Minnesota / Human Services Department / Staff Attorney 1

Job-title file

Staff Attorney 1

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

7 employees hold this title in Human Services Department. Median total compensation for the role is $97,860, above the department median of $78,085.

Employees: 7
Total payroll: $634.4K
Role median: $97,860
Agency median: $78,085
Comparison: Above

Compare departments

This role across Minnesota

Staff Attorney 1 is held in 14 Minnesota departments. In Human Services Department, the median of $97,860 ranks #2 of 14.

Highest-paying departments for this role

Tax Court

$105,296 · 1

Veterans Affairs Department

$93,066 · 1

Employ & Econ Development Department

$85,389 · 1

Transportation Department

$84,542 · 1

Children Youth & Families Department

$80,852 · 3

Mnsure

$78,694 · 1

Administrative Hearings

$73,699 · 3

Public Safety Department

$71,913 · 1

Revenue Department

$71,218 · 2

Cannabis Expungement Board

$66,989 · 1

Natural Resources Department

$56,791 · 1

Gambling Control Board

$37,068 · 1

Median total compensation for the Staff Attorney 1 role in other Minnesotadepartments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Compare jurisdictions

Staff Attorney beyond Minnesota

This role is reported in 7 jurisdictions. In Minnesota, the median of $106,634 ranks #3 of 7. See Staff Attorney across all of Minnesota →

Highest-paying jurisdictions for this role

$174,677 · 11

$111,519 · 196

$57,177 · 16

$24,226 · 66

$19,743 · 20

$10,084 · 10

Median total compensation for comparable Staff Attorneyroles in other jurisdictions. Titles are matched by normalized name across sources, not identical job classification, and pay is not cost-of-living adjusted. Each bar links to that jurisdiction’s page for the role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Laura Pittner

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2025 total comp

$105,296

Sub-department: Compliance Legal Functions
Base pay: $105,296
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $105,296
Hire date: 2024-04-24
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At Human Services Department, Laura Pittner serves as a Staff Attorney 1 within Compliance Legal Functions. Hired in 2024, they have about a year of service, working full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $105,296. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Katie Smith

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2025 total comp

$105,296

Sub-department: Compliance Legal Functions
Base pay: $105,296
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $105,296
Hire date: 2024-05-22
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Katie Smith works as a Staff Attorney 1 for Human Services Department within Compliance Legal Functions. Their tenure dates to 2024, about a year as a full-time employee. Katie earned $105,296 in 2025. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Kurtis Parlin

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2024 total comp

$99,075

Sub-department: Compliance Legal Functions
Base pay: $99,075
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $99,075
Hire date: 2006-09-11
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2024: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Kurtis Parlin works as a Staff Attorney 1 for Human Services Department within Compliance Legal Functions. Hired in 2006, they have about 18 years of service as a full-time employee. Kurtis earned $99,075 in 2024. Their bargaining unit is MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Vanessa Emodi

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2025 total comp

$97,860

Sub-department: Compliance Legal Functions
Base pay: $97,860
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,860
Hire date: 2020-02-12
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Vanessa Emodi holds the role of Staff Attorney 1 at Human Services Department within Compliance Legal Functions. Hired in 2020, they have about 5 years of service as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $97,860. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Shirley Xiong

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2025 total comp

$92,609

Sub-department: Compliance Legal Functions
Base pay: $92,609
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $92,609
Hire date: 2020-10-26
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Shirley Xiong holds the role of Staff Attorney 1 at Human Services Department within Compliance Legal Functions. Their tenure dates to 2020, about 5 years as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $92,609. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Muna Omar

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2025 total comp

$89,205

Sub-department: Compliance Legal Functions
Base pay: $89,205
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $89,205
Hire date: 2021-09-15
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Muna Omar works as a Staff Attorney 1 for Human Services Department within Compliance Legal Functions. Hired in 2021, they have about 4 years of service as a full-time employee. Muna earned $89,205 in 2025. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Marissa Hill-Dongre

Staff Attorney 1/Human Services Department

2024 total comp

$45,029

Sub-department: DHS Immigration Services
Base pay: $44,629
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $45,029
Hire date: 2024-01-10
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 16
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2024: Yes
Agency Number: H55
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Marissa Hill-Dongre works as a Staff Attorney 1 for Human Services Department within DHS Immigration Services. Hired in 2024, they have under a year of service as a full-time employee. Marissa earned $45,029 in 2024. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.