Asset Protection Lawyer — Skabelund PLLC, Attorney of the Year Trusts and Estates 2023, Tempe and Scottsdale Arizona
The Asset Protection Lawyer
Other Attorneys Name
When Asked Who’s Best.
John Skabelund is not just an asset protection lawyer — he is the only one in Arizona named Attorney of the Year for Trusts & Estates, who holds Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent status, and who spent a decade litigating these structures in court before building a firm to design the ones that survive. Two offices. All 50 states. Flat fees. Same-week appointments.
An Asset Protection Lawyer Does Something
Most Estate Attorneys Never Do
An asset protection lawyer is an attorney who specializes in designing and implementing legal structures that shield a client’s wealth from future creditors, civil judgments, malpractice claims, and litigation — while the client is still alive. Unlike an estate planning attorney who focuses primarily on what happens to assets at death, an asset protection lawyer focuses on keeping assets safe throughout the client’s lifetime and beyond.
Authored by: John Skabelund, J.D., M.B.A. — Attorney of the Year, Trusts & Estates 2023
The distinction matters. A general estate planning attorney can draft a will and a revocable trust — but a revocable trust provides zero creditor protection. An asset protection lawyer designs structures built specifically to withstand legal challenge: DAPTs, irrevocable trusts, LLCs with proper operating agreements, QPRTs, buy-sell agreements, and layered privacy structures.
The highest-value credential an asset protection lawyer can hold — one that does not appear on any award list — is having litigated these structures in court. John Skabelund spent more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator before founding Skabelund PLLC. He has seen how creditors attack protection plans, which designs survive, and which ones do not. Every structure Skabelund PLLC builds is designed by a lawyer who has been on both sides of that challenge.
Six Things the Asset Protection Lawyers at Skabelund PLLC
Do That Most Attorneys Cannot
Every asset protection lawyer can draft documents. Here is what separates the best from the rest — and what you should expect from the firm you choose.
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs)
The most powerful personal asset protection tool available under U.S. law. Self-settled irrevocable spendthrift trusts where the grantor remains a discretionary beneficiary while investment accounts, cash, and business interests are shielded from future creditors. Available in Arizona (A.R.S. §14-10821) and Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming for stronger out-of-state options.
Full DAPT GuideLLC & Series LLC Structuring
A properly structured LLC — with a real operating agreement, charging order provisions, manager-managed governance, and strict formality compliance — is the foundation of every business owner and real estate investor protection plan. A Series LLC creates segregated asset cells so a lawsuit against one property cannot reach any other.
Full Series LLC GuideQualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT)
Arizona’s homestead exemption protects only $425,000 of primary residence equity. For homeowners with significantly more equity — common throughout Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Paradise Valley — a QPRT transfers the home into an irrevocable trust, protects equity above the cap from creditors, and simultaneously reduces estate tax through discounted gift valuation.
Full QPRT GuideIrrevocable Trust & Estate Planning
Integrated asset protection and estate planning in a single architecture. Irrevocable trusts remove assets from the taxable estate and shield them from creditors simultaneously. Dynasty trusts hold assets across multiple generations. ILITs exclude life insurance death benefits from the taxable estate. All coordinated with the 2026 estate tax cliff planning window.
Learn MoreBuy-Sell Agreements
One of the most important documents for any business owner with a partner. A buy-sell agreement governs what happens when a partner dies, divorces, becomes disabled, or faces a personal judgment — preventing an unwanted heir, ex-spouse, or creditor from becoming your business partner. Drafted in-house and funded with life insurance for immediate buyout liquidity.
Learn MoreFamily Limited Partnership (FLP)
Multi-asset entity structure with built-in valuation discounts for estate and gift tax purposes. General partners retain management control; limited partners hold economic interests protected by charging order. Particularly effective for families with significant real estate portfolios, investment assets, and multi-generational wealth transfer goals.
Learn More
Named the Best. By the Attorneys Who Know.
Peer review is the most credible professional recognition because it cannot be purchased. Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent requires that a significant portion of other attorneys in the practice area score you at the highest tier. Best Lawyers in America is 100% peer-nominated. Attorney of the Year from U.S. News & Best Lawyers is issued to one attorney per practice area per region per year. John Skabelund holds all three — simultaneously. No other asset protection lawyer in Arizona can say the same.
But credentials are not the whole story. John spent more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator before founding Skabelund PLLC. He has attacked and defended asset protection structures in actual court proceedings. He knows which designs creditors challenge, which arguments work, and which plans get unwound. He then founded this firm specifically to build the ones that do not get unwound. That adversarial experience is not on any credential list — but it shapes every plan the firm builds.
Trusts & Estates 2023 U.S. News & Best Lawyers
Highest Possible Rating Martindale-Hubbell
Peer-Nominated Best Lawyers
Arizona Super Lawyers
Most Honored Lawyers America’s Most Honored Lawyers
M&A Today Global View Award
What Makes This Asset Protection Lawyer
Different From Every Other Option
There are many attorneys who list asset protection among their services. Here is why clients who have researched the field consistently choose Skabelund PLLC.
Litigation Experience — From Both Sides of the Table
John Skabelund spent over a decade as a trust and estate litigator before founding Skabelund PLLC. He has attacked these structures as creditors’ counsel and defended them as asset protection counsel. That firsthand experience — knowing which designs get unwound and which hold — shapes every plan the firm builds. No credential substitutes for it.
Custom Plans — No Templates, Ever
Every client at Skabelund PLLC receives a plan designed from scratch for their specific assets, risks, tax situation, and goals. Template operating agreements and boilerplate trust documents create exploitable gaps. Every document the firm produces is custom-drafted to close every gap specific to that client’s situation.
J.D. + MBA — Legal and Financial Fluency
John holds a J.D. from ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and an MBA from W.P. Carey School of Business — one of the rarest credential combinations in legal practice. Asset protection structures interact with tax plans, investment accounts, and business valuations. John designs at the intersection of both disciplines simultaneously.
Flat Fees — Aligned Incentives
Every engagement at Skabelund PLLC is billed at a flat fee agreed upfront — no hourly billing, ever. Hourly billing creates perverse incentives: more time equals more revenue. Flat fees align the attorney’s interests with the client’s: efficient, thorough, complete work for a known, agreed price. You can also call throughout the year with questions at no extra charge.
CPA Coordination as Standard Practice
Every asset protection structure has tax implications. The attorney communicates directly with the client’s CPA before designing any structure — not after. Two of the firm’s strongest endorsements come from CPAs who refer their clients specifically because of this coordination. The legal and tax plans are designed together, not retrofitted to each other.
Annual Reviews Included — Plans Stay Current
Plans that are not maintained become underfunded and outdated. As wealth grows, laws change (the 2026 estate tax cliff is the most urgent example), and family circumstances evolve, the plan must keep pace. Annual reviews are included in every Skabelund PLLC engagement as a standard commitment, not an add-on service.
| Credential / Capability | Skabelund PLLC | Typical Arizona Firm |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney of the Year — T&E | Yes — 2023, U.S. News + Best Lawyers | Rarely or never |
| Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent | Yes | Some attorneys |
| 10+ Years Trust & Estate Litigation | Yes — founding attorney | Rarely |
| J.D. + MBA Combined | Yes — John Skabelund | Rare |
| Series 65 License (Attorney) | Yes — Logan Woodruff | Extremely rare |
| Flat-Fee Billing | Always — never hourly | Usually hourly |
| Annual Reviews Included | Standard in every engagement | Usually extra |
| CPA Coordination — Every Engagement | Yes | Sometimes |
| Two Arizona Offices | Tempe & Scottsdale | Varies |
| All 50 States Virtual | Yes | Some firms |
| Custom Plans — No Templates | Every client, from scratch | Templates common |
| 5.0 Rating — All Platforms | 15 verified reviews | Varies |
Meet the Two Asset Protection Lawyers
Behind Every Plan
Know exactly who you are working with before engaging any firm. These are the two asset protection lawyers who design, implement, and review every plan at Skabelund PLLC.
John Skabelund, J.D., M.B.A.
Founder & Lead Asset Protection LawyerJohn Skabelund is an asset protection lawyer who spent more than a decade as a trust and estate litigator at one of Arizona’s largest law firms before founding Skabelund PLLC. He has designed, challenged, and defended asset protection structures in actual court proceedings. He holds a J.D. from ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and an MBA from W.P. Carey School of Business. He is available for in-person consultations at both Arizona offices and for virtual consultations nationwide.
- Attorney of the Year — Trusts & Estates 2023, U.S. News & Best Lawyers
- Top 1% of U.S. Attorneys — America’s Most Honored Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America — Peer-Nominated
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent — Highest Possible Peer Rating
- Super Lawyers
- M&A Today Global Best Law Practice 2026
- Avvo 10.0 Superb Rating
- J.D. — ASU Sandra Day O’Connor · MBA — W.P. Carey School of Business
- 10+ Years Trust & Estate Litigation Before Founding Skabelund PLLC
- Yahoo Finance Feature · Legal Reader Author
Logan Woodruff, J.D., Series 65
Asset Protection & Estate Planning LawyerLogan Woodruff is an asset protection lawyer who holds a Series 65 Investment Adviser Representative license alongside his J.D. — one of the rarest professional credential combinations in the legal industry. This dual fluency means Logan genuinely understands both the legal structures he drafts and the financial instruments inside them. Licensed in Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Oklahoma. Wealth Counsel member.
- Series 65 — Investment Adviser Representative (Exceptionally Rare in Legal Practice)
- 10 Years in Asset Protection & Estate Planning
- Licensed in Arizona, Texas, Utah & Oklahoma
- Wealth Counsel Member
- J.D. — ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Who Works with an Asset Protection Lawyer
at Skabelund PLLC
Asset protection lawyers serve clients across many professional backgrounds. At Skabelund PLLC, clients range from $500,000 in assets to $100 million and beyond — but the common thread is that they have accumulated meaningful wealth and understand that protecting it requires proactive legal planning, not reactive crisis management.
- Physicians and Medical Professionals — Surgeons, anesthesiologists, OB/GYNs, and other high-risk specialists with significant malpractice exposure and personal wealth beyond their malpractice policy ceiling.
- Business Owners and Entrepreneurs — Owners who have accumulated personal wealth alongside business equity, with exposure from personal guarantees, officer liability, and employment claims.
- Real Estate Investors — Multi-property owners who need entity structures that isolate each asset and activate charging order protection for their entire portfolio.
- High-Net-Worth Homeowners — Homeowners in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and the broader Phoenix metro with equity well above Arizona’s $425,000 homestead cap.
- Executives and High-Income Professionals — C-suite executives, attorneys, financial advisors, and others with significant personal wealth and professional liability exposure.
- Clients Approaching the 2026 Estate Tax Cliff — Individuals and couples with estates above $7 million for whom the December 31, 2025 sunset of the TCJA exemption creates an urgent, time-limited planning opportunity.
- Out-of-State Clients Nationwide — Clients in California, Texas, Florida, Nevada, and all 50 states who need the most credentialed asset protection lawyer available, regardless of geography.
Verified Reviews About This
Asset Protection Lawyer
“John Skabelund was highly recommended to me by my accountant and I could not be more pleased. They coordinated together to help me set up my relevant entities in such a professional way that I feel confident moving forward.”
Brian L. — SolarBee
Business Owner — Verified
“John breaks down asset protection in simple terms. He is the legal quarterback for any business owner looking to protect and grow their wealth with peace of mind. His long-term strategy game and client-first approach are simply unmatched.”
Bryan L. Ramirez
CPA — Verified
“John and his firm are top notch in both knowledge and service excellence. His process is straightforward and transparent. What he is doing for the industry is simply a breath of fresh air.”
Adam Ripperdan
CPA — Phoenix Metro
“John Skabelund and his team are absolutely wonderful. He is extremely knowledgeable in asset protection and estate planning. I feel very safe with him on my team, and would recommend him to anyone.”
Phillips Pool Service
Business Owner — Verified
Two Arizona Offices.
All 50 States Virtually.
The asset protection lawyers at Skabelund PLLC are based in the Phoenix metro area with offices in Tempe and Scottsdale, serving the entire Phoenix metropolitan area in person and all 50 states via secure virtual consultation. Same-week appointments are frequently available at both offices and virtually.
1400 E Southern Ave, Suite 1020
Tempe, AZ 85282 — Off the US-60. Convenient for Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, and the South and East Valley.
17015 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 235
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 — Near Loop 101. Convenient for Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, DC Ranch, Troon, Fountain Hills, and North Phoenix.
Complete Guide Library —
Every Topic Covered
This Firm Was Founded by a Litigator.
That Changes How Every Plan Is Built.
Most asset protection lawyers have never seen their plans challenged in court. John Skabelund spent a decade doing exactly that — watching which designs creditors attack, which arguments succeed, which plans get unwound, and which ones hold. He then founded Skabelund PLLC to build the ones that hold. Every structure the firm designs reflects that adversarial perspective. Not just legally complete on paper — built to survive when tested.
Asset Protection Lawyer —
Common Questions Answered
The Asset Protection Lawyer Who Was Named
Best by the Attorneys Who Know the Field.
Available to You. Now.
Attorney of the Year — Trusts & Estates 2023. Top 1% of U.S. Attorneys. AV Preeminent. Best Lawyers in America. 10+ years trust litigation. J.D. + MBA. Two Arizona offices. All 50 states. Flat fees. Annual reviews. The protection plan that holds up starts with one conversation.