Since its founding in 1899 in Baltimore, Maryland, Legg Mason has evolved into one of the largest asset management firms in the world, serving individual and institutional investors on six continents.

Today's Legg Mason is a diversified group of global Asset Management firms ("affiliates") who are recognized for their proven investment expertise and long-term performance. The principal investment affiliates of Legg Mason are among the industry leaders in their respective areas of specialization, with unique investment approaches that have been developed over decades. The distinctive Legg Mason “multi-affiliate” business model provides clients with a broad spectrum of Equity, Fixed Income, Liquidity and Alternatives solutions, from mutual funds to college savings plans to variable annuities to separately managed accounts.

Legg Mason affiliates operate with investment autonomy, with each affiliate pursuing its own unique investment philosophy and process and maintaining its own investment culture, in order to create sustainable value for its clients. Legg Mason provides global distribution and invests in growth through core strategic services including capital allocation for product development, investing in our existing affiliates and making new acquisitions.

The diversification and balance of Legg Mason have fueled the company’s performance over its twenty-seven year history as a public company. Legg Mason is one of the largest asset managers in the world, with assets under management of $621 billion as of November 30, 2011.