Gina Miller '12

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A job posting tacked on a bulletin board changed everything.

It was 2011, and Gina Miller was a law student at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, balancing classes at night with a full-time job during the day. She spotted an internship opportunity at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and decided to apply.

That decision launched a career in public service that has spanned more than a decade and now places her at the center of some of Pennsylvania's most important legal and energy issues.

Today, Miller serves as legal counsel to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Chairman Steve DeFrank, providing legal advice on matters that affect millions of Pennsylvanians. From utility rate cases and energy reliability to affordability challenges and emerging issues surrounding data centers, her work helps shape decisions that influence how essential services are delivered across the commonwealth.

"I am using all of my legal skills to try to make other people's lives better," Miller said.

"Although public utility law probably does not sound exciting, the impact of the work is what matters. Having access to safe, reliable and affordable utilities is essential for everyone."

When Miller enrolled at Widener Law Commonwealth, she was looking for a law school that fit her life.

"Circumstances required that I work full time," she said. "Widener gave me the chance to do that and to earn my law degree at night."

The evening program made law school possible. The internship she found there gave her a career she hadn't expected.

"I fell in love with it," Miller said of her internship with the PA PUC's Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement. "I hoped to land a career as a public advocate."

Widener Law Commonwealth also gave her opportunities to sharpen the practical skills she would rely on throughout her career.

As a member of the Trial Advocacy Honor Society, Miller developed courtroom skills that gave her confidence before she ever represented a client.

"It provided me with a second legal education," she said. "I cannot overstate the value of the program."

She also credits faculty members with preparing her for practice. The late Professor Juliet Moringiello's commercial law courses proved invaluable when she began her legal career handling bankruptcy matters, while Adjunct Professor Bob Davis' professional responsibility class left a lasting impression.

"He made sure that his students were well prepared to begin their careers," Miller said. "I'm betting he will probably never know how many students he helped to avoid ethical pitfalls."

After graduating in 2012, Miller joined a boutique Harrisburg law firm, where she gained early courtroom experience representing clients in bankruptcy, family law and commercial litigation. Although she valued the opportunity to litigate a wide variety of cases, public service remained her long-term goal.

In 2014, she returned to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, this time as an attorney in the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, where she had interned as a student.

Over the next several years, Miller litigated utility rate cases, acquisition proceedings and other regulatory matters before joining the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate in 2023. There, she continued handling public utility litigation while representing the interests of Pennsylvania consumers. She was promoted to senior assistant consumer advocate in 2024 as utility rate litigation became increasingly active across the state.

Then her family's needs changed.

After her father suffered a serious stroke in the summer of 2024, Miller made the difficult decision to step away from litigation so she could help care for him during his recovery.

Rather than leaving public service, she found another way to continue serving.

She returned to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission as an attorney in the Office of Special Assistants, where her work shifted from courtroom advocacy to legal analysis, research and drafting proposed orders for the commission.

"I think the fact that I was able to pivot to a new position when life circumstances required it is a real testament to the variety of opportunities available in public service," she said.

The transition also expanded her legal perspective, exposing her to another side of the commission's work while allowing her to be present for her family when they needed her most.

Earlier this year, after her father made significant progress in his recovery, another opportunity emerged. Miller joined Chairman Steve DeFrank's office as legal counsel, her current role.

There is no typical day.

One day may involve issues surrounding electric grid reliability or federal energy policy. The next could focus on water utilities, transportation companies or the affordability challenges facing Pennsylvania consumers. Through it all, Miller works alongside attorneys and policy professionals with a shared commitment to serving the public.

"The needs of the public and the public utilities that serve them are always evolving," she said. "They require strategic, thoughtful solutions and comprehensive legal analysis."

She also credits DeFrank with fostering a collaborative environment.

"Each of us has a unique skillset," she said. "Chairman DeFrank is committed to working as hard as possible each day, and his example inspires us to do the same."

Away from the office, Miller teaches early morning spinning classes at the YMCA, a commitment she says helps her stay physically and mentally healthy. She also serves as co-chair of the mentoring committee for the James S. Bowman American Inn of Court, the nation's only Inn of Court dedicated to administrative law, where she enjoys mentoring the next generation of legal professionals. Through the organization, she also volunteers with the Central PA Food Bank.

Looking back, Miller believes one of the best things aspiring public service attorneys can do is introduce themselves, ask questions and pursue opportunities before graduation.

"My advice is simple," she said. "Put yourself out there."

She encourages students to connect with attorneys over coffee, become involved in organizations such as the Pennsylvania Bar Association or the James S. Bowman American Inn of Court, and apply for internships that allow them to experience different areas of law firsthand.

For Miller, one internship posting on a bulletin board at Widener Law Commonwealth became the first step in a career dedicated to serving Pennsylvanians.

Interview conducted in Summer 2026.