Avvo.com is an American online marketplace for legal services. It provides lawyer referrals and access to a database of legal information consisting primarily of previously answered questions. Lawyer profiles include client reviews, disciplinary actions, peer endorsements, and lawyer-submitted legal guides.
History
Avvo was founded in Seattle, Washington in 2006 by Mark Britton, a former legal counsel for Expedia, Inc. and Paul Bloom. 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.[3]
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.[4]