Avvo Criminal Defense

Overview

Avvo is the largest online legal marketplace in the United States, featuring ratings and reviews for over 97% of all lawyers in the country. Avvo's criminal defense section allows defendants to search for attorneys by location and specific charge type, compare lawyer ratings on a 1-10 scale based on experience, industry recognition, and professional conduct, and read client reviews. The platform also offers Avvo Advisor, a service that connects users with criminal defense attorneys for brief paid consultations. Avvo's Q&A section allows users to ask criminal law questions and receive free answers from practicing defense attorneys.

Strengths

• +Rates over 97% of all U.S. lawyers — most comprehensive attorney database available
• +Proprietary 1-10 rating system based on experience, recognition, and conduct
• +Free Q&A section where defense attorneys answer criminal law questions
• +Client reviews provide real defendant experiences with specific attorneys
• +Avvo Advisor offers affordable brief consultations with defense lawyers

Considerations

• -Rating algorithm is proprietary — exact weighting factors are not transparent
• -Some attorney profiles are claimed and optimized while others are basic auto-generated listings
• -Avvo Advisor consultations are brief and may not provide in-depth case analysis
• -Sponsored listings and advertising may influence search result positioning

Best For

• *Person arrested for drug possession who wants to quickly compare defense attorneys in their area by rating
• *Defendant with a specific legal question who wants a free answer from a practicing criminal defense attorney
• *Individual seeking a brief paid consultation to understand their options before committing to full representation