Attorney-client privilege starts with where audio goes
VoltType's offline (local) mode processes speech entirely on your Windows machine using Whisper AI. No audio is transmitted to any external server — not for transcription, not for AI cleanup, not for analytics.
Privileged client conversations dictated into VoltType in offline mode stay on your hardware.
Why Lawyers Need Private Dictation
Legal work generates enormous amounts of dictated content: client meeting notes, contract clauses, demand letters, court filings, deposition summaries. The efficiency gain from dictation over typing is real — good dictation tools can double or triple a lawyer's document production speed.
The problem: most modern voice tools route audio through cloud servers. Siri, Google Voice, and consumer speech-to-text all transmit your audio to infrastructure you don't control. For attorney-client communications, this creates a potential confidentiality exposure that most bar associations haven't yet clearly addressed — but the trend in professional ethics opinions is clear: cloud transmission of privileged content requires client consent and reasonable precautions.
Offline dictation eliminates the question entirely. If the audio never leaves your device, there's no cloud vendor to trust, no data processing agreement to negotiate, and no explanation to give your client.
How VoltType Works in a Legal Workflow
Dictate Into Any Legal Software
Works in Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, iManage, Word, Outlook — any Windows app with a text field.
Offline Mode — Local Only
Whisper runs entirely on your Windows PC. No audio transmission. Appropriate for privileged client communications.
Legal Vocabulary Learning
VoltType learns your terminology: case citations, legal phrases, firm-specific terms, client names — improving accuracy over weeks of use.
AI Formal Rewriting
Say "make this formal" after dictating — VoltType rewrites rough notes into professional legal prose in seconds.
Voice Commands for Legal Documents
VoltType includes Dragon-style commands that legal dictation users expect:
- "New paragraph" — structured document organization
- "New line" — list items and clause breaks
- "Scratch that" — undo the last dictated block without touching the keyboard
- "Make this formal" — AI rewrite to formal legal register
- "Make it shorter" — condense verbose dictation
- "Fix grammar" — correct spoken grammar for formal documents
- "Summarize" — condense long dictated notes
Compatible Legal Applications
VoltType operates at the Windows level and works in any application:
- Practice management — Clio, MyCase, Smokeball, PracticePanther, Filevine, iManage
- Document production — Microsoft Word, WordPerfect (yes — still used by many litigators)
- Email — Outlook, Gmail (web or desktop)
- Court filing portals — any web form in Chrome/Edge/Firefox
- Time tracking — any time-entry field in your billing software
Workflow: Dictating a Client Meeting Note
- Open your EHR / case management note in any app.
- Press Ctrl+Space — the VoltType pill appears at the top of the screen.
- Dictate: "Client called at 3pm regarding the Smith lease dispute. She confirmed receipt of our demand letter dated June 28th. New paragraph. She would like to proceed with mediation before filing. New paragraph. Action items: schedule mediation for week of July 14th, prepare mediation brief by July 10th."
- VoltType transcribes, formats, and pastes the note into your active field.
- Say "make this formal" if you want the note rewritten into formal prose.
Total time: 45 seconds instead of 3–5 minutes of typing.
Comparison: VoltType vs Dragon Legal vs Windows Speech Recognition
Start Dictating — Free
Download VoltType for Windows. Enable offline mode in Settings for fully private dictation.
Works in Word, Outlook, Clio, and every other Windows app.
Windows 10 / 11 · No account required · Offline mode in Pro / Lifetime
Frequently Asked Questions
Does VoltType satisfy attorney-client privilege requirements?
In offline mode, VoltType processes all audio locally on your Windows machine — no transmission to any server. This eliminates the cloud transmission risk that most privilege-related technology opinions focus on. However, specific ethical obligations vary by jurisdiction. Consult your state bar's technology ethics guidance or your firm's general counsel before making a compliance determination for your practice.
Can I use VoltType for court filings?
Yes — VoltType works in any text field, including browser-based e-filing portals. Press Ctrl+Space, dictate the content, and the text appears in the field. You retain full control to review and edit before submission.
Does VoltType work with WordPerfect?
Yes. VoltType injects text via Windows clipboard and keyboard simulation, which works in WordPerfect exactly as it does in Word.
How does the "formal" AI command work?
Say your dictation, then say "make this formal." VoltType rewrites the previous dictation block using Groq AI to produce formal legal register. Note: this command uses Groq's cloud API (unlike offline transcription). If you need complete local processing, disable AI cleanup in Settings and use offline mode only.
Can I configure the hotkey to avoid conflicts with case management shortcuts?
Yes. Go to Settings → Hotkey and set any combination you prefer — Ctrl+Shift+D, Win+D, F12, or any other combination that doesn't conflict with your software.