---

name: output-pdf-export-style
description: Use when Claude or a downstream tool must render a legal document to PDF — whether from Markdown, DOCX, or a direct generation pipeline. Covers generation path, style requirements, security options, accessibility, and the specific rules for court-filing-grade PDF/A. Triggers on any document generation task where the final deliverable is a PDF file.
license: MIT
metadata:
id: output.pdf-export-style
category: output
intent: ["format", "pdf", "export", "filing", "document"]
related:
- output-markdown-legal-doc
- output-partner-memo-style
- output-source-attribution-block
priority: P1
source: Louis — HAQQ Legal AI (github.com/sboghossian/mini-claude-for-legal)
version: "1.0"

PDF Export Style

PDF is the final delivery format for the vast majority of legal documents — client advice letters, executed contracts, court filings, regulatory submissions, and internal policies. A poorly rendered PDF is professionally damaging: missing fonts, split clauses, invisible signatures, and failed court-filing validations are all real risks. This skill governs how Claude directs the PDF generation pipeline and what quality checks must pass before a PDF is treated as final.

When to use this

Activate whenever:

• A document generated by Claude must be exported as a PDF deliverable
• A user uploads or references a PDF and asks about rendering or re-generation
• A court filing, regulatory submission, or signed-contract PDF is being prepared
• Security controls (watermarking, passwords, copy restrictions) are requested

Generation path

The recommended conversion pipeline depends on available tools:

Path	Use case	Notes
Markdown → DOCX → PDF	Standard legal docs, opinions, memos	Most reliable for typography control; use Pandoc for Markdown → DOCX, then Word or LibreOffice for DOCX → PDF
Markdown → PDF (headless)	Automated pipelines, no DOCX step	Puppeteer/wkhtmltopdf with a legal-grade CSS; watch for page-break issues
DOCX → PDF	Existing Word documents	Word native save-as-PDF is the gold standard for fidelity
LaTeX → PDF	Complex court submissions, academic filings	Best for precise layout control; steep learning curve

Critical: Always test-render before treating the PDF as final. Auto-formatting issues — clauses split across pages, signature blocks detached from their lead-in text, missing fonts — are common and require manual adjustment.

Style requirements

Typography

• Embed all fonts in the PDF. Do not rely on system fonts being present on the reader's device.
• Standard legal fonts: Times New Roman 12pt (body), Arial 11pt (body), Calibri 11pt (body). All are safe for PDF embedding.
• Line spacing: 1.5 for most legal documents; double-spaced for US court submissions unless the court specifies otherwise.
• Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides as a minimum for court documents; adjust for letterhead templates.

Pagination

• Page numbers: bottom centre or bottom right, format Page X of Y.
• Keep headers/footers consistent: document title or matter reference on the header; page number on the footer.
• Control page breaks: prevent clauses from splitting mid-sentence; keep signature blocks on the same page as their lead-in.
• For multi-part documents with schedules, consider continuous page numbering or reset per schedule depending on firm convention.

Metadata

Embed the following PDF metadata (visible in File > Properties):

• Title: the document title
• Author: the firm or in-house legal team name (not the AI tool)
• Subject: matter reference or subject line
• Keywords: practice area, jurisdiction, document type

Hyperlinks

Preserve internal and external hyperlinks:

• Cross-references within the document (e.g., "as set forth in Section 4.2") should hyperlink to the target section
• Statute references may hyperlink to the official legislative database (UAE MoJ, Najiz, etc.)
• Note: some courts strip or reject hyperlinked PDFs — disable hyperlinks for court filings if the court's rules so require.

Security options

Apply based on the document's sensitivity level:

Option	When to use
Password (open)	Highly confidential documents shared by email
Password (modify)	Final signed documents — prevent editing
Copy restriction	Expert reports, due diligence materials
Print restriction	Draft documents for review only
Digital signature	Executed contracts, notarised documents

Note: PDF password protection is not a substitute for proper document management and access controls. It adds friction, not genuine security.

Digital signatures

For documents requiring valid electronic signatures:

• Use PDF signature fields compliant with the applicable e-signature law (UAE Federal Law on Electronic Transactions and Trust Services; KSA Electronic Transactions Law; EU eIDAS Regulation for EU-governed contracts).
• A qualified electronic signature (QES) under eIDAS provides the highest legal weight for EU and UK documents.
• For notarised MENA documents: some jurisdictions (e.g., UAE Tawtheeq, KSA Tawthiq) require in-person notarisation or certified electronic notarisation — a digitally signed PDF alone may not suffice.

Accessibility

Legal AI outputs may be reviewed on assistive technology. Minimum standards:

• Tag headings (H1, H2, H3) in the PDF tag tree for screen-reader navigation
• Provide alt text for any diagrams, charts, or images embedded in the document
• Ensure reading order in the tag tree matches the visual reading order
• Do not use scanned-image PDFs for searchable content — OCR or generate from source

Confidentiality watermark

For drafts and non-final documents:

• Apply a diagonal, semi-transparent watermark: DRAFT — CONFIDENTIAL — NOT FOR CIRCULATION
• Remove the watermark before sending a final executed version
• For privileged documents: PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL — ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION
• Position: diagonal, centre of page, ~30% opacity, grey or light-red

Bates numbering

For litigation document production:

• Apply sequential Bates numbers: [PartyPrefix]-[7-digit sequential number] e.g., ACME-0000001
• Position: bottom right corner
• Apply consistently across all documents in a production set
• Maintain a Bates log correlating numbers to original document references

Court-filing-grade PDF (PDF/A)

When filing with a court or regulatory authority that requires archival format:

• Format: PDF/A-1b or PDF/A-2b (ISO 19005) — embeds all fonts, prohibits external content references, ensures long-term readability
• No encryption: PDF/A prohibits password protection
• No hyperlinks to external URLs: strip external hyperlinks
• No audio/video embedded content
• Specific court rules: courts in DIFC, ADGM, and various UAE mainland courts have specific filing requirements (page size, font, margin, line spacing) — always verify the court's Practice Direction before filing
• Validation: validate the PDF/A compliance with a tool such as Adobe Acrobat preflight or VeraPDF before filing
• Checklist before filing:
  • PDF/A compliance validated
  • All fonts embedded
  • No external hyperlinks
  • Page numbering correct
  • Signature pages complete
  • File size within court's limit (if any)
  • File named per court's naming convention

Common rendering failures

Problem	Cause	Fix
Missing font substitution	Font not embedded	Embed all fonts at generation time
Signature block on new page alone	No keep-with-previous	Set keep-with-previous on the last body line
Clause split mid-sentence	No orphan/widow control	Enable orphan/widow control in the template
Hyperlinks broken	Relative paths	Use absolute URLs only
Watermark on final version	Forgot to remove	Use a separate "final" template without watermark
Scanned image not searchable	OCR not applied	Always generate from source; apply OCR if scanning originals

Related skills

• [[output-markdown-legal-doc]]
• [[output-partner-memo-style]]
• [[output-source-attribution-block]]
• [[output-inline-citations-with-pinpoints]]