319: Gavel Exec: AI Copilot for Legal Drafting

Dec 9, 2025

Dorna Moyni, a former attorney and founder of Gavel, shares her journey transitioning from litigation to legal tech. She discusses the creation of Gavel Workflows and Gavel Exec, an AI copilot for Microsoft Word, designed to automate document generation and streamline legal drafting. Dorna highlights how AI can help lawyers tackle high-level tasks, debunks misconceptions about job loss, and introduces concepts like 'vibe lawyering' for creative legal thinking. She emphasizes the role of AI in improving efficiency and the future of law practice.

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INSIGHT

Shareable Playbooks Expand Reach

Gavel Exec users include small/midsize firms and in-house teams focused on corporate and real estate deals.
Playbooks are shareable so firms can deliver standardized legal products to clients.

ADVICE

Assess Pricing Versus Team Size

Evaluate cost against value: Gavel Exec lists at $160/month per user or $145 on annual billing.
Consider seat discounts for larger teams to lower per-user cost.

ADVICE

Build Where Lawyers Already Work

Integrate AI directly into Word where most transactional lawyers work to maximize adoption.
Use Word track changes and comments because they remain standard in negotiation workflows.

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Show Notes

In this podcast episode, Ernie Svenson interviews Dorna At Gavel, a former attorney turned tech entrepreneur, about her journey in creating Gavel, a legal technology platform. Dorna shares her experiences in building Gavel Workflows and Gavel Exec, tools designed to automate document creation and enhance legal drafting with AI. The conversation explores the integration of these tools with Microsoft Word, the importance of user experience, and the future of AI in the legal field. Dorna addresses common misconceptions about AI, the concept of 'vibe lawyering,' and how these technologies can empower lawyers to focus on more meaningful work while improving efficiency.

Takeaways

Dorna transitioned from law to tech to help domestic violence survivors.
Gavel Workflows automates document creation for legal professionals.
Gavel Exec serves as an AI copilot within Microsoft Word.
The platform is designed to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
AI tools can help lawyers focus on higher-level tasks.
Misconceptions about AI include fears of job loss in the legal field.
Vibe lawyering encourages creative legal thinking with AI assistance.
Training junior associates can be streamlined using AI playbooks.
Gavel Exec integrates with existing workflows to improve productivity.
The future of legal practice will likely include AI as a standard tool.

Resource Links

ChatGPT Lab (a weekly AI workshop for lawyers)
Apply to join the ChatGPT Lab
The 80/20 Principle (my techlaw newsletter)
The Inner Circle (my online community for lawyers)

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