It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our founding partner John R. Climaco.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our founding partner John R. Climaco.  A 1967 graduate of Case Western Reserve University Law School, John began his career as a sole practitioner which eventually evolved into the law firm Climaco, Wilcox Peca & Garofoli Co, LPA.  John was known for both his brilliant legal work on some of the most complex cases in the nation and his commitment to and the friendships he forged with his clients over his long and illustrious career.      

Throughout his career, John provided individuals, labor unions, private corporations and government entities excellent, diligent and efficient counsel.  Just a sampling of the clients who entrusted John with their legal work included: the State of Ohio, the City of Cleveland, Kent State University, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Sammy Davis, Jr., the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, and numerous other public and private entities and individuals.  John also developed one of the most respected collective and class action practices in the nation.  He was an executive member of the Castano’s Plaintiff’s Legal Committee which was instrumental in holding the tobacco industry accountable and led to the historic settlement with the tobacco industry.  John was appointed to leadership positions on numerous class and collective actions across the country and frequently lectured on the subject to members of the legal community.

John was passionate about protecting the rights of people who are intellectually challenged.  He received the Service of Center Award from the Center for Mental Retardation on two occasions.  He received the Above and Beyond Award from North Coast Community Homes and served as a member of the Board of Directors of Our Lady of the Wayside where he received the Starlight Guardian Humanitarian Award.  In 2012, the Association for Retarded Citizens presented John the Lifetime Achievement Award.

John took great pride in his Italian heritage.  He was a Life Member of the Justinian Forum, a professional organization for attorneys and judges of Italian heritage in Northern Ohio and a Life Member of the Northern Ohio Italian-American Association.  In 2000, John received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the Ellis Island Honors Society which recognizes in the organization’s own words, “individuals who have made it their mission to share with those less fortunate, their wealth of knowledge, indomitable courage, boundless compassion, unique talents and selfless generosity. They do so while acknowledging their debt to their ethnic heritage as they uphold the ideals and spirit of America.”

John’s loss will be felt not only within our firm but throughout the entire legal community and beyond.  We have lost our founder, our partner, a mentor and our friend.  The firm intends to carry on John’s good work into the future and strive to meet his standards of excellent client service as we move forward.  We express our deepest condolences to John’s family for their loss.