Client confidences
never leave your Mac.
Dictation built for privileged work. Varabrief transcribes and polishes your speech entirely on your Mac. There is no cloud upload, no third-party processor, and nothing we retain, because your words never reach us.
Free during beta · Requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later)
Best,
Your name
You said
- 100% on-device transcriptionSpeech is converted to text on your Mac
- No audio or text sent to serversNot to us, not to an AI provider
- Works offlineTranscription with Wi-Fi off once set up; offline AI cleanup needs the bundled local model (in beta)
- No account required to dictateNo sign-in, no profile, no cloud history
- Call transcripts stay localTranscribed and labeled on your Mac; summaries use the local model (in beta)
Plainly disclosed exceptions: a one-time download of the speech and language models, and a license check once paid plans launch. Neither includes audio or dictated text.
Built for the sensitive work legal teams actually do.
Medical records, privileged strategy and client details are exactly what should not pass through a third party. With Varabrief, none of it leaves your Mac.
Medical records and treatment notes
Dictate chronologies and summaries as you review records, or select text you have pasted in and ask for a summary. Diagnoses, providers and dates never reach a server.
● Stays on-deviceCase memos and demand letters
Speak your analysis, damages narrative and strategy. Drafts are written into Word or your editor locally.
● Stays on-deviceClient intake interviews
Capture names, contact details, incident facts and history during intake, in English or Spanish, with the notes kept on your Mac.
● Stays on-deviceDeposition and hearing prep
Talk through outlines, witness questions and exhibit lists between meetings without that strategy leaving the device.
● Stays on-deviceClient and adjuster calls
Record calls on your Mac and get a speaker-labeled transcript, plus a summary with action items from the local model (in beta). With consent.
● Stays on-deviceCorrespondence
Emails to clients, opposing counsel and carriers, with tone matched to the app you are writing in.
● Stays on-devicePHI = protected health information · PII = personally identifiable information. Labels describe the kind of data, not a legal determination.
Every client call, transcribed and summarized on your Mac.
Record your microphone together with the call audio from Zoom, Teams, FaceTime or any app playing through your Mac. Varabrief separates you from the other side and labels speakers on-device. Structured summaries are written by the bundled local model, which is in beta.
- Two-channel captureYour mic and the computer's audio are recorded separately, so "Me" and the other parties are labeled reliably.
- Client-call template In betaSummaries require the bundled local model. Outcome, key points, commitments, action items and follow-ups.
- Import recordingsTranscribe existing audio or video files (WAV, MP3, M4A, MP4, MOV).
- English and SpanishCalls that switch languages are handled; summaries are written in English.
- Encrypted notes librarySaved transcripts are encrypted on your Mac. Export to Markdown, Word or HTML when you choose.
- Auto-delete schedule and full-text transcript search PlannedNot available yet.
Outcome
Adjuster will review the updated treatment records and respond on the demand by the 28th.
Action items
- Me: send updated PT records and billing ledger (Friday)
- Speaker 2: confirm policy limits in writing
- Me: calendar follow-up call for the 28th
We sent the demand on the 3rd. Has your team had a chance to review the treatment records?
We have most of them. I'm missing the physical therapy notes after March, and I'd like the billing ledger.
I'll send both by Friday. Can you confirm the policy limits in writing?
Why cloud dictation is a confidentiality risk.
Most AI dictation tools upload your audio to remote servers to transcribe and rewrite it. When you dictate about a client, that means client information leaves your control. Here is the general difference.
General comparison of cloud-based tools as a category, not a claim about any specific product. Always read a vendor's own privacy policy and terms.
Built for the duty of confidentiality.
Lawyers have to think about where client information goes when they use technology. Keeping dictation on-device removes the outside party from the question.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your jurisdiction's rules and opinions govern; consult your ethics counsel or bar resources.
"A lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client."Read the rule at americanbar.org ↗ ABA Formal Opinion 512 (July 29, 2024)
The ABA's first formal opinion on generative AI says lawyers using these tools must keep client information confidential under Rule 1.6, and should understand how a tool handles what they put into it before using it with client matters.Summary in our words · ABA announcement ↗
Everything your reviewer will ask.
A short, checkable account of what the app does on the network and on disk.
Data flow
- Microphone audio is captured only while the dictation key is held.
- An on-device speech model transcribes it in memory.
- An on-device language model cleans up the text.
- The text is pasted into the active app; the audio buffer is released.
Network calls, complete list
- Model download: one-time, from a public model host. Fetches model files only; sends no user content.
- License check: planned for paid plans. Sends the license key and basic device info, never audio or text.
- Update check: planned. Fetches a signed version feed.
Nothing else. Verify with any network monitor.
Telemetry and storage
- No analytics, tracking or crash reporters that send data out.
- Local diagnostic logs contain no dictated text.
- History is off by default; if enabled, AES-GCM encrypted, key in the macOS Keychain, auto-deleted after 1, 7 or 30 days.
- No account or sign-in needed to dictate.
One-page security brief
A PDF summary for firm IT and compliance teams: architecture, network calls, storage, and the questions reviewers typically ask.
Coming with the beta. Request it on the waitlist formA dictation workflow that fits legal writing.
Built around how attorneys and staff actually draft: email, memos, notes, and quick edits between meetings.
Hold to talk, paste anywhere
Hold a key, speak, release. Text lands in the field you were typing in, and your clipboard is put back as it was.
AI cleanup
Drops filler words and false starts, applies "scratch that", and matches tone to email, chat or documents. A guard rejects rewrites that drift from what you said.
Personal dictionary
Add client names, matter terms and Latin phrases. An optional legal vocabulary pack covers terms like voir dire and in limine.
Edit by voice
Select a passage and say "make this more formal" or "tighten to two sentences". It is rewritten in place.
Spanish to English
Speak in Spanish and get English text, for intake notes and bilingual conversations.
Call transcription
Speaker-labeled transcripts from calls and meetings, saved to an encrypted local library. Summaries and action items use the local model (in beta). See how it works.
From how you talk to how you write.
An illustrative example of the cleanup pass. Your words stay yours; the structure gets fixed.
What you said
um so please let opposing counsel know we can do the deposition on the the fourteenth no wait the fifteenth at ten am uh and we'll need the exhibits like by the end of the week new paragraph thanks
What gets inserted On-device
Please let opposing counsel know we can do the deposition on the 15th at 10:00 a.m. We'll need the exhibits by the end of the week.
Thanks,
Your voice stays on your Mac.
Speech recognition and the language model run locally on Apple Silicon. There is no server in the loop for your dictation.
- Audio is discardedReleased from memory once it is transcribed.
- History is off by defaultIf enabled: encrypted, key in your Keychain, auto-deleted after 1, 7 or 30 days.
- No in-app analyticsDiagnostic logs stay local and never contain dictated text.
- Network use, stated plainlyOne-time model download, and license checks once paid plans launch.
Varabrief is a software tool, not a legal service, and does not provide legal advice. You remain responsible for your confidentiality, ethics and recording-consent obligations.
Simple, planned pricing.
Nothing is charged during the beta. These are planned prices and may change before launch.
- Unlimited on-device dictation
- Rules-based cleanup
- Personal dictionary
- AI cleanup and tone by app
- Edit by voice
- Meeting notes and summaries
- Legal vocabulary pack
- Spanish to English
- Everything in Pro
- No subscription
- Limited to the first 200 buyers
Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or later) required. Intel Macs are not supported.
Join the waitlist.
We are opening the private beta in small batches. Tell us a little about your setup and we will email you when your spot opens. Only beta and launch emails, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Questions, answered.
Does using Varabrief affect attorney-client privilege?
Varabrief is designed so dictated content is never transmitted to us or any third party; it is processed on your Mac. Whether privilege or confidentiality is affected in a given situation is a legal question for you and your jurisdiction. This is not legal advice.
Exactly what leaves my device?
No audio and no dictated text. The only network activity is a one-time download of the speech and language models, a license check once paid plans launch, and a planned update check. None of these include your content.
Can I transcribe client calls?
Yes. Varabrief records your microphone and, with macOS "Screen & System Audio Recording" permission, the audio of calls playing through your Mac (Zoom, Teams, FaceTime and similar). It then transcribes, labels speakers and summarizes on-device. A regular cell phone call is only captured if you take it on speaker near your Mac's microphone. You must follow the recording-consent laws that apply to everyone on the call.
Is it safe to use while reviewing medical records?
Your dictation, and any text you ask the local model (in beta) to summarize, is processed on your Mac and are not sent to us or to an AI provider. Varabrief does not open PDFs or records systems itself; you dictate as you review, or paste text in. Your device security and your firm's policies for handling PHI still apply.
Where are call transcripts stored?
In an encrypted notes library on your Mac. Automatic deletion for the library is planned; for now you delete notes yourself. If you choose to export a note to Apple Notes, Word or Markdown, it is then governed by wherever you save it; Apple Notes may sync through iCloud depending on your settings.
Does it work offline?
Transcription works with no internet connection after the one-time model download. AI cleanup and call summaries work offline only with the bundled local model, which is in beta.
Can I use it for health information or HIPAA-adjacent work?
Because content stays on your Mac and is not sent to us, Varabrief does not act as a cloud processor of what you dictate. That said, HIPAA compliance depends on your whole setup (device security, access controls, policies). Talk to your compliance advisor before using it with protected health information. We do not currently sign BAAs.
Do you use my dictation to train models?
No. We never receive your dictation, so there is nothing to train on.
Which Macs are supported?
Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or later). Intel Macs are not supported.
Does it work in my practice management or document software?
It pastes into any macOS app that accepts typed text, including browser-based tools. Tell us what you use on the waitlist form so we can test it.
Is there an iPhone or Windows version?
Not yet. Mac comes first. iPhone is planned if there is enough demand.
When will it be available?
The private beta opens in batches, and waitlist members are invited first.