Christopher B. Lynch

Based in the firm’s Seattle office, Chris Lynch is a business lawyer who advises clients on commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and government contracting matters across a range of industries, including technology, interactive entertainment, waste and recycling, and hospitality. He also works with businesses operating in regulated sectors such as cannabis, alcoholic beverages, and solid waste management.

Chris focuses on understanding each client’s business goals and working through the legal and regulatory issues that can affect how those goals are achieved. He regularly assists clients with structuring and negotiating transactions and has experience working with both emerging companies and more established businesses in complex industries. In addition to advising on complex transactions, clients rely on Chris to oversee sophisticated matters requiring collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, allowing them to have confidence that every aspect of a transaction or dispute is managed with their broader business objectives in mind.

Licensed in Washington and California, Chris brings a cross-jurisdictional perspective to his work, particularly for clients operating along the West Coast. In addition to transactional matters, he has experience working with regulatory agencies and industry groups on rulemaking and legislative processes, including drafting and reviewing proposed regulations and legislation.

Outside of his practice, Chris is an avid gym-goer and gamer. He was a Division I collegiate swimmer and previously held certifications in exercise and strength training, including USA Weightlifting and CrossFit.

Technology Transactions

• Structure, negotiate, and draft a broad range of agreements involving the development, manufacturing, licensing, sale, and commercialization of technology, including artificial intelligence and software-as-a-service (SaaS) agreements.

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Represent clients in a wide range of mergers, acquisitions, and asset sales, including structuring, negotiating, and drafting transaction documents, as well as managing and coordinating complex closings.

Regulated Industries & Government Contracting

• Advise on structuring, negotiating, and drafting multimillion-dollar agreements for the disposal, processing, and/or treatment of waste materials.
• Provide counsel on compliance and permitting matters across regulated industries, including cannabis, hemp, liquor, and solid waste management.
• Advise clients responding to government requests for proposals and assist in negotiating government contracts.

Rulemaking & Legislative Action

• Draft and coauthor rulemaking petitions and legislative bills to advance client interests in the cannabis industry.
• Advocate for passage of petitions and bills, including providing public testimony at state and local hearings and participating in agency workgroups to develop and interpret laws, rules, and policies.

• Co-Author, “DEA Registration Window Closes, Questions Remain Open,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, July 2026
• Presenter, “What Washington Businesses Need to Decide Before the Window Closes,” Schedule III Legal Panel, The Cannabis Alliance, June 2026
• Author, “The Next Platform Shift Is Wearable. Is Your Privacy Program Ready?” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, June 2026
• Co-Author, “Medical Cannabis Rescheduling: State Implementation and Regulatory Conflicts,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, May 2026
• Speaker, “Transitioning Ownership of Liquor and Cannabis Licenses in WA and OR,” International Business Associates (IBA), Legal Symposium, March 2024.
• Author, The Turbulent History of Cannabis Regulatory Enforcement in Washington State, 31 Cornell J.L. & Pub. Pol’y 121, Fall 2021.
• Author, “At Long Last, FinCEN Offers Much-Awaited Guidance Regarding BSA Due Diligence Requirements for Hemp Businesses,” Miller Nash Graham & Dunn, Bank Law Monitor, July 2020.
• Coauthor, “COVID-19: Cannabis Industry Resources,” Miller Nash Graham & Dunn, March 2020.