New York has become the latest state to target attorney match service Avvo Inc. for ethical violations.

A new bar association ethics opinion says a lawyer paying Avvo's marketing fee to participate in its legal services program is making an improper payment for a recommendation, in violation of state ethics rules. The New York State Bar Association released the opinion by its committee on professional ethics on Wednesday.

While the state bar's ethics opinions are advisory only, they are widely read and followed.