Matthew Michael McClenahen

That was my first experience dealing with criminal charges; Matt gave me a free, detailed consultation about the necessary steps and consequences. It was very comfortable speaking with him as he didn't give me a hard time for having that kind of experience. He is very professional, experienced, knowl...edgeable and responsive to any questions I had via email or calls. I was extremely anxious at that time cuz I thought it would affect my future career opportunities, but now I have successfully completed the ARD program, DUI charges are dismissed and I just landed my dream job. Matt was extremely helpful in all the steps throughout the process.

I was accused of harassment and this was my first encounter with the law. I had no knowledge of the court system or what I was supposed to do in the situation. Matt McClenahen informed me of the entire process and how the case would be handled. I was very distraught because I would be finishing sc...hool and looking to start my career. Matt helped me feel better about the entire predicament. At the trial, Matt was very effective in his actions. His experience and knowledge of the law was far superior to the arresting officer. He went beyond all of my expectations and I was found not guilty. I was extremely satisfied with his professionalism, knowledge and abilities in the courtroom. I highly recommend him to anyone.

Our son was charged with an underage drinking violation. I was very distraught because our son has a CDL that he could not lose. He is enrolled in a community college program where it is a requirement that he have his CDL. I called Mr. McClenahen's office on a Sunday thinking that I would have to ...leave a message for him. To my surprise, he actually answered the phone and gave me advice. The same day, the day after the incident took place, the officer from BLCE contacted me and told me that I had a son that I should be proud of, that he was very respectful of the officer and that he would agree to change the charge to a Disorderly Conduct for him and work with him. 1 1/2 days before my son was scheduled to go before the district magistrate, Mr. McClenahen contacted me to inform me that the BLCE officer had contacted him and told him that "the policy changed" and he was unable to change the charges. Basically, we had two options, my son could plead guilty and lose his license for a minimum of 90 days (nobody had information on how long his CDL would be supsended if this happened) or he could go to trial. We decided to go to trial before the district magistrate. The BLCE officer was unbending and would not agree to change the charges even though he knew how detrimental it would be to my son's career. During the trial, the BLCE officer gave his testimony. The district magistrate asked Mr. McClenahen if he had anything to which he replied that he didn't. I was so angry at this point because it seemed to me that he wasn't trying to plead my son's case. The BLCE officer gave his closing remarks with the suggestion of the Youth Offender's Program (which would have imposed a minimum 90 day license suspension). When the district magistrate asked Mr. McClenahen for his closing remarks, he requested that my son be found not guilty since the officer had not stated HOW he came to find out that my son was, in fact under the age of 21. The officer tried to explain himself but Mr. McClenahen interrupted and told him he had already given his testimony and closed. The district magistrate had to find my son "Not Guilty" -which in fact came with no fines or costs and no license suspension! Thank goodness Mr. McClenahen was aware of the fact that BLCE had to prove how they knew my son was underage. This is the only thing that saved his career because, without his CDL, he would have been removed from the college program. Thank you, thank you, thank you Mr. McClenahen for everything you did. Our son has certainly learned his lesson and now knows how close he came to losing a career that he LOVES. In closing I'd like to just point out that many people mistakenly believe that a charge of Underage Drinking "is no big deal" and feel that they don't need attorney representation. Too many people do not consult with a defense attorney and instead take legal advice from the officer or the court staff. Such people may intend to provide good advice, but they often are not aware of all aspects of a case to fully advocate for the client's best interests, or the "policies change" and when the time comes to go before the court, you think you don't have any options. I highly recommend Mr. McClenahen for anyone in a similar situation as my son's.

I had a difficult case of a second DUI, driving with a suspended license, and children in the car. Starting with the first phone call Matt took the time to explain everything, to thoroughly explain my options, and to calm me down and assure me that we would get the best possible outcome. He is very k...nowledgeable on PA laws and has a great relationship with the DA's and the judges in Centre County. He was able to negotiate a plea deal and then arrange for me to have house arrest for 4 months when I could have spent years behind bars. I will be forever grateful and I strongly recommend that anyone with a DUI or related charges to seek his help. My family and I were very impressed with his presence in court and his overall demeanor. I am now able to save my employment and provide for my family instead of sitting in a jail cell.

Matt recently represented me in my hearing to terminate probation early. He was upfront about my chances, took me step-by-step through the process, and molded an effective argument for early termination. Matt was patient with my myriad questions and quick to return my phone calls. Matt made a process... that would have otherwise been very stressful as painless as it could be. And, of course, I couldn't be more pleased to have a successful outcome in my case. I highly recommend Matt's services.