth, and we're here today to talk about something that is one of the most important factors of any roofing company or any company overall. And that is your legal knowledge. Have you done your work to know what your risk is, your contracts, all of those different ⁓ things that are so important to really the foundation of your business? So we have the our expert, Monica Middle, here today, who is leading the NRCA initiative with LegalCon. ⁓ this is an opportunity for roofing contractors to really find out what's going on. So today, We're gonna find out all about LegalCon from Monica. Monica, welcome to the show. speaker-0: Thank you so much for having me, Heidi. speaker-1: I am so excited to have you here today and to talk about this really important topic. ⁓ let's start with an introduction. If you could introduce yourself and tell us about your company. speaker-0: Well, my name is Monica Middle. I am the vice president of Reynold and Roofing Company out of Louisville, Kentucky. I've been with the company for about 15 years. ⁓ we've been in business for 70 years. It was started by my great uncle and grandfather. My father then took over, and I am now next in line, ⁓ taking over for my father. I've been involved with NRCA for about ⁓ I've I believe I've been on some NRCA committees for about seven years now. And I've been a member of the legal committee w through the NRCA for about five years. And this year I am actually the chairwoman of the legal committee. speaker-1: I love it. What I mean, one of the very important committees, I mean NRCA has so many important committees, but they're really when we're looking at it, this is so critical to any company. You know, I would just kind of like to start out here, Monica, on just talking about your company and legal and NRCA legal and legal con. What has it brought to your company? speaker-0: ⁓ my gosh, where do I even begin? So when my my father and grandfather, they used to make a lot of deals ⁓ on a handshake. And that's how business was several years ago. And it's unfortunately just not what it is today. It's a much more litigious society. And there's a a lot of opportunities for exposure, especially when it comes to roofing contractors. So we've we found out the hard way when we thought that we had proper Coverages that we didn't, or we thought that we had proper contract clauses that we just didn't. And we don't know what we don't know. So we have turned to the experts and we actually found our ⁓ we retain an attorney that we found through the NRCA. And they've helped us just button everything up so that we can focus on roofing and good quality roofing and taking care of our employees and our clients and The rest, I don't want to say that it's taken care of, but we at least have some assurance that we're protecting ourselves while we're out there working. speaker-1: Right. That ⁓ it is a different age and a different time. My my dad was a contractor too. It was a handshake a lot of the time. And that's just that just doesn't work today. it's so for contractors out there who are just ki well, you what, before I hop into that, I wanna kinda talk a little bit about your experiences and just the history of LegalCon. ⁓ I know it's been around for as long as I can remember. I'm it used to be in person. Yeah, over forty years. Can you give us a little bit of the history about about Leocon? speaker-0: Over forty years. Yes. So it it's been around. We've had a legal conference now for over 40 years through the for the National Roofing Contractors Association. And every year we get feedback from participants, from NRCA members, from committee members, and every year we make some small tweaks and changes to keep it relevant. ⁓ so this year we've got some new presenters and new topics that we've never had before. We're changing up the schedule based on feedback that we've gotten from past participants. We're really trying to keep it as relevant and as useful as we possibly can. So when people come to attend, they know that they are getting way more than their money's worth. speaker-1: Yeah, that I I think that is really people think, well, how long can you talk about legal? Well, how long do you have? I mean there's so much now with AI and with all the risks, there's just so much more of this going on out there. So for these contractors who maybe are new to the NRCA or just a new company overall, ⁓ what are some of the things they can expect on what you were just talking about, changing it up a little bit? What are some of the things They can expect with LegalCon Live. speaker-0: There's a few things that are that we're doing this year that we've never done before. ⁓ something that we have done a few times in the past is we have expanded beyond just legal topics per se, because we've heard feedback that, well, I've got my own general counsel, I've got my own attorneys, they can handle the legal stuff. I don't need to be bothered with it. So we've branched out. We've got Mark Graham giving a technical update. We have Adrienne with the NRCA. She's ⁓ a risk assurance specialist. She's going to give us an update on fleet management and how we can protect ourselves from that standpoint. We've got insurance agents speaking with us about proper coverages that we should have in place. And this year, because it's such a hot topic, AI. Everybody is talking about AI. Everybody says if you're not using AI, you're behind. But how do you do it? safely. How do you protect your data? There's so many questions out there that we just don't know how to answer. So we're bringing in some experts in the field to help answer some of those questions. speaker-1: That I think that is exactly because I don't know if everybody really understands that a lot of the risk that you're talking about, whether it's technical on the roof, we just did a great coffee conversation with Mark about risk, rooftop risk. But that rooftop risk, vehicle and fleet risk all lead to potential legal issues. ⁓ so it really is hand in hand everything that you're talking about. speaker-0: Right. We got ourselves into an issue last year where it it turned out to be nothing, thank goodness. But we thought that we were operating with a certain type of insurance coverage that we ended up not having. And we didn't know that we didn't have it. So now we've got insurance brokers that are saying c that are gonna be coming to this legal conference and saying, Here are some of the coverages that are really important to roofing contractors. And here's why they're important. And at the very least, have the conversation with your broker about whether you have those coverages and if they're important for you. speaker-1: Yeah, you know, it in any small business, this is or any business, let's forget just about small business. Let's talk about any business out there. T in today's world, it's not just the same as getting your basic having your contract reviewed or a basic insurance policy. There's so much more happening that you have to protect yourself on. Just that risk management is so huge. So w what are some of the speaker-0: Right. speaker-1: What are some of the biggest challenges or even the biggest mistakes? You know, like you're just talking about finding something that you didn't even realize, but what are some of the things you're hearing from contractors through NRCA out there that is is costing them money and that they you know, we need to be warning the industry about? speaker-0: Right. ⁓ when you think about roofing contractors and risk, you immediately think about fall hazards. So constantly keeping fall hazards and fall protection at front of mind. What that may have done is narrowed our focus a little too much. Not that we ever need to take our foot off the pedal when it comes to fall protection, but there are other risks out there that we may not have been paying as close attention to. And it's become apparent that auto liability, commercial auto liability, has become a huge issue for most companies, but anybody that manages a large fleet, and that includes roofing contractors. So driver safety, safety culture. The NRCA just came out with a fleet safety playbook, and she is actually going to be speaking at our legal conference. ⁓ on some of the key topics when it comes to fleet safety. And admittedly, it's one that we know is important and we train our drivers, but has it been as front of mind as, say, fall protection? Probably not. And what the NRCA is telling us and what insurance carriers are telling us is one serious accident can sink an. otherwise really good roofing contractor. So making sure that you have those protections in place is going to be critical. speaker-1: So I love the topics, fleet, insurance, AI. Who are some of your speakers? Who are some of the experts that you're bringing in that we can get excited about? speaker-0: Great question. ⁓ we do have a lot of attorneys. ⁓ we've got Trent, who is our general counsel for the NRCA. We've got ⁓ actually, you can go look on our schedule where and there's bios linked to each one of our speakers. We've got Mark Graham with the NRCA, he'll be giving a technical update. ⁓ Adrienne with the NRCA, she's risk ⁓ assurance, and she'll be speaking on fleet safety. We've also One one of our committee members had a brilliant idea. Another issue that's really big for roofing contractors is workforce development. Right. And so we decided this year to come up with a three-part series on workforce because it is a huge issue in the roofing industry. We have an aging workforce. We don't have young kids that are coming in that are eager to learn and work. And there's going to be a very big shortage. There already is. So we have a three-part series at this legal conference where we focus on retaining good talent. and the next seminar is on hiring good subcontractors and and what you what legal issues, what contract items you need to have in place, what insurance policies you need to have in place for having a good subcontract crew. And then ⁓ hiring foreign workers and H2B says, you know, I've always heard of it and I've thought. It's way too scary. I have no idea how to apply for it. And when I was at my NRCA committee meetings, somebody said, Yeah, we've had H2B visa workers for years now. We've never been happier. They work out wonderfully. They come back year after year. It is an answer to our prayers. So we're really going to try to hit the workforce issue from every possible angle. speaker-1: Well, and Monica, I mean, honestly, workforce, talk about an ⁓ area of legal that has been top of mind for the last year. I mean, when you talk about immigration and all the legal con considerations that have to go on there. And then just ⁓ you know, I I love this 'cause as you're talking about it, I'm thinking, well, yeah, most in most companies, your HR, your legal, your insurance, Your risk management, it's all gonna fall underneath one person, whether that's a CFO, a controller, and however that works. So all of these topics are really relevant to the company and kind of live in that same space of overall risk ⁓ as you're as you're bringing it together. ⁓ hiring. I mean, there's so much legal that goes on today with hiring. speaker-0: Yeah, we're really trying to broaden the scope of this seminar so that we can make it relevant for your HR manager, for whoever's in charge of risk, for your CFO, for your CEO. ⁓ we're offering a wide range of topics. And because we've now changed the schedule, it used to be a two and a half day program, and now we've condensed it to a two day program based on feedback again from And RCA members and past attendees. It's just a lighter lift to only miss two days of work instead of three or even four days of work. And so we've condensed the topics. Each one of our speakers is going to be presenting for about 60 to 75 minutes, which means we've had to pair out all of the fluff and make it really point specific. ⁓ So it's it's really going to be a lot of great content. And then we're gonna have breaks in between each speaker so that you'll have the opportunity to either network with your peers or that are sitting around your table or to go ask the speaker a one-on-one question that maybe wouldn't have been applicable to raise your hand during the seminar to ask in front of everybody. If you have something that's a more personal or private company issue that you don't want to air, you'll have that one-on-one opportunity to s to sit down with each of our speakers either in between the sessions. or we'll be having a cocktail hour at the end of day one. So a lot of opportunity to network, to ask more clarifying questions or personal questions when it comes to dealing with company issues. speaker-1: Yeah, you know, I I've had many friends who have attended this for many years. And one of the things they talk about a lot is that networking. Is the networking because contractor to contractor, you also can learn so much. And so I love the fact that you have that built in. Talk to me a little bit about that, just in your own personal experience, Monica. how important that networking is and kind of what you have baked in to kind of help people ⁓ do more of it. speaker-0: This is one of the only times that I can think of that I'm going to be around other roofing contractors that I am not in direct competition with. So I can more freely speak with somebody, I'm based out of Kentucky personally, speak with somebody in California or any other state and ask them, hey, this is what I'm dealing with. Have you guys seen it or how are you addressing it? And you're gonna get some feedback that really I haven't been able to find on the internet. or through my local peers that are in other industries. It's I really cannot express enough how valuable the networking opportunities are. I have gotten so many business cards that I have later emailed when I had to make handbook updates. I had a lady ⁓ send me her entire handbook that said, this has been reviewed by our attorneys. This is an editable document. Please take whatever you'd like from it. ⁓ these roofing contractors, these attendees, we all want to help each other out and we all want to elevate our industry. So everybody seems very willing to help each other out. And I have personally, our business has really prospered because of those networking opportunities that have been provided. And so when we were developing the schedule for this year's legal con, we made sure to keep ample networking time, not only in between the seminars, but we'll be offering breakfast and lunch both days, which will give you time. to to sit at different tables and mingle with different people, both attendees and speakers. And then at the end of night one, like I said, we do have a cocktail reception that both attendees and speakers are welcome to join. And I highly encourage it. speaker-1: Definitely. And you know, one of the things for everyone out there who i who are planning on attending LegalCon is if it's your first time, reach out and talk to people during these networking opportunities, during breakfast, lunch, cocktail hour. Find out if you can, you know, grab somebody to go out to dinner with that night. ⁓ this is just that time to really be able to talk business. we really need we all need that. We need that opportunity to be able to do that. speaker-0: Definitely. I will be there. ⁓ so if this is anybody's first time attending LegalCon, please come find me and let me know. Tell me a little bit about your company and I will do everything that I can to introduce you to other individuals that you might be able to benefit from. speaker-1: Yeah, finding similar businesses. We know everybody thinks, well, roofing's roofing. No. There is just so many nuances, so many different types of businesses. So finding other businesses your size or maybe just a little bit bigger who you can talk to and learn from who's been through what you're what you're going through. And that kind of Monica leads me to on we say this all the time. I'm not sure if everybody knows it, but NRCA is a differentiator for your business. It creates that opportunity to distinguish yourself from the competition. And then when you take it one step further and you do something like legal con, it just propels your company. Talk a little bit about that and not only your company, but what you've seen with other companies and how this really, you know, sets them apart from the competition. speaker-0: Right. ⁓ like I said, this is more than just a legal conference. We have really widened our scope. We're gonna be touching on insurance, risk, AI, ⁓ a lot more than just contract provisions. ⁓ even though that is included and that is very important. But this is such a well rounded two days worth of seminars that, like I said, have been have been So it's really just the meat, the really important information that you're going to be able to take back to your office and utilize immediately. I can't think of another two-day seminar that's going to give you even half of your bang for your buck. This this seminar, especially for the cost, it you're going to have so much exposure to various attorneys, various insurance. ⁓ individuals, either brokers or insurance specialists. We're we're bringing in a well-rounded group of experts and giving you two days' worth of access to them. Talking to attorneys it is not always an inexpensive conversation. And not only do you get really important information during their sessions, but you have access to them in between the sessions and after afterwards at the cocktail receptions. So come with all of your questions, come with an open mind, and you will leave with with the contract provisions, but also with how to implement ⁓ a more robust safety culture and how to implement driver standards if you don't already have that for your fleet. And what questions to ask your broker if you're concerned about maybe not having proper coverages and how to start even looking into applying for the H2B visa program and how to change up your subcontract or master agreement to include some issues that you didn't even think of that could come back to you. I I cannot express enough how important this two-day program is. speaker-1: And it will put you also on the forefront to be in those conversations about AI and the risk to your business when it comes to AI, how to use it. So the foundation, contracts, all of that, and the future is all right. It you guys have got it covered. It's pretty awesome. speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. I and I I take no credit for it. Our committee came with brilliant ideas. And a lot of these ideas came when Trent, who is an RCA's general counsel, he gave us an overall update on what he is receiving phone calls on, what concerned roofing contractors are calling him about, and what lawsuits he's seeing and claims that he's seeing. And so He broke it down for us and we said, okay, all of these are obviously very important issues. They must be covered. Plus, how can we widen our scope even further and cover some additional issues beyond that? So we've we've really our committee has done a fantastic job to make this a well-rounded seminar and are squeezing it in to just two days. speaker-1: I love it. I love it. Squeezing it into two days with networking. I think that's the that is the key. That is amazing. ⁓ okay, why don't you give us some details? What where, when, what, all of that. speaker-0: ⁓ huh. Sure. So this year's Legal Con is right around the corner. It is October 7th and 8th, which is a Wednesday and a Thursday. It's going to be held at the Omni in downtown Chicago. It's right in the heart of downtown on the magnificent mile. It's a beautiful hotel, a beautiful location. ⁓ if you are interested in signing up, make sure that you reserve your room soon because that room block is about to expire and the Omni has given us a really great discount. So please look into that. ⁓ It starts, I believe, registration and breakfast start at seven in the morning. The actual we we hit the ground running around to eight a.m. and we wrap up around four thirty on the first day with a cocktail reception on site at the Omni from five to six. And then again the next day it's from I believe breakfast is around seven. We get started at eight. And we let out a little bit earlier on Thursday. We let out at four o'clock so that people can fly home that afternoon and get back home to their families and to work the next day. ⁓ if you're interested, it it's Chicago, exactly. If you want to stay longer, then the room block extends through the weekend. So please feel free. And you can find schedule information, registration information. It's all on NRCA's homepage. You can find a link to the legal conference right there. speaker-1: Yeah. You can also find it on Revers Coffee Shop on the NRCA directory. And also, for those of you who may not know, we have a full NRCA legal directory, which is just all about legal con, all about legal, everything that you can get that information. But more importantly, it will get you to NRCA. ⁓ but NRCA.net is the direct. Yep. Also, lots of information on the coffee shops to get you there. Monica, thank you so much. Thank you for all your work. For chairing this committee, for everything that you bring to the industry. This is just so critical. speaker-0: Thank you so much. It's it's been really valuable for me and for my company as well. speaker-1: Yeah, there's the key. So I hope you all sign up and and have a great time in downtown beautiful Chicago at the Omni and learn to protect learn the information you need to protect your business. So Monica, thank you. And we will be seeing you. Good luck at LegalCon. speaker-0: Thank you so much, Heidi. I really appreciate it. speaker-1: Thank you and thank you all for listening. Great information. Please consider attending. This is so important. Sign up now so that you can be a part of this great event. You're, I just have to say, you are never going to be able to be in a place and focus on your business and the legal risks like you can these two days. It just you just don't find this at during trade shows. or other events because there's just not the focus. So this is really something that can mean a lot to your business for 2027. Please also be sure to check out all of our podcasts from NRCA and everyone else under our RLW, read, list, and watch navigation. Be sure to subscribe and set those notifications so you don't miss a single episode. We'll be seeing you next time on Roofing Road Trips. If you've enjoyed the ride, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and join us on every roofing. Make sure to visit roofing.com to learn more. Thanks for tuning in and we'll catch you on the next speaker-0: Don't forget. Roofer's coffee shop until Next roofing road trip.