K. Ryan Helmick
Founder & Lead Attorney | The Defense Firm
K. Ryan Helmick is the founder of The Defense Firm in Las Vegas, Nevada. Licensed in Nevada since 2012, he has practiced exclusively in criminal defense and DUI law for over 14 years. His caseload includes murder, sex crimes, DUI, domestic violence, drug offenses, robbery, gun crimes, kidnapping, and federal offenses.
Helmick began his legal career under the mentorship of the late Bill Terry, a well-known Las Vegas criminal defense attorney. He has trained at the Trial Lawyers College, founded by Gerry Spence. Since 2012, he has served as a member of the Office of Appointed Counsel, handling cases involving potential life sentences. He also serves as Ombudsman on the Las Vegas Police Fatality Fact-Finding Review Board, a role confirmed through his participation in public fact-finding reviews covered by local media.
He is the author of The Defense Begins: Nevada Criminal Justice: A Roadmap for the Accused and Their Families, published and available on Amazon. He was featured on A&E’s true crime series Accused: Guilty or Innocent? (Season 4, Episode 6, February 2023), which followed the Kristina Kerlus case — a murder and child abuse prosecution in which all charges were ultimately dismissed.
Credentials
Section titled “Credentials”| Nevada Bar Number | 12769 |
| Licensed Since | 2012 |
| Status | Active (no public discipline found) |
| Federal Admissions | Not confirmed |
Education
Section titled “Education”- J.D. — Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego
- Dean’s List (x2) for Academic Excellence
- B.S., Criminal Justice — University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Practice Areas
Section titled “Practice Areas”- Criminal Defense (exclusive focus)
- DUI / DWI
- Murder / Homicide
- Sex Crimes / Sexual Assault
- Domestic Violence
- Drug Offenses
- Robbery / Burglary / Theft
- Gun Crimes
- Kidnapping
- Federal Offenses
- Expungement / Record Sealing
Recognitions
Section titled “Recognitions”| Recognition | Years | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Mountain States) | 2021, 2022, 2025 | Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) |
| National Trial Lawyers Top 100 | 2023, 2024, 2025 | The National Trial Lawyers |
| National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 | 2015, 2016 | The National Trial Lawyers |
| ”Best Criminal Defense Attorney of Las Vegas” | 2022 | Las Vegas Review-Journal (readers’ poll) |
| Client’s Choice Award | 2016, 2017, 2019 | Avvo |
Notable Cases
Section titled “Notable Cases”| Case | Outcome | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State v. Kristina Kerlus — Murder and child abuse charges (death of 2-month-old) | All charges dismissed (Dec. 2022) | PR Newswire, A&E, KTNV |
| State v. Kody Harlan — First-degree murder of Henderson teen Matthew Minkler (2018) | Convicted; sentenced to life with parole | Las Vegas Review-Journal |
| State v. Robert Telles — Murder of LVRJ reporter Jeff German | Briefly retained as defense counsel (later replaced) | Las Vegas Review-Journal, Court TV |
| State v. Tyler Johns — Teen accused of murder; $1M bail set | Pending / not reported | Las Vegas Review-Journal |
| Church parking lot stabbing | Prosecutors ruled self-defense | Las Vegas Review-Journal |
Professional Memberships
Section titled “Professional Memberships”- Office of Appointed Counsel (life sentence cases), member since 2012
- Ombudsman, Las Vegas Police Fatality Fact-Finding Review Board
Office Location
Section titled “Office Location”- Las Vegas: 8180 Rafael Rivera Way, Suite 205, Las Vegas, NV 89113
- Phone: 702-HELMICK / 725-286-0002
- Website: thedefensefirm.com
In the Media
Section titled “In the Media”- Featured on A&E’s Accused: Guilty or Innocent? — Season 4, Episode 6: “Killer Mom or Innocent Parent?” (February 16, 2023), covering the Kristina Kerlus case
- Author of The Defense Begins: Nevada Criminal Justice: A Roadmap for the Accused and Their Families (Amazon ASIN: B0CD16FNM4)
- Quoted and referenced as counsel of record in multiple Las Vegas Review-Journal articles covering murder trials (Harlan, Telles, Johns cases)
- PR Newswire feature syndicated to ABC4, Benzinga, and other outlets (February 2023)
- Video interview with Vegas Legal Magazine