Tennessee / Public Defenders Conference / Assistant Public Defender

Job-title file

Assistant Public Defender

Provide administrative support — record-keeping, scheduling, correspondence, and customer service.

288 employees hold this title in Public Defenders Conference. Median total compensation for the role is $133,236, above the department median of $106,596.

Employees: 288
Total payroll: $38M
Role median: $133,236
Agency median: $106,596
Comparison: Above

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$34,320$185,724+

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

How total compensation varies among the 288 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.

Compared with the local labor market

Assistant Public Defender pay vs. Tennessee

Across all employers in Tennessee, the median wage for Lawyers — about 9,010 people — is $136,180. Public Defenders Conference pays a median base salary of $133,236 for this role, 2% below that figure — about the 48th percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where Public Defenders Conference sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$76,510

$98,750

$136,180

$198,470

$324,880

Public Defenders Conference median · $133,236

The bar is the range of annual wages for Lawyers across every employer in Tennessee, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows Public Defenders Conference’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

And across the country

Nationwide, the median wage for Lawyers — about 754,500 people — is $159,670. Public Defenders Conference’s median base salary is 17% below that national figure, about the 38th percentile of pay for the occupation nationally.

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$78,360

$102,990

$159,670

$221,370

$351,600

Public Defenders Conference median · $133,236

Local and national wages differ for reasons beyond how well a job pays — cost of living, the mix of employers, and local demand for the occupation all move the Tennessee range relative to the national one.

Median total compensation for this role at Public Defenders Conference is $133,236, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Compare jurisdictions

Assistant Public Defender beyond Tennessee

This role is reported in 6 jurisdictions. In Tennessee, the median of $133,236 ranks #2 of 6. See Assistant Public Defender across all of Tennessee →

Highest-paying jurisdictions for this role

$513,588 · 8

$63,121 · 579

$54,640 · 267

$37,440 · 35

Cook County, Illinois

$26,404 · 508

Median total compensation for comparable Assistant Public Defenderroles 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

Colby Collins

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-03-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 340566

Colby Collins holds the role of Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-03-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $102,084.

Thomas Palombo

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-16-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Clark Dominic

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 669420

At Public Defenders Conference, Thomas Palombo serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-16-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $102,084.

Andrea Sims

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-26-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 567381

Andrea Sims works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-26-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Andrea earned $102,084 in 2026.

Sarah Willis

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-01-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Elaine

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 717435

Sarah Willis is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-01-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $102,084.

Summer Brashears

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-16-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Star

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 444619

At Public Defenders Conference, Summer Brashears serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-16-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $102,084.

James Clemmons

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-15-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: N

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 551722

James Clemmons works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-15-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. James earned $102,084 in 2026.

Alaina Tolbert

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-06-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 657162

Alaina Tolbert is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-06-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $102,084.

Jeremy Richards

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$102,084

Sub-department: JD-10-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $102,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,084
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,507
Employee ID: 629410

Jeremy Richards is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-10-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $102,084.

Anthony Bruner

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-21-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 549691

Anthony Bruner works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-21-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Anthony earned $97,596 in 2026.

Jessica Butler

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: Appellate Division
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: F

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 546524

At Public Defenders Conference, Jessica Butler serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Appellate Division. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $97,596.

Skye Mcginley

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-21-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 720438

Skye Mcginley holds the role of Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-21-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $97,596.

Shonda Duncan

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-08-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 586517

Shonda Duncan works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-08-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Shonda earned $97,596 in 2026.

Margaret Greenway

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-06-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 543796

At Public Defenders Conference, Margaret Greenway serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-06-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $97,596.

Kaylee Houston

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-24-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: N

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 529538

At Public Defenders Conference, Kaylee Houston serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-24-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $97,596.

Linda Morrison

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-18-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Q

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 552954

Linda Morrison is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-18-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $97,596.

Whitney Trujillo

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-06-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Paige

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 603630

Whitney Trujillo is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-06-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $97,596.

Bradford Wood

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$97,596

Sub-department: JD-13-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $97,596
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,596
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Glenn

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $8,133
Employee ID: 664556

Bradford Wood is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-13-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $97,596.