Jo Lynn majored in English and minored in Russian Languages and Literature at the University of Southern California. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated magna cum laude. After graduation, she spent several years working as a technical writer in diverse industries such as pharmaceuticals, defense electronics, and software development. She then attended the University of San Diego School of Law, and was admitted to the California State Bar in 1995. Her legal career has focused on the defense of medical malpractice litigation.