I have a simple update I am genuinely proud to share: Brenden Kelley Law was ranked Top 3 of 2025 among law firms in Cleveland, Ohio (44114) by BusinessRate.com.

If you have ever rolled your eyes at “best of” badges, I get it. What made me take this recognition seriously is the scoring behind it.

What BusinessRate measures (and why it is different)

BusinessRate uses a BusinessRate Score that is meant to go beyond simple star ratings. The score compares businesses within the same category and geographic area, so you are measured against local peers, not a national pool.

Their scoring is built from three components:

• All-Time Reviews Score (60% weight): your full review history and long-term consistency
• Recent Reviews Score (33% weight): a 90-day window that captures current momentum
• Review Quality Score (7% weight): the depth and substance of the reviews, not just the number

In other words, it rewards a mix of consistency over time, how you are doing right now, and whether people are leaving real feedback that actually says something.

What our score tells me (and what it tells you)

On Google, our firm has built a 5.0 average rating with 26 reviews since 2023, and we score well on review quality. In BusinessRate’s system, that long-term consistency and the substance of the feedback are major strengths. At the same time, our “freshness” is where we have the most room to grow. BusinessRate puts real weight on the last 90 days. If a firm is not getting recent reviews, the model notices.

That is why I am going to say this plainly:

Help us be #1 in 2026: leave a review

If you have worked with us and you have been meaning to leave a review, I would be grateful if you did it now. It does not need to be long. A few sentences about what we helped with and what the experience felt like is more valuable than you might think.

Here is the direct link to leave a Google review: https://g.page/r/CWpzE8vqeplEEBM/review.

The part that matters most

A ranking like this is never a solo act.

• To my clients:  thank you for trusting me and our team when the stakes were real. And thank you to the clients who took an extra two minutes to write something specific. Those detailed reviews do more than boost a score. They help the next person figure out whether they have found the right fit.
• To my team: you make me look good. Period.
• And to my colleagues who refer clients and speak highly of our work: I do not take it lightly. I would not be here without a lot of help.

Want to see the full report?

You can view the full BusinessRate report here.