Relativity, a legal data intelligence company, announced the acquisition of Gavel, an AI-native legal technology company whose software is used by thousands of legal professionals to draft, review, and automate legal work directly within Microsoft Word and through web-based applications.
The acquisition expands Relativity’s AI platform for legal data intelligence into Microsoft Word, aiming to connect legal work product more closely with the underlying evidence and context managed within RelativityOne.
RelativityOne serves as the company’s AI platform and system of action for litigation, investigations, regulatory matters, and other legal workflows. While attorneys frequently use Microsoft Word to create motions, briefs, contracts, and other documents, those files have traditionally remained separate from the data and intelligence that informed them.
Through the integration of Gavel, Relativity plans to allow documents created with Relativity aiR products, including aiR Case Strategy and aiR Assist, to be opened, edited, redlined, and finalized directly within Microsoft Word. Changes made inside Word would synchronize back to RelativityOne, creating a more connected workflow across the entire lifecycle of a legal matter.
Gavel was founded by Dorna Moini, a former associate at Sidley Austin LLP, who initially developed document automation tools for pro bono clients before building the company into an AI-native platform used by legal teams worldwide. Chief Technology Officer Pierre Martin joined Gavel in 2022 after holding leadership roles at Microsoft, Amazon, and several high-growth technology companies.
The Gavel team will join Relativity, bringing expertise in AI-powered drafting, document automation, and Microsoft Word-based legal workflows.
Law firms and organizations across 28 countries currently use Gavel’s platform for drafting, contract review, redlining, analysis, and workflow automation. The software combines generative AI with rules-based workflows and contextual guidance designed to align documents with firm standards and legal playbooks.
Relativity said its near-term priority will be ensuring continuity for existing Gavel customers while gradually integrating the company’s capabilities into RelativityOne.
KEY QUOTES:
“We believe that Relativity’s role as a driving force in legal AI innovation requires investing in the technology and people that create real value for our customers and partners. We’re delivering on that through Rel Labs, our partnership and startup investment program, and strategic moves like this one. This acquisition enhances our ability to support a wider arc of legal work, in the place where lawyers spend most of their time. The Gavel team is exceptional, and we’re excited to come together and bring what they’ve built to the Relativity community.”
Phil Saunders, CEO, Relativity
“With Gavel, drafting and collaboration happen directly in Microsoft Word. Once integrated with RelativityOne, that work could happen against the full context of the matter, with edits syncing back to the platform. We would be taking the system of action that lawyers already rely on and extending it into the surfaces where they actually do the work.”
Chris Brown, Chief Product Officer, Relativity
“This is an exciting next chapter for Gavel employees and our customers. Joining Relativity gives us an unrivaled opportunity to scale our shared vision for the industry, build faster and bring our technology to more legal teams. Relativity’s footprint, data platform and deep trust across the legal industry will help us take everything we’ve built at Gavel to the next level.”
Dorna Moini, Founder And CEO, Gavel
