Thomas Vartanian
Thomas Vartanian is an author, financial services advisor and expert witness. He teaches law at several universities across the country and regularly appears on national media such as Bloomberg TV, CNN, Fox News and various radio programs.
He served as chair of the Financial Institutions practice at Dechert LLP and also held positions within the Reagan Administration such as general counsel of both Federal Home Loan Bank Board and FSLIC. Furthermore, he represented parties in 30 of America’s biggest bank failures.
Early Life and Education
Thomas Vartanian is an expert in banking, financial technology, and cyberspace law. He has appeared as a guest on Bloomberg TV, CNN, Fox News, and various radio shows. He has taught banking and finance classes at Scalia Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, George Washington Law School, and Boston University School of Law. He served as general counsel of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and FSLIC during the Savings and Loan Crisis under President Reagan, and also participated in American Bar Association Cyberspace Law Committee. His latest book, 200 Years of American Financial Panics, covers this turbulent era in history. He is currently investigating the long-term neighborhood effects of food stamp receipt, using sibling fixed effect models and looking at childhood time spent on SNAP/food stamps and how that correlates with adult outcomes such as health, government cash assistance payments, and earnings.
Professional Career
Thomas Vartanian has nearly four decades of experience as both a bank regulator and private financial services attorney, most recently leading Dechert’s Global Financial Institutions practice in Washington D.C. He was also instrumental in founding George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School’s Law & Economics Center as founding Director, later serving as Chairperson of its new Financial Regulatory Institute.
As a federal financial regulator, he handled legal affairs related to 30 of the nation’s largest financial institution collapses and represented clients through numerous groundbreaking transactions and shifting regulatory environments.
He is a sought-after lecturer and media commentator, frequently featured on Bloomberg TV, CNN, Fox News and various radio shows. Additionally, he teaches banking and financial technology law at Georgetown, George Washington and Boston University schools of law.
Achievement and Honors
This non-renewable award recognizes student scholarship in research, reporting, storytelling and other forms of creative work that empowers the public by depicting changing world events, issues and characters. Selection criteria includes resume, transcript and essay submission that highlights how an applicant exemplifies qualities promoted by this award; students must currently enrolled full time at Oakland University degree program to qualify.
Vartan was an accomplished lecturer and media commentator on economics, finance, and financial crises. He appeared on Bloomberg TV, CNN, Fox News and various radio shows as a guest expert commentator on these subjects; additionally he wrote numerous articles and essays related to them. While keeping strong ties with both Armenian heritage and Christian roots – living with his wife in Barrington Rhode Island.
Personal Life
Thomas Vartanian is an author, financial services advisor, expert witness, and board mentor. He served as Executive Director for George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School Program on Financial Regulation & Technology; chaired Financial Institution practices at two international law firms (Dechert LLP and Fried Frank LLP) through four financial crises; represented parties involved with most of America’s 50 largest bank failures as both regulator and private practitioner.
As a frequent lecturer and media commentator on financial services issues, he can often be seen appearing on Bloomberg TV, CNN, Fox News and various radio programs such as BBC World Service Radio or several radio shows. Furthermore, he has taught banking and financial services law at Scalia Law School Georgetown George Washington and Boston University School of Law among others.
Outside of work, he remains active in his community by raising money for local charities with his classic rock band and co-hosting an online sports show called Advanced Shouting. He and his wife Julyana live in Alexandria, VA.
Net Worth
Vartanian has served as law firm partner and senior counsel with Dechert LLP and Fried Frank LLP, representing financial institutions during four of America’s major banking crises. He led both firms’ Financial Institutions practices and was an active member of the American Bar Association’s Cyberspace Law Committee. George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Additionally, Vartanian has taught the laws of finance and cyberspace at George Mason University since 2013, authoring numerous articles and books, such as his recent release 200 Years of American Financial Panics: Crashes, Recessions, Depressions, and the Technology that Changed It All. Through music and sports activities in Washington D.C. metropolitan area he has raised over $5 Million for charity while according to GuruFocus has made 8 trades worth approximately $372,500 since 2013.