What Verdica's 796 score means for Marc Lazarus
Marc Lazarus's composite score of 796 out of 850 places him in the "strong" band (740–799), indicating above-average compliance and professional standing. This score reflects a provider with no significant red flags in regulatory records and a clean disciplinary history, but with some variance in practice profile metrics that prevents a rating in the "excellent" band (800–850).
A score in this range suggests that a legal provider has met core licensing and ethical requirements and has not attracted material disciplinary action. For a business owner or consumer evaluating this provider, a 796 means you are looking at someone whose bar record does not present obvious compliance risks. However, the gap between this score and the "excellent" threshold indicates there are dimensions—likely related to practice scope, specialization, or volume indicators—where the profile is solid but not exceptional.
This is the type of score where further diligence makes sense, but not because of warning signs. Rather, you would want to understand whether Lazarus's practice profile aligns with your specific legal needs, since the sub-scores show some divergence.
How the sub-scores break down
Bar Standing (790/850): This sub-score reflects Lazarus's current license status and compliance with bar admission requirements in DC. A score of 790 is very strong; it indicates an attorney in good standing with no active suspensions, disbarments, or license restrictions. The small gap from perfect suggests there may be minor administrative items (such as continuing legal education compliance status or current bar dues standing) that are tracked but do not materially undermine active practice. In the legal industry, bar standing is the baseline: without it, practice is impossible.
Disciplinary History (850/850): This is a perfect score, meaning Verdica's review of DC state bar disciplinary records found no history of sanctions, complaints, or enforcement actions against Lazarus. This is the strongest signal in his profile. Disciplinary records capture substantiated violations of ethics rules, malpractice findings, misuse of client funds, and conduct unrelated to his profession that would justify bar action. A perfect score here means regulators have not found evidence of these problems.
Practice Profile (700/850): This is the lowest sub-score and the primary reason Lazarus does not reach the "excellent" band. Practice profile metrics typically include factors such as years in practice, types of law practiced, client-facing volume, court appearances, and whether the attorney maintains active insurance or bonding. A score of 700 sits in the "acceptable" range and suggests his practice profile is ordinary—neither unusually extensive nor concerning, but not distinguished by depth, specialization, or scale indicators that regulators and insurers track. This does not mean his work is poor; it means the publicly available profile data does not signal exceptional range or reputation markers.
What regulators in DC track for legal providers
The DC Bar and similar state regulators maintain disciplinary records that capture formal complaints, ethics violations, and enforcement outcomes. These records typically document issues such as neglect of client matters, failure to communicate, mishandling of client funds, unauthorized practice, false statements, conflicts of interest, and violations of candor obligations. They also track licensing status, active versus inactive status, and restrictions on practice scope.
Practice history data sources include bar registration files, court records, and disciplinary case outcomes. Together, these create a compliance baseline: they answer whether an attorney is licensed, in good standing, and free from substantiated misconduct findings. Movement in a practice profile score can reflect changes in bar status, new disciplinary records, or updated registration data (such as practice location, areas of practice, or insurance filings). These measures help regulators and the public distinguish between established, active practitioners and those with compliance questions.
Bottom line
Lazarus presents a strong compliance profile with an unblemished disciplinary record and valid bar standing. Before engaging him, verify that his practice profile—indicated by his lower sub-score—matches your legal needs in terms of experience level, specialization, and practice type.