Lungren began his legal studies at the University of Southern California Law School but transferred to Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned his J.D. degree in 1971. During his years at Georgetown, Lungren worked for U.S. Senators George Murphy (R-California) and Bill Brock (R-Tennessee). From 1971 to 1972, he was Special Assistant to the co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC); Lungren's wife, Bobbi, worked in the Nixon White House at the time. When Lungren returned to Long Beach, he joined a law firm and practiced civil law for a short time before running unsuccessfully for Congress in 1976. He was successful in 1978.