September 1987-June 1990 - Chairs the National Commission on the Public Service, commonly known as the Volcker Commission. The commission's purpose is to study ways to attract more able-bodied citizens to public service and away from the private sector.

1987-1996 - Serves as chairman for the law firm Wolfensohn & Company.

August 15, 1996-December 1999 - Is appointed chair of the Independent Committee of Eminent Persons. The committee is charged with investigating the fate of Jewish assets held between 1933 and 1945 in now dormant accounts held in Swiss banks.

February 2002-November 2003 - Chairs the second National Commission on the Public Service. This commission is tasked with the streamlining and reorganization of federal pay and performance guidelines.

April 2004 - Is appointed by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to chair the Independent Inquiry Committee tasked with investigating the Oil-for-Food Program in Iraq.

2009-2011 - Serves as chairman for the Obama administration's Economic Recovery Advisory Board established to provide ways to improve the U.S economy.

January 21, 2010 - President Obama proposes the Volcker Rule as part of the Financial Reform Bill set to take effect July 21, 2012. Banks will no longer be allowed to own, invest, or sponsor hedge funds, private equity funds, or proprietary trading operations for their own profit, unrelated to serving their customers.