Law360 (July 1, 2019, 4:26 PM EDT) — As a lawyer, Stu Alderoty has gravitated toward complex issues in need of a resolution. Following that path, he recently moved from New York City to San Francisco to become the general counsel of blockchain solutions provider Ripple.
“This is the cutting-edge legal issue that is out there globally right now,” Alderoty told Law360 in a recent interview. “If that’s what drives you and motivates you as a lawyer or as a professional, I think this is the space where you’ve got to be, and if you’re not here, you’re really missing out.”
Ripple connects banks and payment providers through a global network that runs on blockchain technology. By joining the network, financial institutions can process their customers’ payments anywhere in the world instantly, reliably and cost-effectively, according to the company.
Since he started working in his new role in January, Alderoty said he has been pleasantly surprised at “how active and engaging the energy and the conversation is, not only around Ripple as a company, but around blockchain and digital assets as a whole.”
Here, he shares how blockchain technology is transforming the financial services industry and how Ripple will continue to build momentum in that space. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.