St. Johns Law Group
Asset Protection, Litigation & Trust Planning Attorney
Eric D. Whitcher
Asset Protection • Complex Litigation • South Dakota Trust Planning • Property & Business Law
Eric D. Whitcher is an experienced trial attorney, asset protection lawyer and trust-planning attorney with nearly three decades of legal experience. Licensed in Florida and South Dakota, he advises individuals, families, business owners, investors and fiduciaries on sophisticated wealth-protection strategies while also representing clients in complex litigation, property and business disputes.
St. Johns Law Group
St. Augustine Area’s Largest Law Firm
15 Attorneys
Full-Service Legal Team
300+ Years
Combined Legal Experience
100+ Jury Trials
Trial Experience Across the Team
1,000s of Closings
Real Estate Transactions
About Eric
Sophisticated Planning Backed by Extensive Trial Experience
Eric's practice brings together two disciplines that rarely sit under one roof: proactive asset-protection planning and substantial courtroom experience.
Licensed in both Florida and South Dakota, Eric advises clients on asset-protection strategies that can combine Florida's homestead and creditor-protection laws with South Dakota's sophisticated trust framework.
His planning work includes asset-protection trusts, dynasty trusts, directed trusts, irrevocable trusts, business-succession planning, fiduciary counseling, trust modification and multi-state wealth-preservation strategies.
When disputes cannot be avoided, Eric draws on nearly three decades of litigation experience and close to fifty trials, the majority before juries, to represent clients in significant business, property, fiduciary and constitutional matters.
Practice Focus
How Eric Helps Clients
Eric advises clients on protecting wealth and ownership interests before disputes arise and represents them in significant litigation when legal conflicts cannot be avoided.
Asset Protection
Strategies for individuals, families, professionals, entrepreneurs and investors designed to preserve wealth, manage exposure and protect long-term family assets.
Explore Asset Protection →Complex Civil Litigation
Trial representation involving business, contract, fiduciary, constitutional, property and other significant civil disputes.
Explore Civil Litigation →South Dakota Trust Planning
Dynasty trusts, directed trusts, irrevocable trusts, asset-protection trusts and multi-state planning for Florida families seeking sophisticated long-term wealth strategies.
Explore South Dakota Trusts →Property & Business Law
Business structuring, ownership matters, succession planning, contracts and commercial issues involving real estate, investments and closely held businesses.
Explore Business & Commercial Law →Experience Advantage
Planning, Litigation & Leadership
Eric's background allows him to approach legal risk from both sides: structuring assets and ownership before problems arise, and litigating disputes when they do.
Planning
Wealth Preservation
Asset-protection, trust and succession strategies designed around family goals, ownership interests, creditor exposure and long-term flexibility.
Litigation
Trial-Ready Strategy
Close to fifty trials provide perspective on how transactions, business relationships and property disputes can ultimately be evaluated by judges and juries.
Leadership
Attorney Development
Eric has led lawyers, taught trial advocacy and presented continuing legal education programs on courtroom strategy, voir dire, professionalism and civility.
Trial Experience
Nearly Three Decades of Courtroom Experience
Eric's litigation career includes substantial jury-trial work, public-sector leadership and years devoted to trial advocacy training.
Background
Education, Admissions & Professional Leadership
Education
- University of Nebraska College of Law — Juris Doctor, 1996
- University of South Dakota — Bachelor of Science, 1993
- Licensed to practice law since 1996
Bar & Court Admissions
- The Florida Bar
- State Bar of South Dakota
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of South Dakota
- Supreme Court of the United States
Professional Leadership
- Organizer & Instructor — South Dakota Trial Academy, 2025 & 2026
- South Dakota Bar CLE Presenter — Civility & Decorum, 2024
- South Dakota Bar CLE Presenter — Civility in the Practice of Law, 2023
- South Dakota Bar CLE Presenter — Voir Dire Strategies, 2012
- Former South Dakota Bar Commissioner, 2012–2013
Community
Service Beyond the Practice of Law
Eric has served nonprofit, civic and professional organizations throughout his career.
His community involvement has included service with the Black Hills Playhouse, Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity and Historic Homestake Opera House.
He has also served on statewide committees appointed by the Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court addressing legal services, attorney professionalism and access to justice.
Contact
Contact Eric D. Whitcher
Contact Eric regarding asset protection, South Dakota trust planning, complex litigation, business disputes or property matters.
Resources
Asset Protection, Trust & Litigation Resources
Explore St. Johns Law Group resources related to protecting assets, South Dakota trusts, business disputes and real property.
Asset Protection
Florida Asset Protection
Explore planning strategies involving Florida exemptions, business entities, trusts and other tools designed to protect wealth and reduce avoidable exposure.
Explore Asset Protection → Trust PlanningSouth Dakota Trusts for Florida Families
Learn why South Dakota trust law may provide additional flexibility for long-term asset preservation, trust administration and family wealth planning.
Explore South Dakota Trusts → LitigationCivil Litigation
Explore representation involving business, contract, property, fiduciary and other significant civil disputes.
Explore Civil Litigation → Property LitigationReal Estate Litigation
Explore contract, ownership, boundary, easement, title and other significant Florida real-property disputes.
Explore Real Estate Litigation →The St. Johns Law Group Advantage
Strategic Planning. Trial Experience. Full-Service Firm Resources.
Asset-protection and litigation matters frequently intersect with estate planning, trusts, real estate, business ownership, taxation and succession planning. Eric can work with attorneys across St. Johns Law Group when a client's matter requires experience from multiple practice areas.
Meet Our AttorneysContact Eric
Discuss Your Asset Protection, Trust or Litigation Matter
Contact St. Johns Law Group regarding asset protection, South Dakota trust planning, complex litigation, property disputes, business conflicts or another significant legal matter.
St. Johns Law Group
104 Sea Grove Main Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32080
104 Sea Grove Main Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32080