Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified		Total USD ($)	Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] USD ($)		Additional Paid-In-Capital [Member] USD ($)	Retained Earnings [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Member] USD ($)	Class A Common Stock Held By Subsidiaries [Member] USD ($)	Total Lazard Ltd Stockholders' Equity [Member] USD ($)	Noncontrolling Interests [Member] USD ($)
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010		$ 796,117		$ 1,197		$ 758,841	$ 166,468	$ (46,158)	$ (227,950)	$ 652,398	$ 143,719
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010			22,021	119,697,937	[1]				6,847,508
Comprehensive income (loss):
NET INCOME		190,559					174,917			174,917	15,642
Other comprehensive loss - net of tax		(44,462)						(41,925)		(41,925)	(2,537)
Business acquisitions and related equity transactions:
Class A common stock issuable (including related amortization)		44,856				41,800				41,800	3,056
Conversion of Series A preferred stock into Class A common stock				24		(24)
Conversion of Series A preferred stock into Class A common stock (in shares)			(14,100)	2,434,561	[1]
Delivery of Class A common stock (including dividend-equivalents)		(3,401)				(126,812)			123,411	(3,401)
Delivery of Class A common stock (including dividend-equivalents) (in shares)									(3,515,362)
Amortization of share-based incentive compensation		275,142				260,816				260,816	14,326
Dividend-equivalents		(79)				12,092	(12,167)			(75)	(4)
Class A common stock dividends		(70,572)					(70,572)			(70,572)
Purchase of Class A common stock		(204,835)							(204,835)	(204,835)
Purchase of Class A common stock (in shares)									6,135,189
Delivery of Class A common stock in connection with share-based incentive compensation and related tax benefit and tax expense		(92,778)				(297,779)			204,992	(92,787)	9
Delivery of Class A common stock in connection with share-based incentive compensation and related tax benefit and tax expense (in shares)									(5,975,318)
Repurchase of common membership interests from LAZ-MD Holdings		(794)				(753)				(753)	(41)
Class A common stock issued in exchange for Lazard Group common membership interests				9		(9)
Class A common stock issued in exchange for Lazard Group common membership interests (in shares)	[1]			876,814
Adjustment related to the change in Lazard Ltd's ownership in Lazard Group		(1,580)				(1,580)				(1,580)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net		(21,317)									(21,317)
Adjustments related to noncontrolling interests						12,421		(281)		12,140	(12,140)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011		866,856		1,230		659,013	258,646	(88,364)	(104,382)	726,143	140,713
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011			7,921	123,009,312	[1]				3,492,017
Comprehensive income (loss):
NET INCOME		92,785					84,309			84,309	8,476
Other comprehensive loss - net of tax		(19,158)						(18,997)		(18,997)	(161)
Business acquisitions and related equity transactions:
Class A common stock issuable (including related amortization)		4,079				4,030				4,030	49
Delivery of Class A common stock (including dividend-equivalents)						(1,633)			1,633
Delivery of Class A common stock (including dividend-equivalents) (in shares)									(57,287)
Amortization of share-based incentive compensation		310,348				306,642				306,642	3,706
Dividend-equivalents		(212)				24,990	(25,200)			(210)	(2)
Class A common stock dividends		(135,108)					(135,108)			(135,108)
Purchase of Class A common stock		(354,464)							(354,464)	(354,464)
Purchase of Class A common stock (in shares)									12,817,196
Delivery of Class A common stock in connection with share-based incentive compensation and related tax benefit and tax expense		(45,855)				(153,274)			107,431	(45,843)	(12)
Delivery of Class A common stock in connection with share-based incentive compensation and related tax benefit and tax expense (in shares)									(3,448,988)
Class A common stock issued in exchange for Lazard Group common membership interests				52		(52)
Class A common stock issued in exchange for Lazard Group common membership interests (in shares)	[1]			5,207,112
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net		(26,026)									(26,026)
Adjustments related to noncontrolling interests						32,935		(3,180)		29,755	(29,755)
Modification of equity incentive compensation award		(26,922)				(26,601)				(26,601)	(321)
Deconsolidation of investment companies		(14,783)									(14,783)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012		651,540		1,282		846,050	182,647	(110,541)	(349,782)	569,656	81,884
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			7,921	128,216,424	[1]				12,802,938
Comprehensive income (loss):
NET INCOME		165,114					160,212			160,212	4,902
Other comprehensive loss - net of tax		(21,929)						(21,796)		(21,796)	(133)
Business acquisitions and related equity transactions:
Class A common stock issuable (including related amortization)		790				786				786	4
Delivery of Class A common stock (including dividend-equivalents)						(6,893)	(179)		7,072
Delivery of Class A common stock (including dividend-equivalents) (in shares)									(228,275)
Amortization of share-based incentive compensation		235,898				234,608				234,608	1,290
Dividend-equivalents		(290)				16,927	(17,215)			(288)	(2)
Class A common stock dividends		(121,620)					(121,620)			(121,620)
Purchase of Class A common stock		(132,477)							(132,477)	(132,477)
Purchase of Class A common stock (in shares)									3,488,101
Delivery of Class A common stock in connection with share-based incentive compensation and related tax benefit and tax expense		(132,493)				(357,858)	(609)		225,974	(132,493)
Delivery of Class A common stock in connection with share-based incentive compensation and related tax benefit and tax expense (in shares)									(7,745,699)
Class A common stock issued in exchange for Lazard Group common membership interests				9		(9)
Class A common stock issued in exchange for Lazard Group common membership interests (in shares)	[1]			839,658
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net		(13,535)									(13,535)
Adjustments related to noncontrolling interests		(1,000)				4,288		(667)		3,621	(4,621)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013		$ 629,998		$ 1,291		$ 737,899	$ 203,236	$ (133,004)	$ (249,213)	$ 560,209	$ 69,789
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013			7,921	129,056,082	[1]				8,317,065

[1] Includes 123,009,311, 128,216,423 and 129,056,081 shares of the Company's Class A common stock issued at December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, and 1 share of the Company's Class B common stock issued at each such date.