Laura A. Colca
Partner
Laura A. Colca is a skilled transactional and corporate counselor, intellectual property attorney, and litigator who brings more than 20 years of experience to her practice. Laura is a trusted legal advisor to a wide variety of clients, including manufacturing and technology companies, construction and development companies, retail and hospitality franchises, media entities, higher education institutions, nonprofits, and small and family-owned businesses. Whether acting as outside general counsel to a long-time client or parachuting in to handle a complicated matter, Laura’s practice includes high-value transactions; corporate formation, governance, and dissolution; commercial litigation and contractual disputes; and numerous matters related to trademarks, patents, and copyrights.
As a prominent member of several legal, business, and professional organizations, including the American Business Women’s Association, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), and Professional Women in Construction (PWC), Laura devotes a significant portion of her practice to advising to women business owners and executives in many industries on the unique challenges and opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses.
Experience Highlights
Laura has led multiple multimillion-dollar merger-and-acquisition transactions, and possesses a deep understanding of the complexities of due diligence, regulatory compliance, and tactical key employee issues in the M&A process. Laura also regularly drafts complex contracts, and is skilled at negotiating critical business governing agreements, including confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, terms and conditions, distribution agreements, licenses, and commercial leases.
Complementing Laura’s transactional experience is her capability in the litigation arena. Laura is experienced in commercial and business litigation, and regularly represents clients in commercial disputes in both state and federal courts in matters involving breach of contract issues, corporate dissolution, and trade secret misappropriation.
Rounding out Laura’s triple-threat business law skill set is her intellectual property experience. Laura is well-versed in trademark law, having successfully obtained numerous federally registered trademarks for her clients. Additionally, Laura has co-chaired several complex patent infringement litigations in federal courts across the country, including appearances before the Federal Circuit.
Honors & Awards
Buffalo Business First‘s Legal Elite of Western New York, 2020
Legacy Award, For Our Community Unity & Support, Inc. (FOCUS), 2020
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Education
- State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1993
- State University of New York at Buffalo, B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1990
Professional Affiliations
- Erie County Bar Association: Corporate, Surrogate’s Court, and Matrimonial Committees
- American Business Women’s Association
- WNY Chapter of BNI (Business Network International)
- National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)
- Professional Women in Construction (PWC)
Community Involvement
- Kenmore Mercy Hospital Foundation Board of Directors
- For Our Community and Support (FOCUS) Addiction Prevention Coalition
Publications & Events
- “Essential Contract Terms to Include in All Construction Contracts,” Construction Executive, April 29, 2020
- Laura A. Colca Honored With FOCUS Legacy Award
- Quoted in “When Construction Companies Need to Build a New Identity,” Construction Drive, October 30, 2019
- Quoted in “Women Make Headway in Technology Law,” Buffalo Business First, January 21, 2019
- “Construction Projects: Who’s in Charge?” Buffalo Law Journal, January 10, 2019
- “You Can’t Unring the Bell: Costly Waivers in LLC Operating Agreements” (Co-Author), New York Law Journal, November 13, 2018
- “Planning for Weather Delays,” Modern Contractor Solutions, September 2018
- “Essential Construction Contract Terms,” Modern Contractor Solutions, August 2018
- “A New Reality: Providing for Drones in Construction Contracts,” Modern Contractor Solutions, July 2018
- “Key Considerations in a Fixed-Price Construction Contract,” Modern Contractor Solutions, June 2018
- “Navigating the Competitive Bid Process for Public Contracts,” Modern Contractor Solutions, May 2018
- Quoted in “Blockchain Technology Could Have IP Law Applications,” Buffalo Law Journal “Special Report: Intellectual Property,” May 7, 2018
- Quoted in “Trademark Holders Defend Their Products,” Buffalo Law Journal “Special Report: Intellectual Property,” May 7, 2018
- “How To End a Business — Or How To Start One the Right Way,” Buffalo Law Journal, August 9, 2017
- “The Importance of Year-End Contract Audits,” Buffalo Law Journal, November 3, 2016
- “Critical Issues for MWBE in 2020” (Presenter), MWBE CLE Seminar, Buffalo, NY, March 13, 2020
- “Startup Seminar: Intellectual Property and Deal Formation for High Growth Companies,” (Co-Presenter), Buffalo, NY, June 26, 2019
- “Complying with M/WBE Participation Goals” (Co-Presenter), Construction Exchange Presentation, Buffalo, NY, March 13, 2019
- “Top Legal and Business Landmines in Selecting a Construction Project Delivery Method” (Co-Presenter), Onondaga County Bar Association, February 20, 2019
- “Mechanics’ Liens: What Every Lawyer Should Know” (Co-Presenter), Onondaga County Bar Association, Syracuse, NY, November 28, 2018
- “Building to a Head: An Overview of Construction Contract Disputes,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, April 15, 2021
- “Hammering through 2020: The Year in Construction Defect Review,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, January 26, 2021
- “Ethical Issues in Business Acquisitions” (Presenter), National Business Institute Webinar, June 17, 2020
- “Contracts and COVID-19: Navigating Contract Terms Impacted by the Pandemic and Demystifying Loan Forgiveness Under the CARES Act” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, June 4, 2020
- “Understanding the Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise Certification Process in New York” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, May 9, 2019
- “Construction Contracts – Indemnity Language that Ranges from Peculiar to Unenforceable” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, February 14, 2019
Recent Insights
December 4, 2020
April 29, 2020
February 4, 2020
November 7, 2019
January 21, 2019