Professor McClanahan graduated first in his class from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was a member of the North Carolina Law Review and the student director of the Honors Writing Scholar program. Following law school, he clerked for The Honorable Roger L. Gregory of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He also was an officer in the North Carolina Army National Guard, serving in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
McClanahan teaches courses in Applied Legal Concepts, Professional Responsibility, and legal writing. He also serves as the Director of Academic Success Programs, including the Legal Education Advancement Program (LEAP) and SOAR Bar Success Program. His primary research interests include criminal procedure, federal courts, and the division of responsibility in deciding legal disputes.