Lin was born in Taipei and moved to the United States as a child.

[3] Lin began her legal career as a staff attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1995.

From 1995 to 1999, she was an attorney with the United States Department of Justice Employment Litigation Section.

From 1999 to 2001, she was a senior trial attorney at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Chicago district office.

[7][8] On October 21, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 52–47 vote.