Lawyers get it, too

There are ratings and rankings of doctors, real-estate agents, car dealers, builders of buildings, business executives and other professions.

But wouldn't you know that a Web site rating lawyers would trigger a lawsuit against the alleged injustice of it all? How silly. The lawyers' ratings are just as much opinion as many of the other listings.

That didn't stop Seattle lawyers John Henry Browne and Alan Wenokur from suing Avvo.com, which promises "free ratings for every lawyer so you can choose the right lawyer." The two attorneys said Avvo.com was engaging in unfair and deceptive practices by falsely claiming to be objective, reliable and factual.

Fortunately for consumers and other supporters of free speech, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik dismissed the case. He ruled the site's rankings were clear examples of opinion — free speech protected by the First Amendment.

Lasnik said Avvo.com doesn't pretend its information is something beyond subjective and advisory and does not violate the Washington Consumer Protection Act.

Lasnik's ruling makes a ton of sense. Are lawyers a dramatically different breed than doctors or business owners or electricians? The public has a free-speech right to the information provided by magazines, newspapers and on a variety of Web sites.

Avvo.com CEO Mark Britton said the ruling means the site will continue to expand research and ratings but has turned off numerical ratings for most lawyers, opting instead to provide a more generalized rating.

Just because lawyers' feelings are hurt by a less than favorable rating doesn't mean free speech and the sharing of information should be diminished. A cherished constitutional right has to be protected.