Will a Cook Islands Trust protect my assets?

The firm says that 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. It attributes the protection to 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, and the trustee is a licensed Cook Islands fiduciary outside U.S. court jurisdiction.

Do I lose control of my assets?

Not in day-to-day terms. Most structures pair the trust with a Cook Islands LLC: the trust owns the LLC and the client manages it, continuing to invest, pay bills, and sign contracts. Legal title sits with the offshore trustee, who activates only when a legal threat materializes and who refuses instructions given under duress, including instructions from the client. The firm describes the trade plainly as unconditional control for reliable protection.

How long does setup take?

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 run in parallel. The firm says clients under active litigation pressure can sometimes complete the structure in under two weeks.

Asset-protection attorneys

Blake Harris Law

Blake Harris Law is a law firm that works only on offshore asset protection, and the Cook Islands Trust is the one structure it sets up. Clients are business owners and real estate investors who want property, LLC interests, investment accounts, and cryptocurrency held where a U.S. judgment cannot reach them.

Engagements follow a set sequence. A confidential call with an attorney maps assets, risk, and time horizon; the firm then drafts the trust deed, introduces professional trustees and protectors for the client to choose between, and coordinates with offshore counsel. Assets are moved in afterwards, each through its own pathway, and the relationship continues with annual reviews and a named point of contact. The firm says drafting runs two to four weeks from engagement to an executed trust, and that most structures are fully operational within 30 to 40 days of signing, with offshore bank-account due diligence the slowest step.

Billing is flat fee. The firm quotes a single number for the full engagement after reviewing the situation, and says it does not bill in six-minute increments or mark up third-party fees. Cook Islands government and registration fees are passed through at cost. The firm holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and writes continuing legal education courses carried by other providers.

Two things are worth asking about directly. The firm says its founder co-founded Atlas Trust Company, the licensed Cook Islands trustee it recommends, so the recommended trustee is a related party. And the firm sets up Cook Islands structures only, so an owner who needs a domestic option will be told so on the first call. Consultations are free and the firm says it replies within one business day.

Best for

Real estate and business owners who want assets placed beyond the reach of U.S. court judgments and can fund a $25,000 setup plus $7,000 a year. Not for owners who want a domestic-only structure, or who will not hand legal title to an offshore trustee.

What they do

Cook Islands Trust formation
Cook Islands LLC and entity layering
Trustee and protector vetting and coordination
Funding of real estate, LLC interests, investment accounts, and cryptocurrency into the trust
Trust administration, amendments, and beneficiary changes
Ongoing legal consultation for the life of the structure
Continuing legal education courses for other attorneys

Details

Attribute	Value
Memberships	AV Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell
How they charge	$25,000 one-time engagement fee covering the full setup, plus $7,000 a year for trust administration, legal consultation, and oversight.

What stands out

Flat-fee pricing: a $25,000 one-time engagement fee, then $7,000 a year split between trust administration, legal counsel, and independent oversight.
Says most structures are fully operational 30 to 40 days after engagement, with offshore bank-account due diligence taking three to four weeks.
Cook Islands government and registration fees are passed through at cost rather than marked up.
Holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and authors CLE courses carried by Strafford CLE, myLawCLE, and the Colorado Bar Association.

Common questions

Will a Cook Islands Trust protect my assets?: The firm says that 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. It attributes the protection to 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, and the trustee is a licensed Cook Islands fiduciary outside U.S. court jurisdiction.
Do I lose control of my assets?: Not in day-to-day terms. Most structures pair the trust with a Cook Islands LLC: the trust owns the LLC and the client manages it, continuing to invest, pay bills, and sign contracts. Legal title sits with the offshore trustee, who activates only when a legal threat materializes and who refuses instructions given under duress, including instructions from the client. The firm describes the trade plainly as unconditional control for reliable protection.
How long does setup take?: 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 run in parallel. The firm says clients under active litigation pressure can sometimes complete the structure in under two weeks.