Judge Koeltl was appointed United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York on August 11, 1994 and entered on duty on September 9, 1994. He graduated from Georgetown University with an A.B. degree summa cum laude in 1967 and received a J.D. degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1971, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Judge Koeltl served as a law clerk to the Hon. Edward Weinfeld United States District Judge, Southern District of New York, and then as a law clerk to the Hon. Potter Stewart, United States Supreme Court. He served as an Assistant Special Prosecutor, Watergate Special Prosecution Force, Department of Justice from 1973 to 1974. Judge Koeltl joined Debevoise & Plimpton as an associate in 1975, became a partner with the firm in 1979, and remained at Debevoise & Plimpton until his appointment to the bench in 1994.