On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the Supreme Court of Iowa issued a public reprimand against attorney Kaitlyn Cassandra DiMaria, now known as Kaitlyn Willms. This reprimand stems from allegations of professional misconduct related to her representation of a client in a family law matter.
The case is entitled “Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board v. Kaitlyn Cassandra DiMaria, n/k/a Kaitlyn Willms,” with case no. 25-1192.
The case was initiated after the complainant reported that DiMaria had failed to fulfill her obligations as an attorney. According to the findings, she took on the client’s case in January 2021 but neglected to make essential filings and did not keep the client informed about the progress of the legal matter. The situation escalated when the client was left unaware of significant developments, including Willms’ departure from her law firm.
The Attorney Disciplinary Board noted that Willms incorrectly assumed a former colleague would handle her responsibilities upon her exit from the firm. However, this colleague was never officially recorded as the client’s attorney in the custody case. Consequently, DiMaria and her client failed to appear at a scheduled custody trial in November 2021, resulting in substantial repercussions for the complainant.
Following the missed trial, Willms contacted opposing counsel and the court, inaccurately claiming that she was not expected to attend the trial because she had only filed an appearance to cover for her former law colleague during a vacation. The Board determined that despite having taken the case, she failed to properly withdraw from representation, resulting in harm to the client’s legal position and unnecessary delays in court proceedings.
While DiMaria does not have a prior history of disciplinary issues, the Board expressed concern over her pattern of repeated misconduct. The reprimand specifically cites violations of several Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct, including rules related to communication, diligence, and the responsibilities of attorneys when terminating representation.
The Disposition states:
“Pursuant to Iowa Court Rule 35.12, the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board (Board) reprimand of attorney Kaitlyn Cassandra Dimaria, n/k/a Kaitlyn Willms, Jefferson, Iowa, has been filed with the clerk of this court with proof of service and a statement that Willms has not filed an exception to the Board’s recommendation within the time prescribed.”
According to Avvo.com, Ms. DiMaria is an attorney in Grimes, Iowa. She acquired her law license in Iowa in 2018.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
