Joseph Koletsky, who is frequently spoken of as one of the most brilliant of young lawyers of New Haven and who has become widely known through his contributions to the columns of leading papers, was born March 10, 1890, in the city which is still his home, his parents being Jacob and Fannie (Bernstein) Koletsky, who were natives of Russia and came to the United States about 1887. They took up their abode in New Haven, where the father engaged in the wholesale dry goods business, successfully conducting his interests up to the time of his death, which occurred February 5, 1916, when only forty-nine years of age, his birth having occurred in 1867. He was succeeded in business by his sons, Meyer and Nathan Koletsky, and his son-in-law, George Canter. A daughter of the family, Bessie, now attending high school and Joseph Koletsky of this review, together with Mrs. Canter and the two sons previously mentioned, constitute the five children in the family. The mother survives and still makes her home in New Haven.

  Joseph Koletsky, second of the family, early displayed special aptitude in his studies, being graduated from the high school of New Haven, one of the leaders of his class. He then spent a year in the freshman class of New York University and after that period matriculated in the Sheffield Scientific School, from which he was graduated in 1912 with the Bachelor of Philosophy degree. He afterward entered the law department of Yale and took his LL. B. degree in 1914, completing the work of three years in two. He has always been of a studious disposition and in order to finish the three years’ course within two years gave every possible moment to study, often pouring over his books far into the night. The secretary of the school spoke of him as one of the brightest students and one of the extremely few that had ever been graduated from the Yale Law School in two years’ time. In his second year he won the coveted Monson debating prize and carried off several other prizes in debate. During the time spent at university he also gained considerable fame as [a] newspaper writer and was employed in newspaper work with the reportorial staff of the New Haven Register. He was connected with other departments of the Register also and this experience has been of great value and worth to him in his later years.

  Immediately after completing his law studies Mr. Koletsky was admitted to practice in all the courts and his success from the start has been almost phenomenal. No dreary novitiate awaited him. He sprang into prominence at once for he won many notable cases, successfully crossing swords in forensic combat with many older and more experienced lawyers. He has had as many as ten cases on the docket at one time. One of these was won after a hard fight in a five days’ trial, in which several of the leading lawyers of New Haven were pitted against this young practitioner and was known as the famous embezzlement case between the Times-Leader and Philip Kantrovitz. It attracted widespread interest and attention and Mr. Koletsky’s closing argument was a masterpiece of oratory, terminating the five days’ trial and winning five verdicts of not guilty in favor of the defendant. He has had many other notable cases, chief among which was the famous Lieberman counterfeiting case, in which Chief Flynn, of the United States Secret Service and his operatives, figured prominently and he bids fair to become one of the famous lawyers of New England.

  On the 11th of June, 1912, Mr. Koletsky was married to Miss Lynette Cecil Gottlieb, a daughter of Professor and Mrs. M. D. Gottlieb, the former a well known concert leader. Mrs. Koletsky is a lady of superior culture and musical training and is a concert pianiste of note, having appeared in the leading concert halls of New York and other cities, in extensive programs. Her precosity early attracted the praise of critics and she won considerable fame as a “wunder-kind.”

  Mr. Koletsky belongs to Horeb Lodge and along professional lines has membership with the New Haven County, the Connecticut State and the American Bar Associations. He gives much credit to his wife for his success, maintaining that her efforts to reach the top in musical circles were his inspiration to succeed in the law. However, it goes without saying that he has used his native talents wisely and well. In his college days he not only passed but received excellent grades and whatever he has attempted he successfully achieved, laudable ambition leading him to still higher attainments.