What Verdica's 796 score means for Daniel Shawn Pickens
Daniel Shawn Pickens in Delaware receives a composite score of 796 out of 850, placing him in the "strong" band (740–799). This score reflects a legal provider with solid regulatory standing and a clean disciplinary record, supported by a moderately developed practice profile.
A score in this range signals that a provider has met or exceeded baseline compliance expectations and presents lower regulatory risk compared to the general population of legal professionals. For someone evaluating whether to work with or refer to this provider, a 796 score suggests reasonable confidence in their standing with state regulators. However, the score is not in the top tier (800–850, "excellent"), meaning there is room for improvement or areas where the practice footprint could be stronger. Readers should interpret this as a qualified endorsement based on available regulatory data, not a guarantee of performance or outcome quality.
How the sub-scores break down
Bar Standing (790/850): This sub-score measures whether the provider maintains an active, unrestricted license and has no pending licensing actions. A score of 790 indicates very strong bar standing—the provider is in good regulatory standing and has not triggered licensing concerns. In the legal industry, this is a baseline requirement; any material drop in this score would signal suspension, probation, or license restrictions.
Disciplinary History (850/850): This is a perfect score, meaning no disciplinary findings, complaints, or sanctions appear in Delaware's bar records. A maximum disciplinary score reflects a clean regulatory history. In practice, this indicates the provider has not been the subject of formal complaints, ethics violations, or sanctions that would be logged by the state bar. This is the strongest possible marker for regulatory compliance.
Practice Profile (700/850): This sub-score assesses the breadth, consistency, and documentation of the provider's practice history as reported to regulators. A score of 700 sits in the acceptable range and suggests a documented practice, but with less extensive or visible credentials compared to highly established practices. This might reflect a smaller practice footprint, a newer admission, or limited public practice records. It does not imply misconduct; rather, it indicates a less prominent or visible professional presence based on available regulatory filings.
What regulators in DE track for legal providers
Delaware's bar disciplinary system, overseen by the Delaware Supreme Court, maintains records on lawyer licensing, conduct violations, and ethics complaints. Verdica draws from these records to assess regulatory risk.
Key factors that move scores up or down include:
- License status: Active, inactive, suspended, or revoked status directly influences the bar standing sub-score.
- Disciplinary actions: Formal complaints, ethics violations (such as neglect, dishonesty, misuse of client funds, or unauthorized practice), and sanctions appear in disciplinary history. Any finding results in a lower score.
- Practice documentation: Regulators track reported areas of practice, firm affiliation, continuing legal education compliance, and professional history. Practitioners with deeper documented records score higher in the practice profile dimension.
- Complaint and sanction severity: Minor violations may result in warnings; major violations trigger suspension or disbarment. Verdica's methodology weights these distinctions.
The state bar does not routinely track individual case outcomes, client satisfaction, or financial performance—only regulatory compliance, licensing, and formal disciplinary actions.
Bottom line
Daniel Shawn Pickens scores in the strong range with an excellent disciplinary record and solid bar standing, making him a lower-risk choice based on regulatory data. Anyone considering engagement should verify that his practice profile aligns with their specific legal needs, since the practice profile score suggests a less extensive documented footprint, and should always conduct independent reference checks and fee discussions before proceeding.