Attorneys, paralegals, staff and other legal professionals know that gathering documents for Court is not just part of the job, it’s the largest bottleneck in their workflow. From intake forms and retainer agreements to plaintiff fact sheets and Court-ordered discovery documents, law firms spend countless hours gathering, reviewing, processing, and organizing client information. In an industry driven by deadlines and accuracy, the old way of handling forms—printing, scanning, manual entry, endless follow-ups, wet signatures – is just not enough for the fast paced economy we live in. The solution? Web based legal form builders, specifically designed to easily collect custom data, boost accuracy, and increase efficiency.
This blog explores the best legal form builder options available in 2025, the features every top firm is prioritizing, and how CaseLocker’s custom form builder and automation tools lead the pack in saving time, improving service, and transforming firm ROI.
Why Law Firms Need Custom Form Builders
Traditional paperwork breeds inefficiency. Manual forms mean:
- Delayed intake and case launch: Waiting days for forms to arrive by mail or for clients to scan and send PDFs or waiting on the clients opening the forms in general
- Error-prone data: Illegible handwriting, missing questions and answers, and endless back-and-forth phone calls or follow ups with the client to clarify details
- Low completion rates: Clients postpone paperwork, causing slowdowns in case progression
- Staff burnout: Paralegals and assistants spend hours chasing documents, manually entering data, and following up on missing items
Legal form builders replace these hassles with automated, digital workflows. Attorneys and clients enjoy faster onboarding, fewer mistakes, and simple recordkeeping—from intake through final settlement.
Must-Have Features in Legal Form Builder Software
Before choosing a legal form builder, consider these essential features:
- Customizable form templates: Every firm’s needs are different. Build templates that you need for personal injury, employment, family law, mass tort, or probate—then adjust and add more forms as your cases change.
- Structured data collection: Forms must capture actionable, reportable data—not just unstructured text or images.
- Conditional logic: Display only relevant questions based on client responses, reducing confusion and improving completion rates.
- Secure file uploads: Clients attach evidence, identification, medical records, and more, all protected by legal-grade encryption.
- Electronic signatures: Built-in e-signature fields ensure agreements and court documents are properly authenticated.
- Mobile-friendly design: Clients fill forms on their phone, tablet, or desktop—no tech barriers or cumbersome PDFs.
- Regularly saving data: Protect clients’ hard work completing forms from crashes, network issues, and iterruptions.
- Automated reminders and progress tracking: Follow-up emails, texts, or in-app alerts prompt clients to finish incomplete forms, reducing staff time.
- Integration with case management systems: Push collected data directly into your Case Management System (CMS) for seamless workflow.
- Audit trails and compliance: All submissions are time-stamped, logged, and easily retrievable for court audits or regulatory requests.
- Real-time collaboration: Assign review tasks, add notes, or send clarifying questions without relying on outside email threads or phone calls.
The Top Legal Form Builders for Law Firms
Lawyaw (Clio Draft)
Lawyaw stands out for its up-to-date library of jurisdiction-specific court forms, conversion of Word templates, and e-signature integrations. Great for litigation and compliance but less flexible for client-facing data collection.
Gavel (formerly Documate)
Gavel’s no-code builder lets staff create logic-driven questionnaires, automate document generation, and pipe data into PDFs and Word templates. Flexible, user-friendly, and well-suited to small and midsize firms.
Jotform
Not built specifically for lawyers, but highly customizable for intake, client updates, or surveys. Integrates with payment platforms and e-signature providers. Best for firms on a budget needing simple form setups.
Westlaw Form Builder
Built for larger firms, Westlaw’s solution automates document assembly and fills forms with existing client data. Seamlessly integrates with research and matter management tools for corporate and compliance-focused practices.
Smokeball TemplateLab
Offers a huge library of autofill court forms and templates, reducing manual entry and errors for high-volume matters. E-signature and intake tools create an all-in-one workflow for modern practices.
MyCase
Includes document automation with intake, calendaring, and billing. Useful for firms already invested in MyCase’s case management ecosystem.
Why CaseLocker’s Form Automation Is a Standout Choice
While many legal form builders focus on document generation or Court form libraries, CaseLocker’s custom form builder emphasizes structured client engagement, real-time automation, and maximum flexibility for law firms of all sizes.
1. Custom Forms for Anything
Instantly create forms for intake, discovery, plaintiff fact sheets, post-settlement surveys, retainer agreements, updated demographics, injury progressions and more. Forms can be tailored to match each unique case—personal injury, mass tort, family law, estate, etc.
2. Live Updates
Intake criteria and court requirements are constantly changing and evolving. CaseLocker forms can be edited at any time, with updates immediately visible to clients who have not submitted their forms yet.
3. Always Saving
CaseLocker saves every answer as soon as it is entered, allowing firms to monitor progress and provide help and feedback in real time. Clients are protected from system crashes, network problems, and interruptions and distractions that may come up while they are completing the form.
4. Real-Time Client Experience
Clients complete forms directly in the portal or branded app and can save progress to return later. CaseLocker’s interface is mobile-optimized, so clients submit paperwork wherever, whenever they want—no downloading or scanning required.
5. Automated Reminders and Progress Tracking
Never lose track of outstanding paperwork. The system automatically prompts clients to finish incomplete forms. Staff receive instant alerts when forms are complete, reducing back-and-forth and accelerating case launch.
6. Secure, Audit-Ready Data Collection
All client data, uploads, and signatures are encrypted, time-stamped, and stored with full audit trails—meeting HIPAA, GDPR, and bar compliance standards.
7. Direct Integration with Any CMS
CaseLocker plugs seamlessly into any major case management system via open API or Zapier, pushing submitted data and documents wherever your team needs them. It is part of the CaseLocker package! We will build it for you, no case management downtime nor CaseLocker downtime. It really is that simple.
8. Structured Answers and Attachment Requests
Gather Court-mandated information, evidence, and supporting docs all within one form—no need to juggle PDFs, email attachments, or third-party uploads. And the best part? If it’s a Court-ordered form, CaseLocker builds it for you to ensure it’s compatible.
9. Fast Setup, Easy Onboarding
Firms can be up and running in48 hours, importing clients, customizing forms, and sending automated requests with no coding required.
10. Branded Client Portal and App
Clients always interact with your firm’s colors, logo, and experience—boosting trust and recognition through every interaction. You’ll never worry about dual representation because your client will remember who is representing them!
The Results: Save Time, Eliminate Paperwork, Improve Outcomes
Law firms using CaseLocker’s automated form builder consistently report:
- Much faster onboarding for new cases
- Higher client engagement and retention
- Dramatic reduction in hours spent chasing missing info
- Fewer inaccurate or incomplete forms
- Up to 75% reduction in status calls and emails—clients are always up to date
- Enhanced compliance, auditability, and document control
Try CaseLocker’s Form Automation & Transform Your Firm
Ready to finally break the bottleneck of legal paperwork and save time for what matters most? CaseLocker’s form automation is proven to slash follow-ups, accelerate onboarding, and deliver the structured, audit-ready data your firm needs—all in a branded, secure portal clients love.
Contact CaseLocker today for a personalized demo—see how easy it is to build, send, and track legal forms, automate client engagement, and put your firm’s best foot forward.