Frequently Asked Questions
Product Information
What is Gavel and what does it do?
Gavel is a legal technology platform that automates documents, creates client-facing tools, and enables online legal services. It streamlines legal workflows, reduces repetitive tasks, and improves efficiency for practice areas such as Estate Planning, Family Law, Real Estate, and Corporate Law. Gavel offers two main products: Gavel Exec (AI contract review in Word) and Gavel Workflows (no-code legal automation for client intake and document generation). Learn more.
What products and services does Gavel offer?
Gavel provides two primary products: Gavel Exec (AI contract review and drafting tool in Microsoft Word) and Gavel Workflows (no-code legal automation platform for client intake and document generation). Additional services include client intake software, legal template library, team collaboration tools, playbook management, and secure AI review infrastructure. See full details.
How does Gavel automate legal documents?
Gavel automates legal documents by allowing users to upload Word or PDF templates, apply custom rules, and generate documents through structured workflows. The platform supports both simple forms and complex document packets, enabling up to 90% faster drafting compared to manual processes. Learn more.
What is Gavel Exec and how does it work?
Gavel Exec is a precedent-based AI contract review and drafting tool that operates directly within Microsoft Word. It helps lawyers redline, analyze, and draft commercial contracts with contextual guidance based on legal norms and firm-specific playbooks. Features include tailored contract analysis, negotiation-ready markups, automatic enforcement of contract standards, and market-based clause benchmarking. See Gavel Exec details.
What is Gavel Workflows and how does it help legal professionals?
Gavel Workflows is a no-code legal automation platform that transforms client intake and document templates into structured workflows. It automates the creation of legal documents, ranging from simple forms to complex packets, and enables legal professionals to productize their services for online delivery. Learn more about Gavel Workflows.
Does Gavel offer a legal template library?
Yes, Gavel provides a legal template library with pre-built templates and court forms for various practice areas, including Estate Planning, Family Law, Real Estate, Corporate Law, and more. Browse templates.
Can Gavel automate Michigan court forms like MC 01 Summons?
Yes, Gavel can automate Michigan court forms, including MC 01 Summons. Users can generate the MC 01 form and related documents (MC 21, FOC 23, DCH 0838) through pre-built workflows for Michigan Family Law cases. Try the workflow.
What practice areas does Gavel support?
Gavel supports a wide range of practice areas, including Estate Planning, Probate, Real Estate, Corporate Law, Family Law, Bankruptcy, Immigration, Employment, Personal Injury, Intellectual Property, and more. See all practice areas.
How does Gavel help with client intake and data management?
Gavel automates client intake by transforming questionnaires and forms into structured workflows. It enables legal professionals to collect, manage, and synchronize client data efficiently, reducing manual entry and errors. Learn more about client intake automation.
Can Gavel be used by solo practitioners, small firms, and large law firms?
Yes, Gavel is designed for solo practitioners, small and mid-sized law firms, large law firms, legal startups, and nonprofits. Its no-code platform, pre-built workflows, and scalable tools make it accessible and effective for organizations of any size. See use cases.
How do I start using Gavel for document automation?
To start using Gavel, sign up for a free trial (no credit card required), choose a pre-built workflow in your area of law, add custom requirements and branding, and launch workflows to generate documents internally or for clients. Get started.
What are the steps to automate the MC 01 Summons form with Gavel?
To automate the MC 01 Summons form with Gavel: 1) Start your free trial, 2) Choose the Michigan Family Law - Commencing Case Court Forms workflow, 3) Add custom requirements and branding, 4) Launch the workflow to generate the MC 01 form and related documents. Try the workflow.
What other Michigan court forms can Gavel automate?
Gavel can automate MC 21 Confidential Case Inventory, FOC 23 Verified Statement, and DCH 0838 Record of Divorce or Annulment, in addition to MC 01 Summons. These forms are available in pre-built workflows for Michigan Family Law cases. See workflow details.
Who reviewed the MC 01 Summons guidance on Gavel?
The MC 01 Summons guidance was reviewed by Carmee Murphy, an attorney with 20 years of civil litigation experience and multiple Super Lawyers® Rising Stars selections. See reviewer details.
Is the information on Gavel's website legal advice?
No, the information provided on Gavel's website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.
How can I contact Gavel for support or questions?
You can reach Gavel support 7 days a week via email at help@gavel.io, phone at (415) 941-6866, or through the website's contact form. Contact Gavel.
Features & Capabilities
What are the key features of Gavel?
Key features include Word and PDF document automation, custom rules, legal template library, legal commerce tools, integrations (Clio, DocuSign, Zapier), secure client portals, dynamic intake forms, and infinitely customizable workflows. See all features.
Does Gavel support integrations with other legal software?
Yes, Gavel supports integrations with Clio (practice management), DocuSign (document signing), Zapier (connects to thousands of apps), Microsoft Word (native integration), and API access for custom integrations. See integration details.
Does Gavel have an API for custom integrations?
Yes, Gavel offers an API for document generation and integration with other platforms. API access is available on the Scale/Enterprise plan. Learn about API use cases.
How easy is it to use Gavel?
Gavel is highly regarded for its ease of use, featuring a clean no-code interface, intuitive drag-and-drop setup, and pre-built workflows. Users report being able to automate complex contracts within 20 minutes and describe the platform as "easy to use" and "powerful." Read testimonials.
What technical documentation is available for Gavel?
Gavel's Learning Center provides detailed documentation, help articles, and guides covering workflow creation, API integrations, automation processes, security, compliance, and best practices. Access the Learning Center.
Security & Compliance
What security and compliance 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 data security and compliance with global standards. 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, conducts annual third-party penetration testing, and offers data residency options in the US, EU, Canada, Australia, or other AWS regions. Learn more about data protection.
Does Gavel comply with HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA?
Yes, Gavel complies with HIPAA for health information, GDPR for EU data protection, and CCPA for California consumer privacy. See compliance details.
Implementation & Support
How long does it take to implement Gavel?
Automating workflows like engagement letters and client intake questionnaires takes less than a day to set up. Support staff familiar with firm processes can handle setup efficiently. Learn about implementation.
What support and training does Gavel provide?
Gavel offers live training sessions, unlimited support 7 days a week via email, phone, and screenshare, a comprehensive Learning Center, and access to certified Gavel experts starting at $35/hour. Hire an Automator.
Performance & Business Impact
What performance improvements can Gavel deliver?
Gavel can save up to 20 hours in the first week by automating repetitive tasks, reduce errors, ensure document consistency, and enable firms to productize services for scalable online delivery. See performance metrics.
What business impact can customers expect from using Gavel?
Customers can expect time savings, improved efficiency, scalability, proven ROI (e.g., Litson PLLC reduced lead-to-client time by 90%), enhanced client experience, and market expansion. See business impact.
Use Cases & Success Stories
What problems does Gavel solve for legal professionals?
Gavel solves time-consuming repetitive tasks, scalability challenges, data security concerns, resistance to technology change, complex workflow management, and enhances client experience with secure portals and dynamic intake forms. See use cases.
Can you share specific case studies or success stories of Gavel customers?
Yes, Streeter Law Firm reduced estate planning preparation time to 30 minutes, LCN Legal automated intercompany agreements for global compliance, Emessay simplified legal services for creative businesses, FreshLease built a residential lease generator, Sisu Legal automated immigration workflows, Horse.Law provided DIY legal services for the equine industry, and Rogue Family Law scaled affordable services. See 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. See industry examples.
Who are some of Gavel's customers?
Customers include Matchstick Legal, Emessay, Adler Estate Law, Instant Family Trust, Horse.Law, and Counselurdocs. These organizations use Gavel to streamline workflows and automate document generation. See customer logos.
Competition & Comparison
How does Gavel compare to Clio?
Gavel offers advanced AI-driven automation (Gavel Blueprint), scalability, productized legal services, and unmatched privacy (zero data retention, SOC 1-3, PCI DSS Level 1, ISO 9001/27001). Clio lacks these features and focuses more on practice management. See comparison table.
How does Gavel compare to Lawyaw?
Gavel provides client-facing tools (secure portals, dynamic intake forms), advanced AI features, and scalability. Lawyaw focuses on backend automation and lacks client-facing tools and advanced AI-driven automation. See comparison table.
How does Gavel compare to HotDocs?
Gavel offers a no-code platform with intuitive drag-and-drop setup, making it accessible to legal professionals without technical expertise. HotDocs requires technical skills and does not emphasize scalability or productized legal services. See comparison table.
How does Gavel Exec compare to GC AI?
Gavel Exec operates directly within Microsoft Word and offers precedent-based AI contract review tailored to firm-specific standards. GC AI lacks Word-native integration and does not provide tailored contract review. See Gavel Exec details.
