Why do lawyers and law firms participate on Avvo answers?

I became a lawyer to help people access equal justice. Most what I do in my career is provide information. I whole heartedly support AVVO.com as the audience is for consumers to have access to who is who in the legal community. It is invaluable. Most of my clients have already used AVVO.com in researching areas of law they are not familiar. My clients value Avvo.com and I enjoy answering questions. This is a tremendous opportunity to have people have access to legal community. Hope that helps you out.

In the mid 1800's some lawyers started to print their names and areas of practice on envelopes used for mail. It was referred to as "advertising" and considered shocking and unethical. Soon many lawyers were doing the same.
In the 1960's, some bar associations (like Oregon's) protected the profession by making the minimum (not maximum) fees charged part of the ethical rules. The Federal Trade Commission sued on restraint of trade theories and the bar associations repealed these ethical rules.
In the early 1970's, bar associations fought vigorously against any legal advertising in the media. Advertising was unseemly and implied that lawyers needed to compete like tradesmen. The courts intervened under freedom of commercial speech theories. Today, lawyers are giving free legal information on the Internet. Isn't it simply shocking?
The answer to the question - Why do it? - is this: TO KEEP UP WITH THE COMPETITION. Times change.

Personally, I just enjoy discussing the law and offering my own analysis of different situations. I write books and articles and a daily newsletter all concerned with insurance and negligence law, so I guess I just like to write. My own clientele consists of insurance companies and self-insured corporations, so I'm not really looking for business here. And if I can help somebody out, that's just another penny in the good karma box.