About Christopher Howell
Christopher “Chris” Howell is no stranger to answering the call to service. After moving to Las Vegas in 1996, he was raised in Southern Nevada and built deep roots in the community he now seeks to serve. He attended K.O. Knudson Middle School and Green Valley High School, where his commitment to public service first took shape.
In 2003, he answered that call by enlisting in the United States Army, serving on Active Duty as a reconnaissance scout. After completing combat training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he was stationed in Friedberg, Germany, and was immediately deployed to Baghdad, Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He later deployed again from 2005 to 2007 during Operation Iraqi Freedom II, serving as a Non-Commissioned Officer.
During his military service, Christopher was entrusted with the health, welfare, and morale of the soldiers under his command, demonstrating leadership and sound judgment in high-pressure environments. He also served as his unit’s Armorer, responsible for the inventory, maintenance, and secure deployment of millions of dollars in government property, including classified military equipment.
After completing his active-duty service in 2007, Christopher continued serving by joining the Arizona National Guard while pursuing higher education. He graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.
He earned his law degree from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law, where he competed in national moot court competitions and served as a Managing Editor of the Entrepreneurial Business Law Journal. During law school, he interned with G. Dallas Horton & Associates, completed externships with the Ohio Public Defender and Franklin County Courts, and served as a law clerk with the Franklin County Public Defender’s Office.
After graduating from law school, Christopher returned home to Las Vegas, was admitted to the Nevada State Bar in 2014, and began his legal career with the Clark County Public Defender’s Office. He was officially appointed as a Deputy Public Defender in 2015 and promoted to Chief Deputy Public Defender in 2020.
Throughout his career, he has represented thousands of Nevadans at every stage of the criminal justice process; from arraignment through jury trial and appeal.
His life’s work reflects a consistent commitment to service: first in combat, and now in the courtroom, guided by fairness, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.
