Catherine C. Miller, Esq. is the founder of Miller Law & Mediation, LLC.  Her primary focus is ensure clients of the firm receive the best possible representation.  Catherine is also responsible for managing the efforts of her team, and enhancing the firm’s service offering.

Catherine is a member of the Maine and New Hampshire State Bar Associations.  She has more than 18 years of experience practicing law and over 15 years practicing family law exclusively.  Prior to opening her own firm, Catherine was a partner in Givertz, Hambley, Scheffee & Lavoie, P.A.  Recently, Miller Law & Mediation joined forces with The Law Offices of Clarke C. Hambley to expand the firm’s practice areas to include representation of small businesses, real estate, and estate planning.

Over the past fifteen years, Catherine has continued her study of issues pertaining to children and families, taxes, finances, alternative dispute resolution, mediation and conflict management.  She is a Certified Mediator, has trained in the Collaborative Law model, and is a rostered Guardian ad Litem.  Catherine is also a Fellow the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Catherine is very active in her community and is passionate about furthering of the legal profession.  She formally served as a member of the Executive Board Member to the Maine Guardian ad Litem Institute (2004-2005, 2014- 2015), Maine State Bar Association Family Law Section (Chair – 2006 – 2008), (Vice Chair -2005 – 2006), (Secretary -2004-2005), and Kids First Center Board of Directors (2006-2015).

Recently, Catherine was appointed by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to serve on the Maine Board of Bar Overseers Grievance Commission and the Maine Guardian ad Litem Review Board to preside over attorney and guardian ad litem grievance complaints.

Catherine is a graduate of Le Moyne College B.A. (1993) and the University of Maine School of Law, (J.D. 1997).  She is admitted to practice in Maine and New Hampshire, and in the U.S. District Courts for Maine and New Hampshire.

Contact Catherine:

(207) 523-8260 – Direct
cmiller@millerasen.com

Michael P. Asen, Esq.

Over the course of more than 30 years in practice, Michael has earned the reputation as one of Maine’s preeminent matrimonial lawyers. Through appointments to the Governor’s Commission to Study the Future of Maine’s Courts and the Advisory Committee on the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Michael has helped shape the practice of family law in Maine. Michael serves the firm Of Counsel and shares a wealth of experience and expertise with his fellow lawyers.

Michael has also served as Chair of The Family Law Section of the Maine Bar and is currently a member of the Judicial Branch Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics. He has argued over 20 cases in the Maine Supreme Judicial Court including leading cases in the areas of property distribution and jurisdiction in divorce cases. He is also a former member of the Portland School Board and the Portland Cable Television Committee. Michael has been a frequent lecturer at Maine Continuing Legal Education seminars.

Michael is listed in Best Lawyers in America, as well as New England Super Lawyers. He is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He also received the highest attorney rating, AV® Preeminent™*, by Martindale-Hubbell following the results of a peer review rating process considering the anonymous opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary.

Michael lives in Falmouth with his wife, Missy, an artist. He has three adult sons, Peter, Taylor, and Jonathan, three grandchildren, and a Labradoodle named Larry.

*AV® Preeminent™ is a certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies. See, www.martindale.com/ratings

Contact Michael:

(207) 699-5731 – Direct
masen@millerasen.com

Diane Dusini, Esq.

Diane Dusini began her legal career as a tax lawyer providing tax and business consulting services to family law attorneys in Maine. For the last 27 years, Diane has focused her practice on family law and specifically the tax and business implications of divorce.

Diane is listed in Best Lawyers in America and was selected lawyer of the year in family law for 2013 and 2017. Diane is listed as a Super Lawyer in family law as well. Diane received the University of Maine Law School Alumni Association Award for distinguished service in 2013. Diane is the past President of the Maine State Bar Association Board of Governors.

Diane has been an active member in many organizations in the community including positions as the former President of the Board of Directors of the Kennebec Girl Scout Council and former President of the University of Maine School of Law Alumni Association and Board Member of the Maine Justice Foundation. Diane is certified by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts as a Certified Divorce Planner. Diane has taught family law at the University of Maine School of Law and is a frequent speaker at seminars.

Diane lives in Scarborough and is an active triathlete and volunteer for the National Park Service.

Contact Diane:

(207) 699-5733 – Direct
ddusini@millerasen.com

Susan Bixby, Esq.

Susan joined MillerAsen, in 2022 from an 18-year career at MittelAsen, LLC. Prior to that, that she worked at a similarly sized law firm in New Hampshire for a number of years. Her practice is devoted primarily to family law.

Susan is a member of the Cumberland Bar Association and the Maine State Bar Association and was a past Chair of the Family Law Section of the Association (2010-2012). She served on the Board of Directors of the Kids First Center from 2014-2020. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Falmouth Memorial Library.

Susan graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1995. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1998.

Contact Susan:

(207) 699-5736 – Direct
sbixby@millerasen.com

Jessica M. Govind, Esq. is an experienced family law and trial attorney with more than twelve years litigating in the Maine, Massachusetts and New York State and Federal Courts.  Jessica has a passion for family law and has focused the last five years of her practice solely in this area. In addition to representing clients, Jessica is a mediator for family matters.

Jessica is active in the legal community. She served as the Legislative Liaison to the Family Law Section of the Maine State Bar Association, is a volunteer attorney for the Courthouse Assistance Program and served on the planning committee for the Kids First Bloom auction. She has furthered her training in family law by attending conferences held by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys.

Prior to joining the firm, Jessica started practicing law at Henshaw & Culbertson, LLC, an AmLaw 200 nationally-recognized law firm in the Boston market. In 2008, Jessica took a position in New York, practicing law for Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith, LLP, also a nationally recognized law firm.

Jessica is a graduate of George Washington University and earned her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.  Jessica is a member of the Maine (active), Massachusetts (retired) and New York (retired) bars.

Contact Jessica:

(207) 523-8270 – Direct
jgovind@millerasen.com

Alex M. Chaiken, Esq. brings an established practice in estate planning and administration to MillerAsen.

Alex began his legal career with a clerkship in the Maine District Courts in Bangor working primarily with the Hon. E. Mary Kelly.  He subsequently joined the Law Office of Susan E. Hunter, a boutique estate planning and administration practice in Portland, where he later became a partner and the firm became HunterChaiken, LLC.  At the firm, Alex gained experience in all aspects of estate planning, from the drafting of simple wills and trusts to complex tax planning and generational transfers.  Additionally, Alex provided estate and probate administration services including the preparation of estate and fiduciary income tax returns, as well as personal income tax returns.  Alex is also experienced in all aspects of practice in Maine’s probate courts.

Alex is admitted to practice in the State of Maine, and is a member of the Maine State Bar Association.  He was a member of the Maine State Bar Association’s Leadership Academy Class of 2016.

Alex is a graduate of the University of Maine and the Wake Forest University School of Law.

Contact Alex:

(207) 553-2181 – Direct
achaiken@millerasen.com

Whitney A. Lallas, Esq.

Whitney’s practice is focused on family law matters. Whitney’s sight has been set on family law since before she began her undergraduate education at the University of Maine, where she earned her B.S. in Business Management with a minor in Legal Studies.

Whitney attended the University of Maine School of Law, graduating in 2019. During her time at law school, Whitney served as president of the Juvenile Law Society, Chairwoman of the Maine Association for Public Interest Law, and externed at the Portland District Court. Whitney excelled as a Student Attorney at the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic where she represented clients in a variety of matters including divorce, post-divorce motions and other family matters, juvenile matters, and protection from abuse cases. Whitney is a recipient of the law school’s Family, Juvenile, & Elder Law Award, with a focus in Family Law, for outstanding scholastic achievement.

During her tenure as a Student Attorney, Whitney drafted, and testified in support of a legislative bill titled, An Act to Ease Financial Burdens for Juveniles Involved in the Justice System, which became law in 2019.

While earning her undergraduate and law school degrees, Whitney also worked for a small family law firm from 2012 to 2019.

Currently, Whitney serves as the Legislative Liaison of the Maine State Bar Association’s Family Law Section and is a contributor to the 2020 supplement to A Practical Guide to Divorce in Maine, published by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education New England.

Contact Whitney:

(207) 699-5739 – Direct
wlallas@millerasen.com

Nick J. Galanin, Esq. Nick J. Galanin, Esq. has a passion for assisting individuals through the difficult transitions that bring them to the Family Court, with a focus on helping his clients work toward stable financial futures and healthy co-parenting relationships.

Nick’s diverse work experience prior to law, from running a children’s theater camp to underwriting in the credit industry, as well as his extensive foreign language studies, have given him a well-rounded and community-focused approach to family law. Nick is a firm believer that it takes a village to raise a child and that children are highly adaptive when their caregivers can put aside conflict and prioritize consistent support through changing circumstances.

In addition to representing clients, Nick is a rostered Guardian ad Litem for family matters based out of Portland District Court. Nick is also a volunteer for VLP’s Courthouse Assistance Project (CHAP) which provides family matter consults to Mainers who would otherwise be without access to affordable legal services.

Prior to joining the firm, Nick worked as a trial assistant at a criminal defense firm in Portland covering a wide range of offenses from theft and OUI to arson and homicide. Nick coordinated extensively with clients, courts, mental health service providers, and substance abuse counselors.

Nick is a graduate of Colgate University and earned his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law. He is fluent in Spanish and French. Nick is also a member of the Maine State Bar Association and the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association.

Nick lives in Portland with his partner and their two terrific terriers. When not practicing law, he is usually playing guitar, watercolor painting, cleaning his fountain pen collection or running games of Dungeons & Dragons for his friends.

Contact Nick:

(207) 553-2119 – Direct
ngalanin@millerasen.com