What Verdica's 796 score means for Marc L. Shapiro
Marc L. Shapiro's composite score of 796 out of 850 places him in the "strong" performance band (740–799). This score reflects a legal provider with solid regulatory standing and a clean disciplinary record, but with room for growth in certain practice dimensions.
A score in the strong band signals that Verdica's underlying data—drawn from Connecticut state bar records and practice history—shows no significant red flags. The provider meets baseline regulatory expectations and demonstrates consistent professional conduct. However, it falls short of the "excellent" threshold (800–850), which typically reflects either exceptional longevity, specialized credentials, or exceptionally robust practice metrics.
For a business owner or consumer evaluating legal services, a 796 score suggests a provider worth serious consideration. It indicates lower regulatory risk compared to the general population, though it's not a guarantee of service quality or fit for your specific legal need. You should still conduct independent due diligence—checking references, discussing scope and fees, and confirming expertise in your area of law.
How the sub-scores break down
Bar Standing (790/850): This sub-score reflects Shapiro's current licensing status and standing with the Connecticut bar. A score of 790 is strong and indicates the provider is in good regulatory standing—licensed to practice and not under suspension or restriction. Bar standing scores decline when a provider faces active bar complaints, licensing restrictions, or conditions on their practice. A 790 here means no major barriers to licensure.
Disciplinary History (850/850): This is a perfect score, indicating no substantiated disciplinary findings in Verdica's indexed Connecticut bar disciplinary records. Disciplinary history captures past complaints, sanctions, or ethical violations upheld by the state bar. A perfect 850 means there is no record of formal disciplinary action—a strong signal of consistent compliance with professional conduct rules.
Practice Profile (700/850): This sub-score is the lowest of the three and reflects available data on practice history, experience, credentials, or scope documentation. A score of 700 (in the "acceptable" range) suggests that while Shapiro's practice profile is documented and verifiable, it may lack the depth, specialization, or additional credentials that would elevate it further. Practice profile scores can be affected by years in practice, verified specializations, active licenses in multiple jurisdictions, or other public indicators of expertise and scope.
The gap between the disciplinary score (perfect) and the practice profile score (acceptable) is typical: it shows a provider with clean conduct who may be earlier in practice, narrower in scope, or without additional certifications that would broaden market profile.
What regulators in CT track for legal providers
Connecticut's state bar—the Connecticut Bar Association and the state's disciplinary counsel—maintains records on attorney conduct, licensing, and professional responsibility. Verdica indexes disciplinary records and practice history to assess regulatory risk.
Regulators track infractions including misappropriation of client funds, false statements to the bar, conflicts of interest, neglect of client matters, and violations of professional conduct rules. They also monitor licensing status, continuing legal education compliance, and any conditions or restrictions on practice.
Practice history data includes admission dates, any secondary bar admissions, and documented specializations or certifications. These measures help differentiate between providers with breadth of experience versus those with emerging or narrow practices.
Scores move up with clean records, longevity, and verified expertise. They move down with substantiated complaints, disciplinary findings, or licensing flags—even if later dismissed or resolved.
Bottom line
Shapiro's 796 score indicates a compliance-safe provider with no disciplinary history but a practice profile that is solid rather than exceptional. For routine to standard legal matters, this score suggests acceptable risk. If considering engagement, verify his specific expertise matches your legal need and confirm client references independently.