Atty. David M. Lynn

Atty. David M. Lynn

David M. Lynn is a partner in the Washington D.C.

Call (202) 346-4000 Book Appointment

Profile Summary

About David M. Lynn at a glance

David M. Lynn is a business and securities attorney based in Washington, District of Columbia, practicing at Goodwin. Admitted to practice in District of Columbia, The District of Columbia Bar and Maryland, Maryland State Bar Association. Educated at University of Maryland (—, 1995). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Governance Law (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Securities / Capital Markets Law (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice: (2026). Serands clients in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

  • David M. Lynn is a partner in the Washington D.C
  • Office of Morrison & Foerster, and is co-chair of the firm’s Corporate Finance practice
  • He is the former Chief Counsel of the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S
  • Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Mr. Lynn is a highly respected securities advisory counsel who provides guidance to clients ranging from Fortune 500 to newly-public companies on securities law compliance, as well as counseling on corporate governance, executive compensation, and disclosure best practices
  • Mr. Lynn also advises companies and underwriters in a wide variety of corporate finance transactions
  • In addition to being a leading authority on SEC issues, Mr. Lynn is particularly well known in the area of executive compensation disclosure, having co-authored, “The Executive Compensation Disclosure Treatise and Reporting Guide.” Mr. Lynn is a recognized expert on the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act of 2012
  • While serving as Chief Counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance, Mr. Lynn led the rulemaking team that drafted sweeping revisions to the SEC's executive compensation and related party disclosure rules
  • Mr. Lynn re-joined the SEC as Chief Counsel shortly after adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and served in that position until 2007
  • As a result, he was intimately involved in implementing and interpreting the record amount of SEC rulemaking that occurred in the wake of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
  • Mr. Lynn initially served on the SEC staff from 1995-2000 as an Attorney-Advisor and subsequently a Special Counsel in the Division of Corporation Finance
  • While in private practice from 2000-2003, he advised clients on SEC investigations, securities transactions, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance
  • Mr. Lynn is co-editor of TheCorporateCounsel.net, CompensationStandards.com, and The Corporate Counsel, and a regular contributor to The Corporate Executiveand Compensation Standards
  • He currently serves as Vice Chair of the ABA Business Law Section's Federal Regulation of Securities Committee and is Co-Chair of the Practising Law institute’s Annual Securities Regulation Institute in New York
  • Mr. Lynn was named in 2013 to the list of “Attorneys Who Matter” for Securities by Ethisphere Institute
  • Dave is also named as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA 2013 for Securities: Regulation, named to the 2013 Best Lawyers in Americalist, and ranked as a leading lawyer by Legal 500 USA 2013 in the categories of Capital Markets: Equity Offerings and Capital Markets: Debt Offerings

Practice Areas Explained

David M. Lynn's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases David M. Lynn handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Business & Corporate Law

Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

David M. Lynn is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in District of Columbia →

Securities Law

David M. Lynn is one of 64,529 securities attorneys indexed nationally. Browse securities attorneys in District of Columbia →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in District of Columbia

Practicing law in District of Columbia. Legal matters in District of Columbia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Washington are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate District of Columbia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in District of Columbia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in District of Columbia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional District of Columbia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Washington or all attorneys in District of Columbia.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about David M. Lynn

Where is David M. Lynn's law office located?
David M. Lynn's law practice is located in Washington, District of Columbia. The firm is Goodwin. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does David M. Lynn handle?
David M. Lynn focuses on business, securities. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in District of Columbia.
Where did David M. Lynn go to law school?
David M. Lynn earned their education at (—, 1995).
How can I contact David M. Lynn for a consultation?
You can contact David M. Lynn directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has David M. Lynn received?
David M. Lynn's notable recognition includes: Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Governance Law; Best Lawyers in America — Securities / Capital Markets Law; Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:; Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Compliance Law; Lawyer of the Year — Corporate Governance Law, Washington (D.C.).

Education

University of Maryland
- 1995

Awards

Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Governance Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Securities / Capital Markets Law
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Corporate Compliance Law
- 2026
Lawyer of the Year — Corporate Governance Law, Washington (D.C.)
- 2025

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia, The District of Columbia Bar
Maryland, Maryland State Bar Association

Reviews

These reviews belong to platform users; they do not constitute advertisement or promotion for the attorney. Opinions are published for informational purposes only.

No reviews yet.