California / Water Resources / Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel

Job-title file

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel

Provide legal advice, draft and review documents, and represent the agency in legal matters.

8 employees hold this title in Water Resources. Median total compensation for the role is $205,480, above the department median of $115,959.

Employees: 8
Total payroll: $1.4M
Role median: $205,480
Agency median: $115,959
Comparison: Above

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$54,807$219,428+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 8 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compare departments

This role across California

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel is held in 65 California departments. In Water Resources, the median of $205,480 ranks #14 of 65.

Highest-paying departments for this role

CA. State Auditor's Office

$226,201 · 1

State Comp Insurance Fund

$226,032 · 56

Legislative Counsel Bureau

$209,585 · 10

Veterans Affairs

$208,657 · 1

Health and Human Services Agy

$207,226 · 2

Office of Inspector General

$206,079 · 1

CA Health Benefit Exchange

$205,885 · 3

Industrial Relations

$205,637 · 6

CDCR

$205,562 · 30

Housing and Community Develop

$205,537 · 5

Office of Tax Appeals Ota

$205,537 · 3

CA. Coastal Commission

$205,537 · 1

Median total compensation for the Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel role in other Californiadepartments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Kimberly Melikian

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$221,690

Base pay: $221,340
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $350
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $221,690
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,742
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401335871990
Salary Total: $16,922
Total Pay: $221,690

Kimberly Melikian works as a Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel for Water Resources. Their status is full-time. Kimberly earned $221,690 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is M02.

Robin Brewer

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$205,537

Base pay: $205,187
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $350
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $205,537
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,742
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401355871690
Salary Total: $16,922
Total Pay: $205,537

Robin Brewer is a Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel at Water Resources. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $205,537. Union affiliation: M02.

Katharine Killeen

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$205,537

Base pay: $205,187
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $350
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $205,537
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: S

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,742
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401365871690
Salary Total: $16,922
Total Pay: $205,537

Katharine Killeen is a Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel at Water Resources. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $205,537. Their bargaining unit is M02.

James Mizell Iii

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$205,537

Base pay: $205,187
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $350
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $205,537
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,742
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401325871690
Salary Total: $16,922
Total Pay: $205,537

James Mizell Iii holds the role of Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel at Water Resources. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $205,537. Union affiliation: M02.

Maya Stafford

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$205,424

Base pay: $205,074
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $350
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $205,424
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,742
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401315871690
Salary Total: $16,922
Total Pay: $205,424

Maya Stafford works as a Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel for Water Resources. Their status is full-time. Maya earned $205,424 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is M02.

Karen Joelson

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$186,361

Base pay: $186,186
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $175
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $186,361
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $16,901
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401335871690
Salary Total: $16,120
Total Pay: $186,361

Karen Joelson holds the role of Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel at Water Resources. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $186,361. Union affiliation: M02.

Michelle Morrow

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$156,867

Base pay: $151,343
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $5,525
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $156,867
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,742
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401345871690
Salary Total: $16,922
Total Pay: $156,867

Michelle Morrow holds the role of Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel at Water Resources. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $156,867. Their bargaining unit is M02.

Spencer Kenner

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel/Water Resources

2025 total comp

$54,807

Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $54,807
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $54,807
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: M02
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $17,225
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 8401315871990
Salary Total: $17,225
Total Pay: $54,807

Spencer Kenner holds the role of Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel at Water Resources. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $54,807. Their bargaining unit is M02.