Asset Protection Specialist
When everything you own is on the line, a generalist is not enough. Attorney John Skabelund - J.D., M.B.A., recognized in the top 1 percent by America's Most Honored Lawyers - practices asset protection exclusively, designing and maintaining plans for clients in all 50 states.
- Asset Protection Exclusively
- All 50 States by Secure Video
- AV Preeminent Rated
- Avvo 10.0
What Is an Asset Protection Specialist?
An asset protection specialist is an attorney whose practice is dedicated to shielding wealth from lawsuits and creditor claims - designing and maintaining the entities, trusts, exemption strategies, and titling that make up an asset protection plan. Unlike a generalist, a specialist works these structures every day; unlike a non-attorney promoter, a specialist can give legal advice, draft the instruments, and protect the work under attorney-client privilege.
Looking for the full service menu? See asset protection services. Want to see the deliverable itself? See what goes into an asset protection plan.
Meet John Skabelund
John Skabelund spent more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator at one of Arizona's largest law firms - watching, case by case, exactly how protection structures succeed and fail in court. He founded Skabelund PLLC to build plans that hold up against the challenges he once mounted himself.
He holds a J.D. from the ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and an M.B.A. from the W. P. Carey School of Business, was admitted to the Arizona Bar in 2012, and has designed protection for client portfolios ranging from five hundred thousand dollars to more than one hundred million. Every plan is built in direct coordination with the client's CPA and financial advisor - before implementation, not after - and reviewed annually so it keeps pace with new assets and new laws.
Independent rating bodies place him among the nation's leading asset protection attorneys: AV Preeminent peer-review rated, Avvo 10.0, 2023 Attorney of the Year in the Trusts and Estates category, and the top 1 percent of America's Most Honored Lawyers for 2026. He practices alongside attorney Logan Woodruff, J.D., supporting the firm's licensure across Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
Specialist, Generalist, or Promoter: Know the Difference
Asset protection is sold by three very different kinds of people. Before hiring anyone - including us - know which one you are talking to.
| What to Check | Asset Protection Specialist (Attorney) | General Practice Lawyer | Non-Attorney Promoter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope of practice | Asset protection exclusively | Many unrelated practice areas | Sells structures, often one-size-fits-all |
| Legal advice and drafting | Licensed to advise and draft | Licensed to advise and draft | Cannot lawfully give legal advice or draft legal instruments |
| Attorney-client privilege | Yes | Yes | No |
| Courtroom-tested design | Built from litigation experience with these exact structures | Varies by background | Cannot appear in court |
| CPA and tax coordination | Designed with your CPA before implementation | Varies | Varies |
More on vetting in our guide to choosing an asset protection attorney.
The Asset Protection Show, Hosted by John Skabelund
New episodes biweekly: John breaks down trusts, LLC structuring, privacy planning, and tax strategy - solo and with guests such as Tax Foundation President Emeritus Scott Hodge. The best way to evaluate a specialist is to listen to one work.
Explore The Asset Protection Show - watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Audacy.
A Nationwide Practice, By the Numbers
Specialization travels. Wherever you live, the plan is designed around your state's exemptions and the strongest available jurisdictions.
Recognitions current as of July 31, 2026. See the disclaimer at the end of this page.
Rated by Peers, Endorsed by the Professionals Who Refer to Him
"John and his firm are top notch in both knowledge and service excellence! I have enjoyed working with him in collaboration on several of my CPA client's situations. His process is straightforward and transparent. What he is doing for the industry is simply a breath of fresh air!"Adam Ripperdan — read more client testimonials
What the Specialist Handles
Asset Protection Plans
The written strategy: six layers from exemptions to trusts, with a titling map and maintenance calendar.
What goes into a planThe Full Service Menu
Entity structuring, protective trusts, exemption planning, and ongoing counsel - the complete catalog.
All asset protection servicesTrust and DAPT Strategy
Jurisdiction selection and design across Nevada, South Dakota, Delaware, Arizona, and beyond.
Asset protection planningDigital Asset Protection
Crypto, online businesses, and creator revenue - titled, structured, and reachable only by the right people.
Protect digital wealthRisk Assessment
The starting point for every engagement: where a claim would reach, and what the law already shields.
Take the risk assessmentPlans by Profile
Purpose-built strategies for physicians, business owners, real estate investors, and athletes.
See who he servesAsset Protection Specialist: Frequently Asked Questions
What does an asset protection specialist do?
A specialist designs, implements, and maintains the legal structures that shield wealth from lawsuits and creditor claims: risk assessments, LLCs and holding companies, statutory asset protection trusts, exemption positioning, titling, and annual reviews. The work is preventive - it is done before a claim exists, so the structures hold when one arrives.
How is a specialist different from a regular lawyer?
Any licensed attorney can form an LLC. A specialist practices asset protection exclusively, works with charging order provisions, trust jurisdictions, and exemption law daily, and designs against the specific attacks plaintiffs actually bring. John Skabelund adds a further edge: more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator taking these exact structures apart in court.
Is John Skabelund licensed in my state?
Skabelund PLLC is licensed in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah, and serves clients in all 50 states through secure virtual consultations. Plans routinely use the strongest available jurisdictions - such as Nevada, South Dakota, Delaware, and Wyoming - regardless of where the client lives, with local counsel engaged where a matter requires it.
What does it cost to hire an asset protection specialist?
Skabelund PLLC quotes flat project pricing after an initial risk assessment, so the full cost is fixed and known before any documents are drafted. The number depends on the entities, trust jurisdiction, and retitling involved, and a subscription program is available for clients who want counsel year-round.
Can a financial advisor or promoter set up asset protection instead?
Financial advisors are valuable partners, and the best plans are built in coordination with them - but only a licensed attorney can give legal advice, draft trusts and operating agreements, and protect the planning under attorney-client privilege. Be cautious with non-attorney promoters selling one-size structures; courts have little patience for kits.
How do I verify an asset protection specialist's credentials?
Check bar admission with the state bar, peer ratings such as Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent and Avvo, litigation background with these structures, and whether the attorney publishes or teaches in the field. John Skabelund's credentials are verifiable across all four - including a public body of work on The Asset Protection Show.
How do I get started?
Book an appointment online or reach out through the contact page. The first conversation maps what you own, where it is exposed, and what state and federal law already protect - and ends with a flat-fee quote for the plan that closes the gaps, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.
Specialist Resources
Start Here
About the Firm
Watch and Listen
Serving clients nationwide from Arizona - in person in Tempe and Scottsdale, across the state, and in all 50 states by secure video. Licensed in AZ, OK, TX, and UT.
Work With the Specialist
One conversation maps your exposure, what the law already protects, and the flat fee to close the gaps. Bring your balance sheet; leave with the picture.
Last updated: July 31, 2026. Ratings, recognitions, and licensure noted on this page are current as of this date.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice, nor does reading it create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation is different; consult a licensed attorney about your specific circumstances before acting. Attorney advertising. Skabelund PLLC operates pursuant to the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct and is licensed in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.