What Verdica's 796 score means for Craig Shirley
Craig Shirley's composite score of 796 out of 850 places him in the "strong" band (740–799), indicating a legal provider with a solid compliance record and established practice history. This score reflects data aggregated from California state bar disciplinary records and professional practice documentation—the official sources regulators use to assess attorney standing.
A score of 796 means Shirley meets or exceeds baseline compliance expectations and shows low regulatory risk relative to peers in the same jurisdiction. However, the score is not in the "excellent" band (800–850), which suggests there are minor or moderate findings in one or more compliance dimensions. For someone considering engagement, a strong-band score typically warrants normal due diligence rather than heightened scrutiny, though the specific sub-score breakdown should inform the final decision.
How the sub-scores break down
Bar Standing (790): This score reflects Shirley's current licensing status, good standing requirements, and any records of sanctions, suspensions, or restrictions on practice. A score of 790 is strong but not perfect. In the legal industry, this dimension often captures whether an attorney is in active, good standing with their state bar, whether there are any limitations on practice scope, and whether there are historical records of license suspension or reinstatement. A score this high indicates no current license restrictions, though it leaves room for minor historical issues or resolved matters that did not result in permanent revocation.
Disciplinary History (850): This is a perfect score, the highest possible in this dimension. Disciplinary history tracks formal complaints, ethics violations, malpractice findings, or conduct violations reported to the state bar. A perfect 850 means no substantiated disciplinary actions, complaints, or ethics violations appear in the indexed state bar record. This is a strong indicator of compliance with professional conduct rules.
Practice Profile (700): This is the lowest of the three sub-scores, though it remains in acceptable territory. Practice profile typically reflects the breadth and consistency of an attorney's work history, client base, area of law, and continuity of practice as recorded in state bar data. A score of 700 may indicate a narrower practice focus, recent entry into a particular practice area, limited transparency in available practice history records, or other factors that create lower clarity on professional scope. This does not signal misconduct—it reflects data completeness and practice diversity.
What regulators in CA track for legal providers
The State Bar of California maintains disciplinary records on all licensed attorneys, tracking formal complaints from clients, opposing counsel, or self-reports. Infractions can range from minor ethics violations (fee disputes, communication failures) to serious misconduct (fraud, misappropriation of funds, substance abuse affecting practice). The bar also monitors licensing status, bar exam passage, continuing education compliance, and any conditions imposed by the bar.
Practice history data includes information on areas of practice, office locations, firm affiliations, and work history as reported during licensing and renewal. Regulators use this data to assess consistency, tenure in the profession, and transparency. Scores in this dimension may be affected by gaps in practice history, frequent location changes, or entry into a new practice area where history is limited.
California's disciplinary records are public. The bar publishes decisions on serious matters and maintains a searchable database of attorney status. Verdica indexes this official data to compute compliance scores.
Bottom line
Shirley's 796 score suggests a strong, low-risk legal provider with a clean disciplinary record and established standing. However, the comparatively lower practice profile score warrants a quick review of his specific practice areas and background to confirm alignment with your needs. Review his official State Bar profile and verify references before engagement, as you would for any provider.