Dictation Is Not Dead: Here’s Why Lawyers Are Still Using Voice to Get Things Done

Some firms are cutting back on dictation, others are ramping up. Modern lawyers are more self-sufficient than ever — but often that means they end up doing admin tasks themselves (typing, editing, formatting) instead of focusing on billable legal work. If fee-earners are spending time on admin, that’s time they could have spent client-facing or on strategic legal duties.

Dictation, especially when used smartly, helps reclaim that time. Capture voice or instructions directly, get full productivity out of fee-earners, minimise admin bottlenecks, and let the support staff focus where they add most value. Plus, new tech features (AI, speech recognition, task management) are making it even more powerful.

Here are some stats to show dictation (and related technologies) are very much alive — and growing:

Why Dictation Still Matters

Recent industry reports highlight a clear trend: technology is reshaping how fee earners work — helping them bill more hours, handle higher caseloads, and focus on high-value tasks.

• According to the PwC UK Law Firms’ Survey (2024), firms continue to prioritise productivity and tech adoption, with chargeable hours rising by 1–5% across many large UK firms. The report links this to improved workflow efficiency and better use of digital tools that support fee earners directly.
• Similarly, the Clio Legal Trends Report (2023–2025) shows that legal professionals are managing more cases and generating more revenue year-on-year — thanks in part to technologies that reduce time spent on admin and documentation.
• Dictation remains a key part of that toolkit. Integrated digital dictation allows fee earners to capture information instantly, draft documents faster, and delegate transcription seamlessly — keeping them focused on client work rather than paperwork.
• And with 61% of UK lawyers now using AI daily (up from 46% earlier in 2025, according to LexisNexis), firms are increasingly combining AI-powered transcription with dictation workflows to boost efficiency and reduce turnaround times.

How Dictation Helps Fee-Earners Make Better Use of Their Time

• Reduces typing/admin load: Instead of spending time typing up instructions or correspondence, lawyers can dictate them when convenient, freeing up time for legal analysis, client work, or strategy.
• Captures content faster, with fewer interruptions: Dictation (especially with speech recognition or smart transcription) means content is captured while thoughts are fresh, reducing the lag time and error in drafting.
• Improves workflow flexibility: Modern dictation platforms integrate with mobile, desktop, cloud; support features like voice capture, speech-to-text, or smart task integration. That means fee-earners can be productive even outside the office.
• Helps support staff focus on value-add work: If dictation reduces unnecessary back-and-forth, the support team can focus more on proofreading, quality control, case preparation, rather than basic transcription.

What the Future Looks Like

We see dictation—and voice capture—remaining part of legal firms’ workflows for the foreseeable future. Some ways we see it moving forward:

• Better AI/speech recognition integration so transcription is more accurate, faster, less reliant on special hardware (foot pedals, etc.).
• Task management workflows tied to voice commands or dictation outputs: e.g. dictate “draft letter to X”, “follow up Y”, and have those tasks enter tracking systems automatically.
• Smart document checks: detecting missing clauses, broken references, or incorrect formatting via voice-generated drafts + automated review.
• More hybrid/cloud-based tools so dictation works seamlessly whether someone is in court, in the office, or working remotely.

Conclusion

Dictation isn’t a hold-over from a bygone era. It still offers a serious productivity boost for law firms willing to use it well. Yes, some firms are moving away—but many more are doubling down, especially as new features reduce friction and administrative overhead. For fee-earners, well-implemented dictation means more billable time, faster workflows, and less frustration. For firms, it’s a tool that supports modern legal practice without sacrificing quality or control.