Holly M. Piper is an experienced civil and criminal trial attorney. She has been defending people and entities accused of wrongdoing for more than 23 years now, whether in civil or criminal litigation. On the civil side, she has defended a number employment and healthcare claims as well as claims involving breach of fiduciary duty and other corporate or business wrongdoings. On the white-collar, criminal side, her focus is on defending people and entities accused of wrongdoing. She has also conducted several internal investigations in her civil and criminal practices.
- Obtained over $12 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act (CARES Act) funding by administratively appealing two ethanol producers’ original awards of approximately $200,000.
- Successfully defended at trial a company founder and vice president against claims by the company (through his soon-to-be ex-wife) that he performed jobs and allowed jobs to be done by his co-defendants outside of the company in breach of his fiduciary duty, among other claims. The jury entered a verdict in favor of the defense in roughly an hour.
- When a farm co-operative filed a claim against a former farmer customer for debt owed to the co-op, Holly defended the co-op against the farmer’s counterclaims alleging he could not pay the debt because of the co-op’s actions. The jury entered a verdict in favor of the co-op in less than an hour.
- Successfully co-defended an estate at trial against a claim by the decedent’s ex-wife that she should take her spousal share of the estate because of fraud in the dissolution proceedings. The trial verdict was upheld on appeal.
Admissions
- Iowa
Memberships
- Iowa State Bar Association
- Polk County Bar Association
- Criminal Justice Act Federal Defender Panel, 2006-2023
Community Involvement
- Member of the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board, 2022-present
Education
- J.D., with high distinction, University of Iowa College of Law, 2001
- Note and Comment Editor, Journal of Corporation Law
- B.A., magna cum laude, Business Administration, University of Dayton, 1998
Honors
- AV® Preeminent™, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating
- Best Lawyers in America© distinction in Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2025-2026