Blake is one of the most knowledgeable and trustworthy asset protection attorneys I have known in my 20+ years of being an attorney.
Kendall Mills
Jacksonville, FL · via Google
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The Cook Islands Trust
The strongest debtor protection structure on earth.
Six thousand miles from any U.S. courthouse. A legal system that does not recognize foreign judgments. A statute of limitations creditors almost never beat. We focus here — because nothing else we have seen protects wealth as reliably.
Read the complete guide →01
Non-recognition of U.S. judgments
Cook Islands courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against a trust. A creditor must re-litigate the entire matter under Cook Islands law — at their own expense.
02
Maintain control through a Cook Islands LLC
Pair the trust with a Cook Islands LLC and you keep day-to-day operational control of the assets while the trust holds the LLC interests offshore — control without exposure.
03
Beyond the reach of U.S. courts
The trustee sits offshore. Once assets are transferred, they're outside any U.S. court's subpoena and judgment-enforcement power.
04
Duress-clause trustee
If a U.S. court orders you to repatriate, the trustee is contractually required to refuse. The duress becomes the evidence — not a problem.
Frequently asked questions
Yes - and in the statute's 40-year history, no creditor has successfully reached assets in a properly funded Cook Islands Trust through Cook Islands court proceedings.
The protection comes from three things working together:
- Cook Islands courts do not recognize U.S. judgments.
- The statute of limitations on fraudulent-transfer claims is one to two years.
- The trustee is a licensed Cook Islands fiduciary outside U.S. court jurisdiction.
Whether the structure is the right fit for your specific assets and exposure is the conversation worth having. Every situation is different.
Not in day-to-day terms.
Most structures pair the trust with a Cook Islands LLC. The trust owns the LLC; you manage the LLC. You keep making the ordinary decisions - investing, paying bills, signing contracts.
Legal title sits with the trustee offshore. The trustee only activates when a legal threat materializes, refusing instructions given under duress (including instructions from you).
The trade is real - unconditional control for reliable protection. Whether that trade makes sense for your situation is something we work through together on the first call.
Most clients have a fully operational Cook Islands Trust within 30 to 40 days of engagement.
The slowest step is offshore bank-account due diligence - typically three to four weeks. Trust drafting, trustee onboarding, and IRS reporting setup all run in parallel.
Clients with active litigation pressure can sometimes complete the structure in under two weeks. The faster you start, the more options you keep - every week of delay narrows the window before a fraudulent-transfer clock starts ticking.
$25,000 flat fee to set up. $7,000 annual maintenance. CPA filings (separate) typically run $2,000 to $3,000 per year.
The flat fee covers everything we do - legal drafting, licensed trustee onboarding, IRS and FinCEN reporting setup, offshore bank-account establishment. No hourly billing.
Non-standard structures (multiple entities, operating businesses, unusual asset types) may be quoted higher, and we tell you in writing before any work begins. Full pricing breakdown →
For a fixed estimate tailored to your situation, the planning call is free.
Yes. Cook Islands Trusts have existed for more than 40 years and are recognized by the IRS, FinCEN, and federal courts.
The cases critics cite (FTC v. Affordable Media, SEC v. Solow) both involved fraudulent transfers made *after* litigation was filed - neither case turned on the structure itself.
A trust established *before* a claim arises, properly disclosed to the IRS, funded with assets you lawfully own, and operated through a licensed offshore trustee does not put you at risk of contempt. The protection works precisely *because* you cannot repatriate the assets on demand.
We do not represent clients trying to evade pending judgments. If your situation is clean, the next step is a free, privileged conversation.
The difference is structural, not incremental.
A DAPT sits inside the U.S. legal system. U.S. courts can issue orders directly to a domestic trustee, federal bankruptcy law overrides state-level protections (10-year lookback under 11 U.S.C. § 548(e)), and Full Faith and Credit means any state's judgment can reach it.
A Cook Islands Trust sits outside the U.S. legal system entirely. U.S. courts cannot compel the offshore trustee, and U.S. judgments are not recognized in Cook Islands courts.
DAPTs have a mixed adversarial track record (*In re Huber*, *In re Mortensen*). Cook Islands Trusts have a 40-year unbroken record of protecting properly-funded assets through Cook Islands court proceedings.
Process
From call to funded trust: our process.
We have negotiated direct agreements with our offshore providers to streamline every step — establishing a Cook Islands Trust faster than the industry standard, without cutting corners on the legal work that makes it durable.
01
Consultation
A confidential call to understand your assets, risks, and goals. We'll tell you honestly whether a plan is worth it.
02
Trust Creation
We draft the trust deed, select the trustee and protector, and coordinate with offshore counsel in your chosen jurisdiction.
03
Funding
Real estate, LLC interests, investment accounts, and cryptocurrency — each asset moved through the right pathway.
04
Monitoring
Annual reviews, ongoing support, and a dedicated point of contact for the life of the relationship.
Testimonials
What peers and clients say.
We specifically include reviews from other attorneys — they know how rare sustained trust in this area actually is.
01/22
I have known Attorney Blake Harris for over a decade. He is incredibly smart, talented, and trustworthy. I recommend him for asset protection planning and offshore trust formation.
Robert Gravios
Atlanta, GA · Attorney
I have had the privilege of working with Attorney Blake Harris for several years, and I can confidently attest to his remarkable qualities. Blake is highly responsive, incredibly knowledgeable, and unwaveringly trustworthy. He consistently follows through on his commitments, ensuring that every aspect of his process is handled with precision and care. If you are seeking a reliable asset protection attorney who will prioritize your needs and provide effective solutions, I wholeheartedly recommend Blake Harris.
Maria Abrenica Warner
Houston, Texas
I have worked with and referred many clients to Attorney Blake Harris since first meeting him in 2013. Blake has been excellent to work with and I have received positive feedback from every client I have sent his way. Blake is by far the most knowledgeable and trustworthy asset protection attorney I have met in my career. If you are looking to protect your assets from lawsuits or considering setting up a Cook Islands Trust, I highly recommend you contact Blake Harris Law.
Mike Wallen
Denver, Colorado · via LinkedIn
Blake Harris Law is the most qualified, experienced law firm to handle all your asset protection needs. I have known Blake for over a decade and he's one of the few people I trust unquestionably. Without hesitation, I recommend Attorney Blake Harris for all matters related to keeping your property protected from lawsuits.
Tyler Oldenburg
Jacksonville, FL · via Google
Blake was amazing to work with. He was very knowledgeable, attentive, and thorough through out the process. He is always available to answer any questions. I highly recommend you reach out to him for your asset protection needs.
Rich Tabaka
Denver, Colorado · via Google
The Blake Harris Team is beyond professional, but it was the individuals on the team that made all the difference to our family's asset protection plan. The Blake Harris Law Team gave our family the peace of mind we needed in record time.
John Phelps
via Google
Blake was awesome. I filled out his contact form on his website and he called me within 10 minutes at 7:30am. He's a wealth of knowledge and someone you must talk to if you're looking for asset protection.
Michael
via Google
I have had the pleasure of knowing Attorney Blake Harris for over a decade. Without hesitation, I can say he is the best resource for Asset Protection planning. Blake and his team are extremely knowledgeable, responsive, reliable, and genuine. If you are interested in protecting your property, I highly recommend you contact Attorney Blake Harris.
Eric Hartjen
Baltimore, Maryland · via LinkedIn
I have had the opportunity to see Blake's work first hand, having worked together for several mutual clients. He is smart, strategic, incredibly knowledgeable, and cares about his clients. Blake is a top notch attorney.
Attorney Luke McFarland
via LinkedIn
Blake is an excellent attorney. I have known Blake for several years and would strongly recommend him.
Michael Burns
Atlanta, Georgia · via Avvo
Blake was excellent to work with. He answered all of our questions completely and his documents were very thorough. Would absolutely recommend him.
Katie Stone
via Google
By working with Blake Harris Law, I know that I am making the right decision to protect my family, my business, and myself from a potentially devastating lawsuit.
Nicolas Valencia
via Google
Blake was so professional and caring towards my needs. Absolutely awesome service!
Wendy S.
Aurora, Colorado · via Google
I am very impressed with Blake. I appreciate the additional time he spent to answer all of our questions very promptly.
Erica Knight
via Google
Blake's team was very patient, professional and knowledgeable. Thank you for helping me put my affairs in order! I would highly recommend them.
Susan R.
via Google
We very much appreciate the customized service and input Blake has provided us in developing our Trust. We would definitely recommend his expertise based on his timely and responsive help to put everything in place for our family.
Judy Graham
via Google
Blake is an excellent asset protection attorney. He is one of the few attorneys with significant expertise in this space.
Attorney
via Martindale Reviews
Blake is very passionate about his area of asset protection law, and that translates into him being very competent in this specialized area. He makes the effort to travel and meet the people in the offshore jurisdictions that he works with.
Attorney
via Martindale Reviews
Exceptionally well versed in estate, trust, and all related matters. Blake practices, lectures, and teaches in estate and asset protection matters on an international and national basis.
Attorney
via Martindale Reviews
Blake is a highly skilled lawyer with exceptional knowledge of Asset protection. Blake has years of experience and knows his craft well. He is a great attorney with a bank of knowledge to help assist clients or lawyers in addressing their concerns.
Partner
via Martindale Reviews
Great attorney. Great personality. Knowledgeable, ethical. Everything you could ask for in a professional.
Managing Partner
via Martindale Reviews
Articles
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Plain writing, straight from our desk. No hedging, no filler.
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