Eric D. Whitcher
St. Augustine Asset Protection, Litigation & Property Law Attorney
Attorney | St. Johns Law Group
Asset Protection • Complex Litigation • Trust Planning • Property & Business Law
Eric D. Whitcher is an experienced trial attorney, asset protection lawyer, and trust planning attorney with nearly thirty years of legal experience representing individuals, families, business owners, investors, fiduciaries, and professionals.
Licensed in both Florida and South Dakota, Mr. Whitcher offers clients a unique perspective on sophisticated asset protection planning by combining the advantages of South Dakota trust law with Florida’s favorable homestead protections, business laws, and creditor exemptions. His practice focuses on protecting wealth, resolving complex disputes, and helping clients preserve assets for future generations.
In addition to his planning practice, Mr. Whitcher is an accomplished courtroom advocate who has handled nearly fifty trials, the majority before juries. Throughout his career he has built a reputation for strategic thinking, meticulous preparation, practical judgment, and effective courtroom advocacy.
Asset Protection Attorney
Protecting wealth requires more than preparing legal documents.
Mr. Whitcher helps individuals, families, entrepreneurs, physicians, real estate investors, executives, and business owners develop comprehensive asset protection strategies designed to preserve wealth, minimize risk, and protect future generations.
His dual licensure in Florida and South Dakota provides clients with planning opportunities unavailable through traditional estate planning alone. South Dakota has become one of the nation’s premier trust jurisdictions, offering significant benefits for long-term asset preservation, trust administration, and family wealth planning.
Working with clients throughout Florida, Mr. Whitcher develops customized legal strategies that may include:
- Asset protection trusts
- South Dakota dynasty trusts
- Directed trusts
- Irrevocable trusts
- Wealth preservation planning
- Family legacy planning
- Business succession planning
- Multi-state trust planning
- Trust modifications
- Trust decanting
- Trustee representation
- Fiduciary counseling
- Creditor protection strategies
- Family office planning
- Long-term generational wealth planning
His objective is to help clients preserve what they have built while maintaining flexibility as family, business, and tax circumstances evolve.
Complex Litigation & Trial Practice
When disputes cannot be avoided, clients need experienced trial counsel prepared to advocate aggressively and strategically.
Mr. Whitcher has nearly three decades of litigation experience involving complex legal disputes, constitutional issues, business conflicts, fiduciary litigation, and property matters.
He has handled close to fifty trials, the majority of them jury trials, and understands that successful litigation begins long before entering the courtroom. Every case is prepared with the expectation that it may ultimately be decided before a judge or jury.
His litigation practice includes:
- Complex commercial litigation
- Business disputes
- Contract litigation
- Property litigation
- Real estate litigation
- Easement disputes
- Boundary disputes
- Fiduciary litigation
- Trust litigation
- Shareholder disputes
- Partnership disputes
- Constitutional litigation
- Declaratory judgment actions
- Injunctive relief
- Jury trials
- Bench trials
- Strategic dispute resolution
Beyond representing clients, Mr. Whitcher has spent years teaching trial advocacy, organizing Trial Academies and presenting continuing legal education programs focused on voir dire, courtroom professionalism, civility, and trial strategy.
His calm courtroom demeanor, thorough preparation, and ability to simplify complex legal issues have earned him the respect of clients, judges, and fellow attorneys.
Property & Business Law
Property ownership and business operations often involve legal issues that extend well beyond closing transactions.
Mr. Whitcher represents property owners, developers, investors, businesses, and fiduciaries in a wide variety of property and commercial matters.
His experience includes:
- Commercial real estate disputes
- Property ownership litigation
- Easement disputes
- Boundary disputes
- Quiet title actions
- Commercial leasing issues
- Purchase and sale agreements
- Contract drafting
- Contract interpretation
- Business entity formation
- LLC and corporate governance
- Business succession planning
- Landowner rights
- Development-related legal matters
His litigation background allows him to identify legal risks early and develop practical solutions before disputes become expensive lawsuits whenever possible.
Leadership & Legal Experience
Leadership has been a defining characteristic of Mr. Whitcher’s legal career.
In 2013, he was appointed Public Defender for Pennington County, South Dakota, where he directed an office of approximately twenty attorneys and nearly forty legal professionals for more than a decade.
Under his leadership, the office became recognized for professionalism, attorney development, intensive trial advocacy training, and innovative approaches to legal representation. Following implementation of comprehensive trial preparation systems, the office achieved an eleven-trial winning streak during his first year as Public Defender.
Throughout his career he has remained committed to mentoring attorneys, improving courtroom advocacy, and strengthening the legal profession through education and leadership.
Education
Juris Doctor
University of Nebraska College of Law (1996)
Bachelor of Science
University of South Dakota (1993)
Licensed to practice law since 1996.
Bar Admissions
- The Florida Bar
- State Bar of South Dakota
- United States District Court for the Western District of South Dakota
- Supreme Court of the United States
Professional Leadership
Mr. Whitcher has served on numerous statewide committees appointed by the Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court focused on improving legal services, attorney professionalism, and access to justice.
Professional leadership includes:
- Organizer and Instructor, South Dakota Trial Academy (2025 & 2026)
- South Dakota Bar Association CLE Presenter — Civility and Decorum (2024)
- South Dakota Bar Association CLE Presenter — Civility in the Practice of Law (2023)
- South Dakota Bar Association CLE Presenter — Voir Dire Strategies (2012)
- Former South Dakota Bar Commissioner (2012–2013)
Community Involvement
Mr. Whitcher has served numerous nonprofit and civic organizations throughout his career, including:
- Board Member, Black Hills Playhouse
- Former Board Member, Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity
- Former Board Member, Historic Homestake Opera House
Personal
Outside the practice of law, Eric enjoys spending time with his wife and children. His interests include fly fishing, boating, skiing, travel, and outdoor recreation.
He and his family are establishing roots in St. Augustine while maintaining longstanding ties to the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Why Clients Choose Eric D. Whitcher
Clients choose Eric because he combines sophisticated asset protection planning with extensive courtroom experience. Whether protecting significant assets, resolving complex business disputes, litigating trust matters, or handling high-value property conflicts, he develops practical legal strategies designed to safeguard clients’ interests today while preserving opportunities for future generations.
As a member of St. Johns Law Group, Mr. Whitcher collaborates with attorneys across multiple practice areas to provide comprehensive legal solutions backed by one of Northeast Florida’s largest and most experienced law firms.
(904) 495‑0400
ewhitcher@sjlawgroup.com
