Ratings And Profiles Will Include All Attorneys in the States
Seattle, Wash — Avvo, Inc. (www.avvo.com), the only free website that empowers consumers to handle their legal matters with confidence, announced today that it has expanded its Avvo Ratings and Avvo Profiles to include every attorney in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin. The new ratings and profiles are immediately available for consumers to view and for lawyers to claim and update for free. Avvo is now available in 15 states and the District of Columbia, and covers approximately 70 percent of licensed attorneys across the country.
Avvo offers consumers more information and better guidance regarding lawyers and legal issues than has previously been available in one place. Avvo rates and profiles every lawyer, with Avvo Profiles including attorneys’ practice areas, work experience, industry recognition, and disciplinary sanctions. Avvo also aggregates and displays client reviews submitted by consumers and peer reviews submitted by attorneys.
Avvo also offers Avvo Answers, a free question and answer forum where people can ask attorneys – anonymously if desired – any legal question and attorneys can provide a personalized answer. Each answer is accompanied by an attorney’s picture and a link to his or her Avvo Profile and contact information. Since its launch in December 2007, Avvo Answers has received thousands of consumer questions with a roughly 90 percent response rate from attorneys.
Attorneys can claim their Avvo Profiles for free individually or via Avvo’s “Firm Claim” feature, which allows multi-lawyer law firms to claim their lawyers’ profiles in one easy step. After claiming their profiles, attorneys or their administrators can update the Avvo Profiles with as much information as they want, as often as they want. They can also endorse other lawyers and participate in Avvo Answers. Claiming an Avvo Profile enables attorneys to further enhance their visibility and reputation online to attract new clients.
“Consumers are increasingly using the Internet and its new user-friendly technologies to research their legal situations, in particular which lawyer to hire – and this trend is quickly impacting the legal marketplace,” said Mark Britton, Avvo CEO and a 16-year attorney who was previously general counsel at Expedia.com. “Avvo makes it easy for lawyers to take advantage of this shift by giving every lawyer a free online presence where they can showcase their work and attract new clients.”
“I look forward to prospective Michigan estate planning and elder law clients being able to find me on Avvo,” said David L. Carrier, founding principal of the Law Offices of David L. Carrier, P.C. in Grand Rapids, Michigan law firm and host of The David Carrier Radio Program – The Answer Show for Grown-Ups on Newsradio WOOD 1300 AM, AM 1230 WTKG, and Holland’s Hometown Station WHTC AM 1450.
“”Y’know, the best advice and the worst advice comes from your family and friends – especially when it comes to legal matters. So, when Uncle George’s legal opinions sound nutty, consumers can go to Avvo for a real lawyer’s take on it. In my practice and through my top-rated radio shows, we’re leading the way for regular folks to get the high-end legal info they need. Working with Avvo makes our team even more effective in serving ‘the rest of us.'”
About Avvo
Avvo is the only free website that empowers consumers to handle their legal matters with confidence. Avvo rates and profiles every lawyer to help consumers choose the right lawyer, and also offers client reviews, peer endorsements, attorney disciplinary records, and a question and answer forum (“Avvo Answers”) where consumers can anonymously ask attorneys any legal question and receive personalized answers. Avvo gives every attorney a free online profile and an opportunity to give and receive peer endorsements. The website currently includes profiles and ratings on every licensed attorney in Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas Washington and Wisconsin, and will be adding more states throughout 2008. Founded in early 2006, Avvo is privately held, with funding from private investors, Benchmark Capital and Ignition Partners. For more information, visit www.avvo.com.
