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Nick J. Galanin, Esq
Nick Galanin specializes in helping families navigate divorce and separation, parental rights, and co-parenting disputes with a focus on collaborative problem-solving.
At a Glance
Rostered Guardian ad Litem
Family Matters Mediator, Maine State Courts CADRES Program
Attorney, admitted to practice in State of Maine
Facilitator for Kids First Center
First Step: Foundations in Coparenting
Next Step: Putting Conflict Aside
Kids First for Women: Navigating Coparenting through Family Violence
Presentations:
co-moderator, 2026 Kids First Institute for Advanced Professional Learning, The Court Says Go, but the Kids say NO! Multidisciplinary Approaches to Resist/Refuse Dynamics
presenter, 2025 Kids First Institute for Advanced Professional Learning Conference, Reimagining Parallel Parenting- A Year in Review: Part One
panelist, Maine Board of Overseers, The Role of Guardians ad Litem in Family Law Mediation
panelist, Maine Law Youth Justice Society, Juvenile Advocacy Panel for Youth Justice Action Month
Member of:
Maine State Bar Association
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Maine Association of Mediators
Academy of Professional Family Mediators
Education:
Juris Doctor, University of Maine School of Law
Mediation Certificate (40 Hours), University of Southern Maine
Parenting Coordination Training (24 Hours), The Cooperative Parenting Institute
Fundamentals of Parenting Coordination Training Program (16 Hours), Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Nick speaks Spanish and French.
Mediation Services (In Person or via Zoom)
Coparenting Mediation: A child-centered process for parents navigating separation, divorce, or changes in family structure to discuss (and hopefully resolve) issues with their parenting plans outside of litigation. Stemming from my training in parenting coordination and my work as a Guardian ad litem, mediator, and facilitator of coparenting workshops, this style of mediation encourages the parties to develop better conflict resolution skills and expand their knowledge of coparenting, with the goal of empowering them to resolve their own disputes in the long term. This offering is flexible and can be limited to a single session, multi-session process, or ad hoc mediation to support the family as disputes arise. A summary of issues presented and any agreements made are provided to parties and Counsel after the session.
Family Matter Mediations: Standard format of joint or shuttle style mediation for resolving court actions involving minor children including: divorce, parental rights, post-judgment actions, grandparent visitation, de facto parentage, and minor guardianship matters. These mediations are grounded in a family-centered approach that prioritizes the needs of children while supporting parties in reaching practical, durable resolutions. As above, a summary of issues presented and any agreements made are provided to parties and Counsel after the session to aid in the drafting of future court documents.
Guardian ad Litem Appointments
As a Guardian ad Litem (GAL), the Court appoints me to serve as a representative for the best interests of your child/ren during your family matters case. The role of the GAL is to thoroughly investigate each child's situation and make recommendations to the court regarding what is in the child/ren's best interests. The recommendations can include decision making, parenting time, conditions of parent-child contact and other discrete issues central to your case. As part of my investigations, I interview the child/ren, parents, live-in partners, and sometimes other relevant parties such as teachers, doctors, caregivers and school counselors. I observe the child/ren in each parent's home, and review relevant court filings. In some cases, I am asked to review extensive child services reports or medical and educational records to further aid me in forming an opinion.
The scope of the recommendations and the investigation are determined by the Appointment Order which serves as my roadmap for each family's unique needs. While some families only require nuclear family interviews and home visits, others request more expansive investigations which allow me to immerse myself in the history of a family, its support network, and get to know each individual and thoughtfully consider their perspectives. My ultimate goal is always to ensure that the child/ren's best interests remains at the forefront of any decision making in your case, whether that be between the parties during settlement negotiations, or by a judge during a contested hearing.
Click here to read more about GALs in Family Matters on the State of Maine Judicial Branch website.
© 2023 Galanin Family Law, LLC
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