James Thomas Lynn (February 27, 1927 – December 6, 2010) was an American cabinet officer and government official.

He served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1973 until 1975 and as the director of the Office of Management and Budget from 1975 until 1977.

He worked for Jones, Day, Cockley and Reavis, Cleveland's biggest law firm, became a partner in 1960 and was there until 1969, when he was named general counsel for the Department of Commerce.

President Gerald R. Ford appointed him to director of the Office of Management and Budget from February 10, 1975 until January 20, 1977.

From 1978 to 1983, Lynn was head of the Federal City Council, a group of business, civic, education, and other leaders interested in economic development in Washington, D.C.[1] Lynn was also general counsel for the Republican National Committee in 1979 and the president of the James S. Brady Presidential Foundation in the early 1980s.