Exhibit 23(a)

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated June 2, 2005 relating to the financial statements, management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in Legg Mason, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2005. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report dated June 2, 2005 relating to the financial statement schedule, which appears in such Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LLP
Baltimore, Maryland
July 21, 2005