PDF tools that don't waive attorney-client privilege.
Files never leave your browser. No uploads. No retention. No discovery exposure.
The rule you're trying not to violate.
One model rule, two influential state bar opinions, and a growing line of malpractice claims.
A lawyer shall not reveal information relating to the representation of a client unless the client gives informed consent, the disclosure is impliedly authorized in order to carry out the representation, or the disclosure is otherwise permitted.
Several state bar ethics opinions — including NY State Bar Opinion 842 and Cal. Bar Formal Opinion 2010-179 — have held that lawyers must make reasonable efforts to assess vendor security before using cloud services. Uploading a client document to a third-party PDF processor without that diligence has been argued to potentially constitute a disclosure absent informed consent.
What a single upload can cost you.
Privilege waiver
Disclosure to a third-party processor can be cited as a waiver — by opposing counsel and by your own insurer.
Malpractice carrier scrutiny
Insurers now request your vendor stack at renewal. Cloud uploads of client material raise premiums or trigger exclusions.
Opposing counsel discovery
A subpoena to your vendor produces logs, copies, and metadata you never thought you'd hand over.
Built for how lawyers actually use PDFs.
True redaction with audit certificate
The DOJ Epstein release (Dec 2025) used redaction that could be defeated by copy-paste. KeptPDF destroys the underlying text layer and signs the output with a SHA-256 hash.
Metadata scrub
Strips XMP, hidden layers, comment threads, prior author names and embedded revisions before you produce.
eSign Q3 2026
DocuSign-style signing without the cloud. Signers come to a local-only flow; no signed copy ever sits on a vendor server.
No telemetry on files
We log nothing about your documents — no names, no sizes, no hashes. Auditable. Verifiable on the Verify page.
How we compare.
Same task. Very different exposure profile.
| Capability | KeptPDF | iLovePDF | Adobe Acrobat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files leave your browser? | |||
| Cryptographic audit trail? | |||
| Subject to discovery requests? | |||
| Metadata fully scrubbed? |
Competitor positions reflect public marketing & documented architecture as of 2026. Acrobat's "online" features upload by default; desktop redaction is local but doesn't ship an audit certificate.
Pricing for firms.
Business
- Every PDF tool, unlimited use
- Audit-certificate redaction
- Metadata scrub + batch processing
- Files up to 500 MB
- Priority email support