Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details) (Legg Mason, Inc., USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013
Amortizable asset management contracts
Intangible assets
Cost	$ 207,658	$ 208,651
Accumulated amortization	(192,579)	(186,324)
Total	15,079	22,327
U.S. domestic mutual fund management contracts
Intangible assets
Indefinite-life Intangible Assets	2,106,351	2,106,351
Permal/Fauchier funds-of-hedge fund management contracts
Intangible assets
Indefinite-life Intangible Assets	692,133	692,133
Other fund management contracts
Intangible assets
Indefinite-life Intangible Assets	304,353	303,951
Trade names
Intangible assets
Indefinite-life Intangible Assets	52,800	52,800
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets
Intangible assets
Indefinite-life Intangible Assets	3,155,637	3,155,235
Intangible assets, net	$ 3,170,716	$ 3,177,562

Name:	lm_FiniteLivedAndIndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	lm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16212-109274

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph ((a)(1),(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant