Los Angeles County / Public Defender
Agency file
The Public Defender handles legal functions of government — prosecution, legal advice, and representing the state in court.
In 2025, this agency had 1,297 employees with median total compensation of $178,093; the highest distinct record was $714,318.
What the records show
These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.
How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 1,297 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($178,093) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.
What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.
The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $346,409 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $55,488. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).
The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.
Record list
Highest-paid first / page 16
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Marcus Gregoire Williams works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Marcus earned $191,411 in 2025.
Senior Application Developer/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Jack Serrano serves as a Senior Application Developer. Their 2025 pay totaled $190,936.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Molly Thornton is a Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $190,044.
Deputy Public Defender II/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Justin Kelley serves as a Deputy Public Defender II. Their 2025 pay totaled $190,017.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Magaly Rubio holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $189,178.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Daniel Cooper serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $189,096.
Deputy Public Defender II/Public Defender
Yuhao Yao works as a Deputy Public Defender II for Public Defender. Yuhao earned $188,787 in 2025.
Mental Health Clinical Supervisor/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Gloria Gochez serves as a Mental Health Clinical Supervisor. Their 2025 pay totaled $188,640.
Supervising Paralegal/Public Defender
Mary-Alice Burns holds the role of Supervising Paralegal at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $188,330.
Safety Officer I/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Maxwell Owachgiu serves as a Safety Officer I. Their 2025 pay totaled $188,104.
Senior Paralegal/Public Defender
Rosemary Lopez holds the role of Senior Paralegal at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $187,775.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Constantinos Tsoucalas serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $187,495.
Investigator Ii,Public Defender/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Sylvia Regalado serves as a Investigator Ii,Public Defender. Their 2025 pay totaled $187,238.
Supervising Paralegal/Public Defender
Hendrika Snoek is a Supervising Paralegal at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $186,905.
Senior Management Secretary IV/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Nilda Cedeno serves as a Senior Management Secretary IV. Their 2025 pay totaled $186,811.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Christine Harbster works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Christine earned $186,698 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Oliver Jerde serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $186,578.
Senior IT Technical Support Analyst/Public Defender
Lee Tran is a Senior IT Technical Support Analyst at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $186,557.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Christopher Cornell serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $186,120.
Senior Departmental Personnel Technician/Public Defender
Leticia Arias is a Senior Departmental Personnel Technician at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $185,619.
Senior Application Developer/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Benjamin Levels Jr. serves as a Senior Application Developer. Their 2025 pay totaled $185,339.
Psychiatric Social Worker II/Public Defender
Luisa Merino holds the role of Psychiatric Social Worker II at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $184,441.
Information Systems Analyst II/Public Defender
Bonifacio Rosario is a Information Systems Analyst II at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $184,363.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
Tiffiny Blacknell is a Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $184,230.
Deputy Public Defender II/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Sanaz Nikbakhsh serves as a Deputy Public Defender II. Their 2025 pay totaled $184,143.
Administrative Services Manager I/Public Defender
Janice Chen holds the role of Administrative Services Manager I at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $183,234.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Billy Conway holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $183,083.
Supervising Paralegal/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Terri Kay serves as a Supervising Paralegal. Their 2025 pay totaled $182,400.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Rachelle Leduc holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $182,077.
Deputy Public Defender II/Public Defender
Jillian Davis is a Deputy Public Defender II at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $181,847.
Administrative Services Manager I/Public Defender
Karen Ramirez holds the role of Administrative Services Manager I at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $181,768.
Deputy Public Defender II/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Jeremy Palacio serves as a Deputy Public Defender II. Their 2025 pay totaled $181,711.
Psychiatric Social Worker II/Public Defender
Miya Sumii is a Psychiatric Social Worker II at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $181,634.
Management Analyst/Public Defender
Hector Moreno holds the role of Management Analyst at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $181,393.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Alexandra Markus Navarro serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $180,873.
Deputy Public Defender II/Public Defender
Jaime Marron works as a Deputy Public Defender II for Public Defender. Jaime earned $180,866 in 2025.
Psychiatric Social Worker II/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Alexandra Weden serves as a Psychiatric Social Worker II. Their 2025 pay totaled $180,710.
Psychiatric Social Worker II/Public Defender
Danielle Ramos Den holds the role of Psychiatric Social Worker II at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $180,597.
Investigator Ii,Public Defender/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Fernando Espinoza serves as a Investigator Ii,Public Defender. Their 2025 pay totaled $180,558.
Psychiatric Social Worker II/Public Defender
Deandra Hernandez works as a Psychiatric Social Worker II for Public Defender. Deandra earned $180,427 in 2025.