Avvo
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|
|
Type of site
|
Legal Services |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 5, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Founder(s) | Mark Britton Sendi Widjaja |
| Industry | Internet |
| Slogan(s) | Legal. Easier. |
| Website | http://www.avvo.com |
Avvo.com is an online legal services marketplace which provides lawyer referrals and access to a database of legal information consisting of previously answered questions, with information that includes client reviews, disciplinary actions, peer endorsements, and lawyer-submitted legal guides.
Avvo has developed a rating scale for lawyers based upon a proprietary algorithm, though it has been criticized. A lawsuit filed against the company alleged it was a "scam" and libelous, though this was later dismissed based on the First Amendment protection of free speech.
Avvo was founded in Seattle, Washington in 2006 by Mark Britton, a former legal counsel for Expedia, Inc. Britton said he developed the idea while vacationing in Italy and was still receiving inquires from friends and colleagues seeking legal advice. Rich Barton, the founder of the Expedia, Inc. and real-estate database Zillow.com, was a key advisor during the initial ideation stages and still serves on the board of directors. Avvo was derived from “avvocato”, the Italian word for lawyer.
The company was initially financed with $13 million in venture capital from Benchmark Capital and Ignition Partners. Subsequently, Avvo raised $71.5 million in financing in 2015, which brings the company's total financing to $132 million.
Avvo generates revenue by selling legal services, advertising, and other services primarily to lawyers. Avvo operates as a scraper site to generate its lawyer listing pages causing the District of Columbia Bar Association to specifically object to its business practices. An additional source of revenue for Avvo is through a $49.95/mo subscription service called "Avvo Pro" which allows lawyers to remove advertisements from their profile, including advertisements by competing lawyers which may appear on non-"Avvo Pro" lawyer profiles.
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