Overview
Gavel, formerly known as Documate, is a no-code document automation platform built specifically for legal professionals who want to eliminate repetitive drafting without writing code. Attorneys use Gavel to build intelligent questionnaire-based workflows that gather client information and auto-populate it into Word and PDF templates, reducing document preparation from hours to minutes. The platform's form builder is designed for non-technical users. Attorneys create question flows with conditional branching — questions appear or are skipped based on prior answers — and map each question to specific fields in their templates. A single intake form can populate multiple related documents simultaneously, making it ideal for estate planning packages, real estate closings, or immigration petition sets. Gavel's public-facing deployment capability is a differentiator: firms can publish automated workflows as branded client-facing tools, enabling clients to self-serve simple legal documents or complete intake before their first attorney meeting. Legal aid organizations use Gavel to build self-help portals that help unrepresented individuals complete court forms. The platform handles PDF form filling, Word document generation, e-signature collection, and payment processing in a single workflow. It integrates with Clio, Zapier, and common CRM and payment tools. Pricing starts at $83/month for solo practitioners, with team plans available. A free trial is offered. Gavel is widely used in estate planning, immigration, family law, housing, and legal aid practices where form-intensive workflows benefit most from document automation.
Key features
No-Code Template Builder
Drag-and-drop interface for building document templates and conditional questionnaires. Attorneys configure templates without technical skills — questions conditionally show or hide based on previous answers.
Client-Facing Questionnaires
Share a questionnaire link with clients. Clients complete their own intake from any device; responses generate the completed document automatically, reducing data entry by staff.
Document Generation
Questionnaire responses merge into Word or PDF templates. Generates completed legal documents, intake summaries, and client-facing packages.
Embedded on Websites
Questionnaires embed on law firm websites as intake forms. Potential clients start the intake process before calling the firm.
Team Workflows
Multiple team members can build, manage, and share questionnaires. Documents queue for attorney review before generation.
Integrations
Connects to Clio Manage, MyCase, and other PM tools to pass questionnaire data directly into matter records.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No-code template builder — attorneys build questionnaires and document automation without developer help
- Client-facing questionnaires let clients complete their own intake, reducing staff data entry
- Strong for legal aid and high-volume transactional practices that generate the same documents repeatedly
- Flexible: works for internal attorney workflows and client-facing self-service
- Good value at $83/month for teams with high document automation needs
Cons
- Does not handle the same level of conditional complexity as HotDocs or Contract Express
- No native legal billing or practice management — requires integration with a PM tool
- Template building still requires meaningful upfront time investment
- Smaller form library than Clio Draft — must build your own templates
- Less known than Clio Draft — smaller community of shared templates
Pricing
7-day free trial — no credit card required.
Pricing current as of May 2026; verify with vendor before purchasing.
Who it's best for
Best fit for
- Immigration, estate planning, and landlord-tenant practices with high-volume repetitive documents
- Legal aid organizations building self-help questionnaires for unrepresented litigants
- Firms wanting clients to complete their own intake and generate documents without staff involvement
- Attorneys wanting to automate custom document types not in Clio Draft's form library
Not a fit for
- Firms needing a specific state court form library (Clio Draft is better)
- Complex, deeply conditional transaction documents (use HotDocs or Contract Express)
- Firms wanting document automation embedded in Microsoft Word (use Smokeball or Litera Draft)
Frequently asked questions
Gavel starts at approximately $83/month for the base plan. Higher tiers with more features and users are available. Contact Gavel for current pricing.
Clio Draft (Lawyaw) has a pre-built court form library for immigration, family law, and estate planning. Gavel has a more flexible no-code builder for custom questionnaires and is stronger for client-facing intake workflows. Clio Draft is better when you need a specific state's court forms; Gavel is better when you want clients to complete their own intake and generate documents from the responses.
Yes. Gavel is used by legal aid organizations to provide guided self-help for unrepresented litigants. Client-facing questionnaires let legal aid staff serve more clients with the same resources.
Yes. Gavel integrates with Clio Manage to pass questionnaire responses into matter records.
Gavel was previously called Documate before rebranding. The product and company are the same.