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Rating Attorneys with Avvo.com July 20, 2007

Posted by atharkhan in : Personal, Review, Tech , trackback

I came across Avvo (www.avvo.com) and thought it was an interesting concept. The site calculates a “rating” for attorneys based on an algorithm. This calculation starts out with publicly available information and determines a baseline number. Then, ratings and reviews from clients and peers are factored in.

Although I am a wholehearted fan of mass collaboration to create an ever-evoving body of knowledge, I am not sure if this particular implementation/embodiment of the concept will be helpful for a potential client in the long run. I can’t imagine established attorneys (who have enough to do already) paying much attention to a site like this. On the other hand, an attorney with a smaller practice may have a greater incentive to increase his/her prominence through this site. One seemingly easy method of manipulating the site would be to ask one’s peers for endorsements in exchange for the same. Given that (wholly subjective) assumption, a solo attorney could easily gain a greater rating than a more experienced and established attorney. One has to wonder whether the algorithm is sophisticated enough to compensate for any potential manipulation.

If the algorithm were indeed susceptible to manipulation, wouldn’t a consumer be misled by the ratings and endorsements? Of course, these are my opinions based on a cursory navigation of the site. I am interested to hear your thoughts and opinions on the topic. Do you think that a lawyer rating system is worthwhile? Would it help a client or mislead them?

Comments»

1. Conrad - July 20, 2007

Athar,

Thanks for the review of Avvo. We take the issue of manipulating Avvo very seriously. With regards to lawyer endorsements, we believe that recognition by peers in the legal community is one indicator of quality and therefore include it in the rating calculation. Additionally, we have a small team of attorneys who are dedicated to monitoring lawyer submitted content to combat manipulation and false information. Thanks for the post and keep your eyes on Avvo.

-Conrad from Avvo