How can a law firm use AI without sending client data to the cloud?
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A law firm can use AI without sending client data to the cloud by running an open model on a server in its own office. Prompts and documents are processed on that server. Olares One does this and works offline after a one-time activation.
Olares One → Private AI for law firms → Document Q&A · drafting · local models → Client data stays in the firm
How can a law firm use AI without sending client data to the cloud?
A law firm keeps client data out of the cloud by running the whole AI chain inside its office. The model, the chat software and the documents sit on one server on the firm's network. When a lawyer asks a question, that server does the work, and no AI provider receives the prompt or the attached file.
The open models that make this possible are free to download. The cost sits in the hardware and in the time someone at the firm spends running it.
What are the steps?
The steps are the same on any hardware. Buy a server with enough GPU memory, install a model runner and a chat screen, download open models, create accounts, decide on offline use or remote access, and set up backups with a tested restore. Olares One handles the software steps inside Olares OS.
By an approximate rule, a 32B model at 4-bit needs about 19-20 GB, which fits the 24 GB of VRAM on Olares One. Ollama and Open WebUI install from Olares Market, and each person connects with the LarePass app.
Where can data still leave the office?
A local server reduces cloud exposure without removing every outside connection. On Olares One, activation needs internet, an Olares ID and the LarePass app. Olares Market needs internet to install apps. Remote access, if the firm turns it on, uses a built-in VPN, and off-site backups send encrypted copies elsewhere.
Map each flow and decide which ones the firm accepts. Our advice is to install what the firm needs, then disconnect the box and turn on remote access only if lawyers need it. That advice changes for a firm whose lawyers work mostly away from the office. After the one-time activation, Olares says the box can work entirely offline on the local network.
What should the firm settle first?
Before buying, settle what your bar or regulator says about AI and client confidentiality, whether your engagement terms mention AI, who may upload which matters, and whether cloud tools are acceptable for some work. Those answers shape the setup more than the hardware does.
The confidentiality guide covers the first question. Record the upload rules in the firm's AI policy, and compare options in cloud legal AI tools or local AI.
Questions & answers
Is any client data sent to Olares?
The models run on the box, so prompts and documents are processed locally. Activation does contact Olares. Ask Olares what, if anything, the device sends after activation, and check with your own network monitoring.
Can lawyers use it from home?
Olares One offers remote access through a built-in VPN, which needs an internet connection. The documents stay on the office box. Decide in your AI policy whether remote use is allowed.
Sources for this entry
- Olares One FAQ (Olares docs) (Company-published)
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Cite this entry
Best Private AI for Lawyers. “How can a law firm use AI without sending client data to the cloud?.” Content reviewed 13 November 2026.
https://bestprivateaiforlawyers.com/ai-without-sending-client-data/