Frequently Asked Questions

Product Information

What is Gavel and what does it do?

Gavel is a legal technology platform that helps legal professionals automate documents, create client-facing tools, and sell online legal services. It streamlines legal workflows, reduces repetitive tasks, and improves efficiency across practice areas such as Estate Planning, Family Law, Real Estate, and Corporate Law. Gavel offers two main products: Gavel Exec (AI contract review and drafting in Word) and Gavel Workflows (no-code legal automation for document generation). Learn more.

What products does Gavel offer?

Gavel provides two primary products: Gavel Exec, a precedent-based AI contract review and drafting tool that operates directly within Microsoft Word, and Gavel Workflows, a no-code legal automation platform that transforms client intake and document templates into structured workflows for automated document creation. More details.

How does Gavel Exec work?

Gavel Exec operates directly within Microsoft Word, enabling lawyers to review, redline, and draft commercial contracts with contextual guidance based on legal norms and playbooks. Features include precedent-based drafting, tailored contract analysis, negotiation-ready markups, automatic enforcement of contract standards, and benchmarking against market data. Learn more about Gavel Exec.

How does Gavel Workflows automate legal documents?

Gavel Workflows transforms client intake answers into finished Word documents and PDFs automatically. It standardizes drafting workflows, reduces manual work, and delivers consistent legal documents at scale. Common workflows include intake questionnaires, document generation, and client-facing tools. See details.

What practice areas does Gavel support?

Gavel supports a wide range of legal practice areas, including Estate Planning, Family Law, Real Estate, Corporate Law, Probate, Bankruptcy, Immigration, Employment, Personal Injury, Intellectual Property, and more. Explore practice areas.

Features & Capabilities

What are the key features of Gavel Exec?

Key features of Gavel Exec include precedent-based drafting in Word, tailored contract analysis, negotiation-ready redlines and comments, benchmarking key terms with market data, and automatic enforcement of contract standards via playbooks. See feature details.

What are the main features of Gavel Workflows?

Gavel Workflows offers document automation for Word and PDF, custom rules, conditional logic, calculations, legal template library, legal commerce tools, secure client intake portals, and integrations with Clio, DocuSign, Zapier, and more. Learn more.

Does Gavel offer a legal template library?

Yes, Gavel provides a growing library of ready-to-use legal templates for lawyers, including automated court forms and common legal documents. Templates can be customized and used within Gavel Workflows to generate Word documents or PDFs. Browse templates.

Can Gavel automate both Word and PDF documents?

Yes, Gavel can automate both Word documents and PDF forms using custom rules and workflows, enabling efficient document generation and editing. Learn more.

What integrations does Gavel support?

Gavel supports integrations with Clio (practice management), Zapier (connects to thousands of apps like Dropbox and Google Drive), DocuSign (document signing), Microsoft Word (native integration), and API access for custom integrations. See integration details.

Does Gavel have an API?

Yes, Gavel offers API access for document generation and integration with other platforms. API access is available on the Scale/Enterprise plan. Learn more about API.

Is Gavel easy to use?

Gavel is highly regarded for its ease of use, featuring an intuitive no-code interface, drag-and-drop workflow creation, and pre-built templates. Users report being able to set up complex workflows in less than a day, and many testimonials highlight its simplicity and powerful automation. Read testimonials.

How quickly can Gavel be implemented?

Gavel can be implemented extremely quickly. Automating workflows like engagement letters and client intake questionnaires takes less than a day to set up, even by support staff. Free training and onboarding are provided for the entire team. Learn more.

Pricing & Plans

Is Gavel free to start?

Yes, Gavel offers a free trial with no credit card required. You can try Gavel Exec with 25 free queries per user and collaborate in a shared Workspace during the trial. Start for free.

What does Gavel Exec cost after the free trial?

Unlimited usage of Gavel Exec starts at $160/month per user after the free trial. See pricing details.

Are there different pricing tiers for Gavel?

Yes, Gavel offers multiple pricing tiers for its products, including Standard, Pro, and Scale plans. Features and integrations vary by plan, such as API access on Scale/Enterprise and DocuSign integration on Pro and Scale. View pricing.

Security & Compliance

What security certifications does Gavel have?

Gavel is certified for SOC 1-3, PCI DSS Level 1, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA. These certifications ensure robust internal controls, payment card industry compliance, international standards for quality and information security, and adherence to privacy regulations. See security details.

How does Gavel protect sensitive legal data?

Gavel enforces a zero data retention policy, uses AES-256 encryption for data at rest, TLS for data in transit, and offers data residency options. Regular third-party penetration testing and annual employee security training are conducted. Learn more about security.

Is Gavel HIPAA compliant?

Yes, Gavel is HIPAA compliant, ensuring secure handling of sensitive health information for legal professionals working in healthcare-related fields. See compliance details.

Support & Implementation

What support options does Gavel provide?

Gavel offers unlimited support from legal professionals and engineers, available 7 days a week via email, phone, and live screenshare. Free onboarding and training are provided for your entire team. Learn more.

Is there technical documentation available for Gavel?

Yes, Gavel's Learning Center provides detailed documentation, help articles, and guides covering workflow creation, API integrations, automation processes, security, and best practices. Access Learning Center.

Can I hire an expert to help automate my documents with Gavel?

Yes, certified Gavel professionals are available starting at $35/hour to assist with automation. Hire an Automator.

Use Cases & Benefits

Who can benefit from using Gavel?

Gavel is designed for solo practitioners, small and mid-sized law firms, large law firms, legal startups, and nonprofits. Its tools help automate repetitive tasks, scale operations, and serve underserved markets. See target audience.

What business impact can Gavel deliver?

Gavel delivers measurable business impact, including saving up to 20 hours in the first week, improved efficiency, reduced errors, scalability, enhanced client experience, and proven ROI. For example, Streeter Law Firm reduced estate planning preparation time to 30 minutes. Read case study.

What problems does Gavel solve for legal professionals?

Gavel solves time-consuming repetitive tasks, scalability challenges, data security concerns, resistance to technology adoption, complex workflow management, and the need for enhanced client experience. Learn more.

Are there any real-world success stories using Gavel?

Yes, Gavel has numerous case studies. Streeter Law Firm reduced estate planning time to 30 minutes, LCN Legal automated intercompany agreements for global compliance, and Emessay simplified legal services for creative businesses. See all case studies.

What industries are represented in Gavel's case studies?

Industries include legal services (estate planning, family law, equine law), corporate and business law, creative industries, real estate, immigration law, and the equine industry. Explore industries.

Competition & Comparison

How does Gavel compare to Clio?

Gavel offers advanced AI-driven automation (Gavel Blueprint), scalability through productized legal services, and unmatched privacy with a zero data retention policy. Clio lacks these features and does not emphasize scalability or offer the same level of data security. See comparison.

How does Gavel compare to Lawyaw?

Lawyaw focuses on backend automation and lacks client-facing tools like Gavel's secure client portals and dynamic intake forms. Gavel also provides advanced AI features and scalability, which Lawyaw does not emphasize. See comparison.

How does Gavel compare to HotDocs?

HotDocs requires technical skills, while Gavel offers a no-code platform with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Gavel also enables firms to productize legal services and scale operations, features not emphasized by HotDocs. See comparison.

How does Gavel Exec differ from GC AI?

Gavel Exec offers Word-native integration and precedent-based AI contract review tailored to firm-specific standards. GC AI lacks Word-native integration and does not provide tailored contract review based on playbooks. See comparison.

Technical Requirements

Does Gavel offer data residency options?

Yes, Gavel stores data in the United States by default, with options for hosting in the EU, Canada, Australia, or other AWS regions. Learn more.

How often does Gavel undergo security testing?

Gavel conducts annual third-party penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to ensure ongoing security and compliance. See security details.

Customer Proof & Social Signals

Who are some of Gavel's customers?

Gavel is trusted by thousands of law firms and legal teams worldwide, including Matchstick Legal, Emessay, Adler Estate Law, Instant Family Trust, Horse.Law, and Counselurdocs. See customer logos.

What feedback have customers given about Gavel's ease of use?

Customers consistently praise Gavel for its intuitive design and powerful automation. Testimonials highlight its simplicity, quick setup, and ability to turn complex contracts into easy-to-use questionnaires. Read testimonials.

Get from first pass to final faster.
AI contract review & document automation.  

Gavel Exec helps lawyers review, redline, and draft commercial contracts directly in Word.
Gavel Workflows turns intake into complete legal documents up to 90% faster.

✓ Free to start  •  No credit card required

Trusted by thousands of law firms and legal teams worldwide with the security they expect.

Meet Gavel Exec: AI contract review in Microsoft Word

Gavel Exec helps legal teams review, redline, and draft contracts in Microsoft Word without switching tools. Start with 25 free queries per user and collaborate in a shared Workspace during the free trial. Unlimited usage starts at $160/month per user.

Faster first pass

Generate a first-pass review that applies your standards and highlights key issues.

Draft and rewrite clauses

Draft from scratch or rewrite clauses to match your preferred fallback positions.

Redlines and comments in Word

Create suggested redlines and negotiation-ready comments directly in Word.

Benchmark key terms with market data

Compare clause language to market data to flag off-market positions.

Playbooks for consistency

Apply built-in or custom playbooks across matters to keep positions consistent.

✓ Free to start  •. No credit card required  •  Learn how Gavel Exec works

Why lawyers choose gavel exec

"It's the best system I've tried, and I've tried many. I've found Gavel Exec really good to work with and responsive to how I negotiate, how I redline."

Martin Algie

Principal at MIA Contract Lawyers

Trusted security and unlimited customer support. Gavel is built by lawyers, for lawyers, so you have a team who “gets you.”

  • SOC II and HIPAA-compliant databases, AES-256 encryption, and PCI-compliant client portal. Zero Data Retention policy is contractually enforced.
  • Gavel undergoes regular vulnerability testing by a third-party security company.
  • Dedicated security team available 24x7 to ensure your data stays secure while you streamline legal document creation.
  • Unlimited support from Gavel's team of legal professionals and engineers.
  • Free onboarding and training for your entire team so you can get up and running with ease.

“I wish I had Gavel in my decade of practicing law. So, I teamed up with the best engineers to build it for other attorneys."

Dorna Moini Gavel Founder

Dorna Moini

CEO & Founder of Gavel

Meet Gavel Workflows: document automation for law firms and legal teams

Gavel Workflows turns intake answers into finished Word documents and PDFs automatically. Standardize drafting workflows, reduce manual work, and deliver consistent legal documents at scale.

Common workflows: Intake and questionnaires, document generation, client-facing tools

Step 1 - Build your intake form

Build a workflow

Step 2 - Collect client information

Run workflow

Step 3 - Generate legal documents

 Generate your documents

SECURE CLIENT INTAKE

Encrypted intake your clients trust

Collect sensitive information in a branded portal, then route it into document generation. Encryption and privacy safeguards handle client data with confidence.

CONDITIONAL LOGIC AND CALCULATIONS

Documents that adapt to each client

Add rules, branching, and calculations so your workflows change based on answers. Reduce manual edits and keep complex documents consistent.

Smart logic, zero manual work

TURN TEMPLATES INTO WORKFLOWS

Put your templates on autopilot

Start with the Word templates your team already uses, then guide clients or staff through the right questions. Generate clean Word documents and PDFs in minutes.

Set up your proprietary templates
Set up your proprietary templates

Ready-to-use legal template library

Start fast with proven forms

Use automated legal templates across common practice areas, then customize language to match your drafting standards. Publish when you are ready and generate documents on demand.

Why lawyers choose gavel workflows

“We were able to do an entire estate plan in 30 minutes. I was running around the office telling everyone about how magical Gavel is.”

Jessica Streeter

Partner at Streeter Law Firm

Browse our automated legal template library for lawyers. Use ready-made templates for less than one billable hour per month.

Start with our legal template library

Access a growing library of ready-to-use legal templates for lawyers, including automated court forms, common legal documents, and more. Each template runs inside your Gavel Workflows account, so you can customize language and generate Word documents or PDFs without setup.

Browse legal template library

Document automation software for every legal practice area

Gavel Workflows is the leading legal document automation platform for law firms. Automate estate planning, family law, real estate, corporate, probate, and more. Get complete, accurate documents faster.

gavel Estate Planning

Estate Planning

Prepare wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and supporting forms efficiently.

gavel Family Law

Family Law

Automate client intake, court forms, and legal packets for divorce and custody.

gavel Real Estate Law

Real Estate Law

Create deeds, leases, and transaction forms from one guided workflow.

gavel Corporate Law

Corporate Law

Draft NDAs and operating agreements with consistent language and formatting.

gavel Probate Law

Probate Law

Produce ready-to-file probate documents faster, with fewer manual edits.

Try Gavel for AI contract review and document automation

What’s holding you back? No credit card is required.

Start for free today →