Clint Krislov, the tenacious attorney known for taking on the city's controversial parking meter deal and fighting for city retirees, died on February 1 at the age of 74. Krislov, who ran for public office six times but never saw victory, passed away at his home in Wilmette, Illinois, after a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer, confirmed by his daughter Carson Quinn in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.
Despite challenges to his political ambitions, with the incumbent Senator Dick Durbin once forcing the withdrawal of his candidacy and Democratic juggernauts like Lisa Madigan overshadowing his political runs, Krislov was undeterred, both in the courtroom and on the campaign trail. According to Crain's Chicago Business, his widow Dale noted that Krislov's dedication to challenging unjust systems was sparked early in his career when he recovered $80 million for delayed pension payments.
Krislov's legal career was marked by a number of high-profile class-action and consumer-protection lawsuits. Perhaps most notably, he led a charge against the city for privatizing its parking meters in a 75-year, $1.15 billion deal criticized for selling off public assets to plug a budget shortcoming. The attorney, expressing his disdain for the agreement, once told the Sun-Times, "I hate the term ‘fought the good fight’ because it always means you lost. But we’ve fought some really unfortunate deals that the city got itself into."
Rosemarie Giambalvo, a retired Chicago police officer who benefitted from Krislov's tireless efforts in health care- and pension-related litigations, praised him as a dogged crusader. "Clint was a crusader. He was an advocate for years and years. He didn't get paid that much," Giambalvo said, as per Crain's Chicago Business. His practice, Krislov & Associates, also took on corporate giants, securing settlements for consumers on cases ranging from options backdating to charging higher prices for "ethnic" services at hair salons.
Beyond his professional battles, Krislov's family remembered him as a devoted father and an enthusiastic participant in life's adventures. Dale Krislov fondly recalled having to persuade her husband, always absorbed in his work, to join her on global travels. Upon arrival at their destination, however, he would relish the experience and reminisce for weeks afterward, she told the Sun-Times. Despite his health battles, which included kidney, skin, and lung cancer since 2003, Krislov was a staunch advocate for annual checkups, crediting them along with his rigorous exercise routine for extending his life.
Krislov, a Shaker Heights, Ohio native and graduate of Northwestern University and Cornell Law School, leaves behind his widow Dale, daughters Carson Quinn and Taylor Shanfeld, son Nick, and several grandchildren. A celebration of life is being planned to honor the indomitable spirit of a man who lived fervently for both his family and the causes he championed.
