Neeraj Rajpal is the new Chief Information Officer at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. (Photo: Courtesy Photo)

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan is betting that Neeraj Rajpal has 2020 vision. The New York-based firm has brought the veteran chief information officer on board to help further the progress of Stroock 2020, a strategic initiative that's all about trying to secure a future in a changing legal landscape.

And It's hard to hear "future" and not think about technology. On the heels a 25-year IT career that spans Am Law 100 firms like K&L Gates and Morrison & Foerster, it seems like a safe bet that Rajpal knows his way around a network.

In addition to the usual suspects like cybersecurity, Rajpal also has experience with the technology behind popular legal tech buzzwords like "AI" and "blockchain." However, the real change worth keeping an eye on may a closer relationship between law firm partners and IT departments. Below is LTN's conversation with Rajpal shortly after his move, which has been edited for clarity and brevity. 

Legaltech News: Are we seeing law firms become more sophisticated in the ways they leverage technology?

Neeraj Rajpal: I would say the answer is yes. Law firms have started to realize that technology plays such an important part, even more so than before. And they've realized that they've needed to bring professionals in to get the job done.

Where do you think most law firms currently stand with regards to emerging technologies like blockchain or AI?

I'm chuckling here because you say the world "blockchain" to lawyers and the first thing that they think of is Bitcoin, which is not true. I mean, blockchain is not just Bitcoin. Bitcoin is an application that uses blockchain. I think there's a lot of confusion in the industry. But having said that, there's enough efficiency to be gained from having technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain that they've realized they need to bring professionals in to help them understand and execute on those strategies.

Is there a lot of that innovation experience on the market?

It is reasonably new. If you talked about a chief information officer or an innovation umbrella years ago, you'd be probably the only one out of 100 talking about it. But now I think it's becoming more and more common. People are more open to talking about it. They're open to dabbling in the technology. They're open to having discussions with the right people.

Has the role of chief information officer changed?

Absolutely. The CIOs of the past were just technology folks who literally were keeping the lights on and having a good relationship with the partners and lawyers as well. … I think that's got to step up where the executives of the firm are saying we need someone who can not just connect with the younger lawyers who are not just technologically more open to new tools and ideas, but also get the firm to where we need to be in terms of looking at the client, talking to the client, getting the right tools and technologies to keep the client happy.

How will technology fit into the efforts of the Stroock 2020 plan?

It's funny you mentioned that because I asked the same question. And the answer I got was technology is the foundation for the success of anything that happens in law firms now. Not just with marketing or HR or the practice areas—it's really everywhere. So if you look at any growth plan no matter where it is—top line, bottom line—technology plays a key role in that. And that's what excited me, because not many firms have realized at the top level that technology plays such an important part.

Have you gotten a read on what is important to younger associates and the way they think about technology?

I can tell you that they are very interested in collaboration. They are very interested in collaborating not just internally but also with clients.  When I say open communication, I don't mean unrestricted, but the way they use technology I would say is very different from the partners. Having said that, I'm looking at what kind of suite do we look at for the future, what kind of tools we can look at and look at the process as well. [When] onboarding associates, what's important to them when they come in the door? What's important to them when they go home? How they work remotely, things like that.