Season 13, Episode 6: Build, Don't Bill: How Lawyers Can Scale with Automation (ft. Dorna Moini)

In this full episode of Notes to My (Legal) Self, host Olga V. Mack sits down with Dorna Moini, CEO and founder of Gavel, to explore how automation, no-code tools, and AI are empowering lawyers to scale their practice, streamline workflows, and expand access to justice, without burning out or billing more hours.

Dorna shares her journey from Big Law litigator at Sidley Austin to legal tech entrepreneur. Her pro bono work with domestic violence survivors inspired her to create an online tool that evolved into Gavel, a leading legal automation suite that helps lawyers build repeatable, rules-based systems for client intake, document drafting, and negotiation.

Together, they unpack what it means to build, not bill, and how forward-thinking legal professionals can use technology to serve more clients with less effort.

In this conversation, they explore:

• What it means to productize your legal services and turn expertise into scalable offerings

• How automation and AI can increase revenue without increasing billable hours• The difference between rules-based automation and generative AI, and when to use each

• How Gavel helps lawyers build “TurboTax for law” solutions without writing a line of code
• Real-world examples of scalable legal services that expand access to justice
• Why legal education is shifting to teach lawyers how to build systems, not just spot issues

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Learn how to scale your legal practice through automation and no-code tools

• Understand how to combine rules-based logic and AI to improve speed and quality

• Discover how automation frees up time for strategy, empathy, and client relationships
• Explore practical ways to package your expertise into repeatable, revenue-generating systems
• Gain insight into the future of legal practice, one built by lawyers who build

If you’ve ever wondered how lawyers can scale with automation and move beyond the billable hour, this episode will show you how to start building smarter, not harder.

🌐 Explore more episodes, blogs, and insights at:⁠ http://www.notestomylegalself.com

#LegalTech #Automation #LegalAutomation #AccessToJustice #LegalInnovation