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In this episode, Ruby Powers sits down with Dorna Moini — CEO and founder of Gavel, former Sidley Austin attorney, ABA Legal Rebel, and Fastcase 50 honoree — for one of the most practical legal tech conversations we've had on the show.
Dorna didn't just build a legal automation tool. She started by solving a real problem — creating a TurboTax-style system for domestic violence survivors navigating restraining orders — and then built the platform that thousands of legal professionals now use to automate their practices. She knows the difference between what sounds good in a demo and what actually works on the ground.
In this episode, she breaks down the automation decision every firm owner needs to make — and gives you the framework to make it right.
What we explore:
✅ Rules-Based vs. Generative AI: What the difference actually means in practice — when to use each, which practice areas call for which tool, and why getting this wrong costs you time and money.
✅ RAG vs. Fine-Tuning: The technical distinction that determines whether the AI tool you're buying will still work in two years — explained in plain English for the firm owner who just wants something that works.
✅ 90% Time Savings: The real numbers behind document automation — and what it looks like when a firm finally builds a system instead of just copying last year's template.
✅ The VC Case Study: How one firm used AI to redline every new deal to the most favorable terms a VC had ever agreed to — and why that kind of data-driven lawyering is now possible for any firm.
✅ The Systems Architect: Why the future of the practicing attorney isn't competing with AI — it's designing how AI and humans work together in your firm.
If you've been overwhelmed by legal tech options and not sure where to start — this episode gives you the framework.
📣 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
🚀 Law Firm Retreat: Design Your Future – August 2026: Stop the daily grind and start architecting your next era. Join Ruby in Denver for an intimate, 15-firm-only strategic laboratory.
👉 Secure your spot: https://powersstrategygroup.com/law-firm-retreat-august-2026/
📊 We Love Your Feedback! Help us design the next year of the podcast. Take this 2-minute audience survey: https://forms.gle/EgMgxd3tbXCsmqgp9
📌 Join the conversation in our Power Up Your Practice community!
Hosted by Ruby Powers, your guide into the heart of law practice management. Each week, learn insights from leading legal minds, trailblazing attorneys, and expert guests who provide you with actionable advice, out-of-the-box solutions, and a fresh perspective on running your firm more effectively and efficiently. Prepare to open your mind, be inspired, and power up your practice to the next level.
Watch more episodes of Power Up Your Practice on:
🌐 Website: powersstrategygroup.com
📺 YouTube: @powersstrategygroup
💬 Join our Skool Community - Power Hub: https://www.skool.com/powerupyourpractice
Connect and learn more from your host, Ruby Powers:
🔹 LinkedIn: /rubypowers
🔹 Facebook: /poweruppractice
🔹 Website: rubypowers.com
🔹 Ruby's Book: Power Up Your Practice on Amazon
Trusted Resources from Our Toolkit:
Stafi https://calendly.com/d/csbk-3y4-35w/staffing-strategy-session-stafi-ruby-powers?month=2025-07
Filevine https://www.filevine.com/partner/powers-referral/
CandleAI https://www.trycandle.ai/powers
By Ruby Powers5
33 ratings
In this episode, Ruby Powers sits down with Dorna Moini — CEO and founder of Gavel, former Sidley Austin attorney, ABA Legal Rebel, and Fastcase 50 honoree — for one of the most practical legal tech conversations we've had on the show.
Dorna didn't just build a legal automation tool. She started by solving a real problem — creating a TurboTax-style system for domestic violence survivors navigating restraining orders — and then built the platform that thousands of legal professionals now use to automate their practices. She knows the difference between what sounds good in a demo and what actually works on the ground.
In this episode, she breaks down the automation decision every firm owner needs to make — and gives you the framework to make it right.
What we explore:
✅ Rules-Based vs. Generative AI: What the difference actually means in practice — when to use each, which practice areas call for which tool, and why getting this wrong costs you time and money.
✅ RAG vs. Fine-Tuning: The technical distinction that determines whether the AI tool you're buying will still work in two years — explained in plain English for the firm owner who just wants something that works.
✅ 90% Time Savings: The real numbers behind document automation — and what it looks like when a firm finally builds a system instead of just copying last year's template.
✅ The VC Case Study: How one firm used AI to redline every new deal to the most favorable terms a VC had ever agreed to — and why that kind of data-driven lawyering is now possible for any firm.
✅ The Systems Architect: Why the future of the practicing attorney isn't competing with AI — it's designing how AI and humans work together in your firm.
If you've been overwhelmed by legal tech options and not sure where to start — this episode gives you the framework.
📣 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
🚀 Law Firm Retreat: Design Your Future – August 2026: Stop the daily grind and start architecting your next era. Join Ruby in Denver for an intimate, 15-firm-only strategic laboratory.
👉 Secure your spot: https://powersstrategygroup.com/law-firm-retreat-august-2026/
📊 We Love Your Feedback! Help us design the next year of the podcast. Take this 2-minute audience survey: https://forms.gle/EgMgxd3tbXCsmqgp9
📌 Join the conversation in our Power Up Your Practice community!
Hosted by Ruby Powers, your guide into the heart of law practice management. Each week, learn insights from leading legal minds, trailblazing attorneys, and expert guests who provide you with actionable advice, out-of-the-box solutions, and a fresh perspective on running your firm more effectively and efficiently. Prepare to open your mind, be inspired, and power up your practice to the next level.
Watch more episodes of Power Up Your Practice on:
🌐 Website: powersstrategygroup.com
📺 YouTube: @powersstrategygroup
💬 Join our Skool Community - Power Hub: https://www.skool.com/powerupyourpractice
Connect and learn more from your host, Ruby Powers:
🔹 LinkedIn: /rubypowers
🔹 Facebook: /poweruppractice
🔹 Website: rubypowers.com
🔹 Ruby's Book: Power Up Your Practice on Amazon
Trusted Resources from Our Toolkit:
Stafi https://calendly.com/d/csbk-3y4-35w/staffing-strategy-session-stafi-ruby-powers?month=2025-07
Filevine https://www.filevine.com/partner/powers-referral/
CandleAI https://www.trycandle.ai/powers

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