Lawyers ratings site wins in court
December 20, 2007
Controversial US lawyer rating site Avvo has won a significant legal victory, which will help to safeguard solicitor negligence cases being publicised online.
The site, on which those who have suffered from poor legal advice and solicitor negligence can write about their experiences, has had a class action lawsuit brought against it dismissed.
Lawyer John Browne, who practices in Seattle, complained to the city's District Court after being negatively portrayed on the site - which has now been dismissed.
Avvo was launched in the US earlier this year, amid much resistance and concern from legal practitioners.
Lawyer ratings websites on the scale of Avvo have no equivalent in the UK - but their wider adoption internationally could have a significant effect on how solicitor negligence is punished.
Through their use, shoddy legal advice and malpractice could not just be subjected to censure from industry regulator the Law Society - but could now face client loss through their solicitor negligence being publicised online.