Tracy Troyer is an attorney based in Northern Indiana with over 30 years of experience in estate planning, estate administration, and elder law. Her firm, Troyer & Good, is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she and her team assist clients with complex estate planning needs. Running a document-heavy firm, Tracy knew she needed to add technology and efficiency to her firm. Her firm was able to leverage Gavel to do just that.

Why Gavel?

Tracy began using Gavel after previously relying on another document automation tool, HotDocs. While it may have worked many many years ago when they were sending templates on floppy discs through snail mail, she eventually found the tool to be cumbersome and not as user-friendly. On a quest for a more intuitive, adaptable, and modern document automation tool, Tracy came across Gavel. In contrast to other platforms that required multiple add-ons, Gavel provided the core functionality Tracy needed without the complexity or high cost.

Gavel was highly rated on the software-rating platform, Capterra, and upon review, she found that it had a much more streamlined user experience, including the ability to easily fill out customizable questionnaires. She wanted the experience to be straightforward so that everyone in the firm could use it.

As Tracy mentioned, “You don’t have to have a law degree to complete [the forms] . . . you don’t need to know what per stirpes means . . . and that was a big thing about Gavel that was appealing.” 

Bringing Gavel Into the Fold

At Troyer & Good, Tracy and her team use Gavel extensively to automate various aspects of their practice, including client intake and document preparation. For instance, when a client schedules a meeting, an automated email is triggered with a link to a Gavel-powered intake questionnaire. This ensures that essential client information is gathered prior to the meeting, improving workflow efficiency. The firm has automated documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and court pleadings, significantly speeding up the document preparation process. 

Tracy personally oversees the automation of most documents and workflows, regularly collaborating with her team to ensure smooth implementation. Gavel’s support has also helped effectively onboard the tool to the firm.

Tracy sings the highest praises of Gavel’s customer support, saying, “We love the responsiveness of the support team!” She credits the smooth onboarding and continued success to the responsiveness and reliability of Gavel’s customer support team. 

Benefits of Gavel 

As an estate planning attorney dealing with sensitive information and life-changing documents, it’s important for Tracy and her team to be precise and accurate in the deliverables they prepare. Gavel has been instrumental in achieving that. The ability for clients to complete their questionnaires through Gavel ensures that these details are accurately transferred to the documents. 

Gavel also enables her team to draft documents more quickly, allowing the attorneys to focus on higher-level tasks and delegate more efficiently, increasing both attorney and client satisfaction. 

Gavel’s integrations with other platforms, like Zapier, have enabled further automation beyond document creation. For instance, client data collected through Gavel can be synced directly with the firm’s practice management software, reducing redundant data entry, minimizing typos and inconsistencies, and further streamlining the firm’s operations.

The Future of Troyer & Good with Gavel 

Looking ahead, Tracy plans to expand her use of Gavel to automate every document, letter, and pleading her firm handles. She is constantly exploring new ways to improve efficiency, integrate data, and stay ahead of technological advancements, particularly in light of the growing role of AI in legal practice. Tracy’s goal is to fully embrace automation, making her firm as efficient and error-free as possible.

In her words, Gavel is helping her firm prepare for the future of law, where automation will play an increasingly significant role. Tracy advises other attorneys considering document automation to embrace these technologies sooner rather than later to stay ahead of the curve.