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 6
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
Doreen Lacaille holds the role of Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $318,928.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
John Carr holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $318,240.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
Jennifer Bergman is a Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $318,221.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, James Gates serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $318,211.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Jill Janotta serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $317,505.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Randy Kaplan holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $317,478.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
William Edwards holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $317,427.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, David Marsh serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $317,072.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Florentina Demuth holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $316,769.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Parker Sampson works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Parker earned $316,580 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Celia Benitez-Balderrama is a Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $316,328.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Hilda Osmanian holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $316,179.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
Gregg Hayata holds the role of Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $315,868.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Allison Lomas serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $315,767.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Jacques Neptune works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Jacques earned $315,543 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Melanie Schoenberg serves as a Deputy Public Defender IV. Their 2025 pay totaled $315,296.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Jason Najarian works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Jason earned $314,988 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
Jimmy Chu holds the role of Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $314,647.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Marie Boyer works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Marie earned $314,644 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Suzanne Mills serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $314,611.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Shaghayegh Ali serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $314,510.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Natasha Brown holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $314,399.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Lorenmarie Manning holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $313,927.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Lauren Horner holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $313,810.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Stephen Borello serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $313,742.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
John Yutan holds the role of Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $313,468.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Danielle Bell holds the role of Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $313,117.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Leslie Warren works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Leslie earned $313,057 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Jeanette Lee serves as a Deputy Public Defender IV. Their 2025 pay totaled $312,641.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Michael Solis works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Michael earned $312,532 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Binh Dang works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Binh earned $312,423 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Fred Zelaya serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $312,313.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Linda Powell is a Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $311,995.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Melissa Mertens works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Melissa earned $311,834 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender IV/Public Defender
Eileen Butko holds the role of Deputy Public Defender IV at Public Defender. In 2025, their total compensation was $311,217.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Gabriel Martinez is a Deputy Public Defender III at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $310,896.
Investigator Ii,Public Defender/Public Defender
Frank Corales is a Investigator Ii,Public Defender at Public Defender. 2025 total compensation came to $310,037.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
At Public Defender, Jennifer Chung serves as a Deputy Public Defender III. Their 2025 pay totaled $310,033.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Jonathan Petrak works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Jonathan earned $309,682 in 2025.
Deputy Public Defender III/Public Defender
Carmen Guevara works as a Deputy Public Defender III for Public Defender. Carmen earned $309,482 in 2025.