Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Statement Of Income And Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
NET INCOME	$ 124,916	$ 73,076	$ 215,742	$ 131,407
Currency translation adjustments:
Currency translation adjustments before reclassification	5,502	22,384	(14,241)	(28,362)
Adjustment for items reclassified to earnings	23,579		23,579
Employee benefit plans:
Actuarial gain (loss) (net of tax (benefit) expense of $(373) and $(169) for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $389 and $1,657 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively)	(1,477)	491	(412)	9,579
Adjustment for items reclassified to earnings (net of tax expense of $483 and $338 for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $864 and $676 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively)	1,458	1,615	2,794	3,510
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS), NET OF TAX	29,062	24,490	11,720	(15,273)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	153,978	97,566	227,462	116,134
LESS - COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	1,737	(383)	5,264	(6,073)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO LAZARD LTD	$ 152,241	$ 97,949	$ 222,198	$ 122,207