James Thomas Lynn was born February 27, 1927, in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a B.A. summa cum laude in economics and political science from Adelbert College of Western Reserve University (1948). Lynn received his LL.B. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1951 and was a partner of the law firm of Jones, Day, Cockley and Reavis from 1960 to 1969.

During the Richard Nixon administration, he was general counsel at the Department of Commerce (1969-1971), undersecretary at the Department of Commerce (1971-1973), and secretary of housing and urban development (1973-1974). He continued serving as secretary until 1975 when President Gerald Ford appointed him director of the Office of Management and Budget. He later served as chairman of Aetna.