Transcription for lawyers: memos, hearings and dictation on iPhone

Billable time spent typing is billable time wasted. Dictation is the oldest lawyer productivity trick; on-phone transcription just removes the typist.

Short answer: Record or import on iPhone with AI Transcribe — transcripts arrive with speaker labels and timestamps, in 32 auto-detected languages — then use the AI tools (Summarize, Create a todo list, Proofread and 12+ more) to turn the transcript into the document you actually need.

Where transcription earns its keep for lawyers

• Case memos and file notes — dictate after a call or meeting; timestamps keep the record ordered.
• Client meeting notes — with consent, record and get a speaker-labeled transcript; Create a todo list extracts follow-ups.
• Reviewing recorded proceedings — transcribe hearing or deposition audio you’re entitled to hold, then search the text instead of scrubbing audio.

What to know first

Recording rules vary by jurisdiction (one-party vs all-party consent) — know yours before pressing record. AI Transcribe is a general-purpose productivity app: audio is processed in the cloud, and it is not a certified medical-records or compliance system. Check your organization’s recording and data policies before recording sensitive conversations. For transcripts that must be certified or filed, a human court transcription service (e.g. Rev at $1.99/min) remains the standard; AI transcripts are working documents.

The workflow

1. Capture: record live (up to 2 hours) or import audio/video files up to 3 hours — any common format.
2. Transcribe: automatic language detection, speaker labels, timestamps.
3. Process: run the AI tools on the transcript — summary, key points, to-dos, dates, rewrites.
4. Export: text or PDF via the share sheet, into whatever system your work lives in.

Frequently asked questions

Is an AI transcript admissible? Treat AI transcripts as work product for your own analysis. Certified transcription remains the route for filings — see our honest take in the Rev comparison.

How long can recordings be? Live recording up to 2 hours; imported files up to 3 hours — a full hearing session usually fits.

What does it cost? Free to download and try; the Pro subscription (weekly or annual) unlocks up to 3 hours of transcription per day.