Mia Chiu, vice president and general counsel of Ebates. (Courtesy photo)

Mia Chiu, the general counsel of the online cash-back shopping site Ebates, part of Japan-based e-commerce giant Rakuten, led the company's acquisition and post-merger integration of Cartera Commerce, Shopstyle.com, and Shopstyle Collective this past year.

What piece of advice do you give to lawyers considering a career in tech law?

I tell lawyers to stay abreast of technological developments. You cannot support an industry if you don't understand it.

Name a lawyer whose work you admire and why?

Ken Hirschman, who is the SVP and general counsel of Udemy Inc. He merges business and legal concepts elegantly and articulately, while mentoring those under his tutelage to do the same.

What's the best part about working in the tech sector?

I appreciate the intelligent and talented people with whom I work, and the frenetic pace of innovation. Nothing is static, which keeps me busy and constantly improving.

What's the biggest challenge?

The same things that make me love working in tech also prove to be a challenge, because of its fast-paced nature and constant change.

What's one way technology has made your life easier?

Technology has allowed me to facilitate global communications with internal clients quickly and efficiently.

One way it's made your life more difficult?

On the other hand, technology makes my job 24/7. I am a responsive business partner, so it is difficult for me to “turn it off” while trying to support my clients and their needs.

Name an important opportunity you got early in your career and what you did with it?

After the general counsel left my prior company, he encouraged the company's management team and the board to not fill the position in order to let me step up to the opportunities. I took on every available responsibility, learned what I could from both legal and business clients, partners, and mentors, and challenged myself to take the next step in my career. Complacency was not an option. Those opportunities helped me become the lawyer I am today.

What's the best piece of career advice anyone ever gave you?

I was told by a mentor that I must take on every opportunity with enthusiasm and to act “as if” I already have the job. It should truly be the case, according to this mentor, that “by the time you ask for the general counsel title, they should be wondering why you don't already have it.”

No. 1 survival tip in a work crisis:

This too shall pass. Stay calm and focus on being a good leader.

In 50 words or less, how far has the tech industry gone toward tackling its gender gap since you started practicing?

The tech industry has made great strides, but still has not closed the gender gap. We need to ensure that more women enter our profession, especially in areas that are dominated by men. In M&A, and too often in board and/or M&A discussions, I close the call with, “Thank you, gentlemen.”

What's one way you've had to change your thinking toward practicing law to succeed in-house at a technology company?

Some functions that have traditionally been outsourced to outside counsel make much more sense to take in-house. For instance, it is much more economical and helpful to have hired and developed subject-matter experts, in areas such as employment/HR, IP/open source, and commercial due diligence for M&A.

What's one area of technology that you're most excited about and why?

I am most excited by mobile development improvements, which are gaining functional parity with traditional web experiences. These developments have helped redefine the user experience for shopping and retail e-commerce, which is where I currently specialize my expertise.