In 2009, following eight years with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Wolin was appointed Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury by President Barack Obama, where he led the U.S. government's financial reform plan during the Great Recession, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

in Development Economics from Balliol College, Oxford, as a Charles and Julia Henry Fellow; and subsequently earned a J.D.

In early 2001, Wolin was also visiting fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, and an adjunct assistant professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In March 2001, Wolin joined The Hartford Financial Services Group as executive vice-president and general counsel, overseeing the company's legal and tax departments, government affairs, communications, and marketing functions.

In March 2009, he was nominated as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury by President Obama, then confirmed by the senate on May 18, 2009.

[19] On July 22, 2013, President Obama officially announced Wolin’s retirement as Deputy Secretary at the end of August 2013, stating that “His deep knowledge and excellent judgment helped us prevent a second Great Depression, pass tough new Wall Street reform, strengthen our financial system, foster growth here at home, and promote economic development around the world.”[20] In August 2014, he was appointed to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, from which he later resigned on January 20, 2017.

[23][24] Wolin has served on numerous boards of directors,[25][26][27] and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and of the bars of Illinois, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia.

[2][28] Current affiliations include: Trustee, Yale University[23][29] Member, Board of Overseers, RAND Institute for Civil Justice.