Helmick co-founded his own law firm in 1998 and concentrated in federal criminal defense litigation.

[1][2] On May 11, 2011, President Barack Obama nominated Helmick to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio that had been vacated by Judge James G. Carr, who assumed senior status in June 2010.

On February 15, 2012, Helmick received a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, with the support of Sherrod Brown and Voinovich's successor, Rob Portman.

[5] In the Senate debate over Helmick's nomination, there was some controversy over Helmick's representation of accused terrorist and Toledo terror plot organizer Wassim Mazloum in 2009 as well as an ethics case that had gone to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

[6] Sen. Chuck Grassley in particular opposed Helmick for his role as a court-appointed attorney for Mazloum, who was ultimately convicted.