After arriving in San Francisco, Metcalfe worked for a bank while finishing his legal studies. In 1874 he was admitted to the bar and found work with the firm of Bartlett &amp; Pratt (later Pratt &amp; Metcalfe). Over the next decade he became a well known lawyer in the city and also became active with Democratic politics (including serving as a delegate to the 1880 Democratic National Convention). In January 1883 he visited Seattle, Washington and decided to relocate there, arriving later that year. He continued to enjoy a successful career as a trial lawyer and after several years formed a partnership with Junius Rochester.