all attempts to acquire such information from the Bar’s Web site, and cease using improperly acquired information for any commercial purpose. Lawyer ratings Avvo presents ratings of lawyers that are included in its directory, based upon a proprietary algorithm. Avvo cautions users that a rating "is not an endorsement of any particular lawyer, and is not a guarantee of a lawyer's quality, competency, or character. Nor is the Avvo Rating a predictor of the outcome of any matter in which such lawyer is involved." Avvo's rating system has been criticized and has inspired some controversy. When sued by lawyers who object to the ratings, Avvo has successfully defended against the lawsuits by asserting that the ratings constitute a constitutionally protected opinion. Browne v. Avvo A lawsuit was filed on June 14, 2007, nine days after Avvo's launch, by Seattle attorneys, John Henry Browne and Alan Wenokur. The suit alleged that Avvo's rating system made false claims of being factual and was therefore deceptive and libelous and violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act. United States District Court Judge Robert Lasnik ruled that the rating system was only an opinion and was thus protected by the First Amendment right of free speech. The judge wrote, "Neither the nature of the information provided nor the language used on the Web site would lead a reasonable person to believe that the ratings are a statement of actual fact." After the ruling, an editorial in The Wall Street Journal endorsed the website for providing "at least some measure of transparency" of the legal profession. New Jersey The New Jersey State Bar Association sent an inquiry to the Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics asking if New Jersey attorneys may participate in certain online, non-lawyer, corporately owned services specifically naming Avvo and other online services. As a result of that inquiry, the Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics, Committee on Attorney Advertising, and Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law issued a joint opinion. The joint opinion stated that New Jersey attorneys may not participate in Avvo Legal services as it is against the rule of professional conduct. Doctor directory The doctor directory launched on November 1, 2010. Avvo's health business was sold to HealthTap on November 29, 2012. Security incidents In 2022 evidence appeared that Avvo.com had suffered a breach, exposing the email addresses of 4 million accounts. References External links Browne et al. v. Avvo Inc