Finding the right lawyer shouldn’t feel like a second job. The Avvo Rating is a 1–10 score that helps guide your search by condensing a lawyer’s professional history into a single, easy-to-read number.
Why it matters to you
- Not for sale: Lawyers cannot pay for a better rating. The score is based on professional information, not advertising spend.
- Built on real records: The rating pulls together state bar records, licensing data, peer endorsements, and disciplinary history in one place.
- Level playing field: Every attorney is evaluated using the same core factors, making it easy for you to compare.
How we keep it fair
The Avvo Rating is generated by an automated algorithm that weighs objective information about an attorney’s background. We don’t disclose the formula behind the algorithm for a reason: the rating system is built to resist gaming. Much like a search engine, we keep the exact methodology confidential so no one can reverse-engineer their way to a higher score.
The scoring model was developed with input from hundreds of attorneys, thousands of consumers, and other legal professionals. While we don’t publish the underlying calculations, every factor that influences the score is visible on the attorney’s profile, and ratings automatically update as new information arrives.
Frequently asked questions
How can the Avvo Rating help me find the right attorney?
- The Avvo Rating is a tool to support your research, but it’s not the only thing you should rely on when choosing a lawyer.
- It’s free to use and gives you quick access to background information at no cost.
- It works alongside client reviews, Avvo’s free legal Q&A, and Legal Guides that attorneys publish on their profiles to help you get a more complete picture before you decide who to contact.
- If a friend recommends an attorney, you can look up that attorney on Avvo, check the rating, read reviews, and see any disciplinary history before you reach out.
What goes into the Avvo Rating (and what doesn’t)?
Factors that can influence the rating include:
- Years of experience
- Education and training
- Professional achievements, such as awards, publications, and speaking engagements
- Peer endorsements from other attorneys
- Disciplinary history and ethical sanctions from state bar associations
At the same time, there are important things the Avvo Rating doesn’t measure:
- It doesn’t evaluate an attorney’s personality or communication style.
- It doesn’t predict legal outcomes or guarantee how your case will turn out.
- It doesn’t directly measure client satisfaction, which is instead reflected in reviews on the profile.
What do the rating numbers mean?
We use a simple 1–10 scale, with labels to help you quickly interpret each score.
| 10.0 – 9.0 | Superb |
| 8.9 – 8.0 | Excellent |
| 7.9 – 7.0 | Very Good |
| 6.9 – 6.0 | Good |
| 5.9 – 5.0 | Average |
| 4.9 – 4.0 | Concern |
| 3.9 – 3.0 | Caution |
| 2.9 – 2.0 | Strong Caution |
| 1.9 – 1.0 | Extreme Caution |
These categories are meant to give you a fast, intuitive way to gauge an attorney’s background and professional track record. You can then click into the profile to understand why the rating falls in a particular range.
Why doesn’t every lawyer have an Avvo Rating?
We don’t provide a numerical rating for an attorney until they have claimed their profile. In some situations, such as when an attorney is serving as a public official or not seeking clients, we may also not display a rating.
Do lawyers have to pay to have an Avvo Rating?
No. We create profiles for licensed attorneys that we can locate and display a rating for lawyers who claim their profile, at no cost to the attorney. Advertising or paid services on Avvo don’t affect the rating, and lawyers cannot pay to raise their score.
Is the Avvo Rating the only thing I should look at?
No. The rating is best used as one piece of your overall research. You should also read client reviews, check out peer endorsements, review the attorney’s practice focus, and consider your own impressions from talking with an attorney.
What if the information on a lawyer’s profile seems incomplete?
The rating is only as complete as the information we’ve collected, plus what the attorney has provided. If the profile looks thin, it may simply be that the attorney has not yet added all of their experience, in which case the rating might not fully reflect their background.