Attorney Profiles

James A. Stranahan IV

Specialties: Estates, Domestic Relations, Wills and Estate Planning, Civil Litigation

Born on October 5, 1950, in New Castle Pennsylvania, Mr. Stranahan grew up in Mercer, Pennsylvania and attended Mercer Schools, graduating in 1968. While at Mercer Schools, Mr. Stranahan was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated with honors. During high school, he was a varsity basketball and cross country letter winner.

In 1972, Mr. Stranahan graduated from Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. In 1973, Mr. Stranahan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps receiving basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina; infantry training at Camp Lejune, North Carolina; and was stationed in Washington, D.C., at Marine Corps Headquarters. This followed the Stranahans' long family history of service in our military dating back to the civil war.

Following his military service, Mr. Stranahan attended the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law in Lansing, Michigan. In 1979, he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree. Immediately following his graduation, he sat for and passed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam and was admitted to practice in Mercer County in October of 1979. Mr. Stranahan was also admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Western District of Pennsylvania Federal Court. He is currently a member of the Mercer County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and has served as a member of the Mercer County Bench-Bar Committee.

Initially, Mr. Stranahan's trial work involved criminal cases. After a number of criminal trials, he has moved his focus to civil matters. Currently, he tries only civil lawsuits, which would include: medical malpractice, serious accident and personal injury cases, and contract litigation, in Mercer County and surrounding counties. Mr. Stranahan's main practice areas include: Plaintiff's Personal Injury, Wills and Estates, Real Estate, and Family Law.

Mr. Stranahan is a member and elder of the Trinity Presbyterian Church, located in Mercer, Pennsylvania. He is a former member and former President of the Mercer Rotary Club, a former President of the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a Trustee on the George W. Wright Fund.

Mr. Stranahan resides in Grove City, Pennsylvania with his wife.  He has two (2) sons, James and John, both of Pittsburgh, a daughter, Courtney, of Michigan and five (5) grandchildren.  His hobbies outside of work include following local and Pittsburgh sports teams, reading history books and golf.

Jack William Cline

Specialties:  Criminal Defense, DUI, Business & Commercial Law, Accident Cases

Jack William Cline was born in Grove City, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Grove City Area High School with high honors. Mr. Cline attended Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, where he earned a B.S. double major in economics and history, graduating cum laude in 1981. While at Allegheny, Mr. Cline was selected for the Alden Scholar Dean's List for four years. As a collegiate golfer, Mr. Cline was selected as a NCAA All-American golfer in 1981, and is a member of the Allegheny College Sports Hall of Fame.

After graduating from Allegheny College, Mr. Cline began law school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After three years of school, he graduated with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1984. Mr. Cline was a winner of the Federation of Insurance Counsel National Writing Contest in 1984.

Mr. Cline passed his bar exam for Pennsylvania in 1984, and joined the firm. He is currently a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Mercer County Bar Association, National Trial Lawyers, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, DUI Defense College. Mr. Cline is the author of Yardbird USA: http://sbpra.com/JackWCline/

Few lawyers have had as much experience in trial law as Jack W. Cline, who has had over 150 jury trials to verdict spanning over 34 years and over six counties in Western Pennsylvania. In his last fifteen felony jury trials, Attorney Cline has won acquittals in thirteen of these cases.

Attorney Cline has won Plaintiff verdicts for money damages in Allegheny, Butler, Mercer and Crawford counties. Attorney Cline is an experienced and skilled negotiator as well. The opposing parties are aware of his experience in court which may be reason to encourage a favorable settlement.

Attorney Cline continues to help individuals charged with criminal offenses along with individuals facing governmental sanctions, such as license suspensions or revocations. He represents several businesses and corporations faced with legal issues and government bureau actions.

Expertise in liquor law has led Mr. Cline to obtain liquor licenses for various clubs and organizations, some of the more difficult cases having been taken all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Allegheny Steak and Pasta Grill, Inc. v. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, 805 A.2d 698 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2002-2003) and Richard E. Craft American Legion Post v. Pennslyvania Liquor Control Board, 718 A.2d 276 (Pa. 1998).

Jack resides in Grove City, PA with his wife Kathleen and their children.

Attorney Cline received the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' in 2017, a national award bestowed on less than 1/2 of 1% of all lawyers.

Gregory D. Metrick

Specialties: Criminal Defense, DUI, Domestic Relations, Accidents/Malpractice, Oil & Gas Leasing Law

Gregory Daniel Metrick was born in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 14, 1981. He attended Slippery Rock Area High School, and graduated with honors in 1999. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and the Slippery Rock High School Golf Team, and was named the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Student of the Year for 1999.

After high school, Greg attended Grove City College, where he was named to the Dean’s List all four years. He graduated in 2003, earning a bachelor’s degree in history. In college, Greg was a member of the Law Society and the Helping Hands Student Volunteer Association.

Greg then attended the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and graduated in 2006 with a juris doctor degree. He then sat for and passed the Pennsylvania Bar Examination in July, 2006, and joined the firm in January 2007.

Greg is a member of the Mercer County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Greg works on all types of cases including criminal defense, civil litigation, family law, guardianship for incapacitated persons, firearms law, liquor law and civil litigation, and has jury trial experience in both criminal and civil matters. Greg has recently earned not guilty verdicts for clients, and successfully assisted clients in keeping their property when they were under threat of losing it for tax purposes or other reasons.

Greg currently resides in Mercer, Pennsylvania with his wife, Beth, and their 3 dogs. His hobbies include golf, reading and music. Attorney Metrick is also an avid Pittsburgh sports fan.

Douglas M. Watson

Douglas M. Watson is a life-long resident of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from high school at Calvary Christian Academy in I 990. In 1994, he graduated summa cum laude from Pensacola Christian College. In 1997, he obtained his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. Mr. Watson has been practicing law in Mercer County since 1997, primarily focusing his practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, real estate, guardianships, and adoptions. Mr. Watson is a past member of the Greenville Rotary club, a past member of Junior Achievement, and a past member of the Community Court in Greenville.

Mr. Watson was ordained as a Baptist minister in 2014, obtained his Masters' Degree in Biblical Exposition from the Pensacola Theological Seminary in 2016, and has pastored the Lighthouse Baptist Church of the Valley in Hermitage, Pennsylvania since 2014. He currently serves on the Council of International Gospel Missions: a Baptist Mission Agency. He has participated in numerous short-term mission trips, including three separate trips to Haiti and another trip to Grenada.

Kenneth R. Harris

Specialties: Criminal Defense, Family Law, Juvenile Law, Wills and Estates

Kenneth Richard Harris was born and raised in Wilmington Township, Mercer County. He graduated from Wilmington Area High School in 1995. Ken graduated from Slippery Rock University in 1999 with a degree in Political Science. In 2002, Ken graduated with honors from The University of Pittsburgh School of Law with a certificate in Civil Litigation and Environmental Law.

Ken has represented clients in all aspects of family law including; support, custody, divorce, PFA's, adoption, and even grandparents' rights.

Ken has also represented clients in all types of criminal cases, from simple traffic offenses and summary offenses to homicide, serious drug offenses, and other serious felonies. Ken has extensive experience with the Juvenile Justice system. He has represented children charged with crimes, as well as parents who have had their children taken by CYS.

Ken works hard to resolve all matters as amicably as possible, and he values the conservation of time, energy, and money that settlement brings. However, Ken also recognize that some matters can only be resolved through litigation, and in those cases, he is always prepared to put his wealth of litigation experience to good use. Ken has argued many appeals before the Superior Court of Pennsylvania; and has even had the opportunity to argue before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Ken resides in Springfield Township with his wife Beth and their two children. They attend Grove City Alliance Church, and are members of the Grove City Country Club, where Ken is President. Ken is an avid outdoorsman and in his free time enjoys hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, shooting, and playing golf.