A method of grafting lignin has been developed which allows water-soluble, cationic graft copolymers of lignin to be made. The grafting reaction is a solution polymerization often run in aprotic, polar, organic solvents. The cationic copolymers are made by conducting the reaction with dimethyldiprop-2enylammonium chloride, (5-methyl-4-oxo-3-oxahex-5-enyl)trimethylammonium methyl sulfate, or (5-methyl-4-oxo-3-oxahex-5-enyl)trimethylammonium chloride. The lignins grafted have been obtained from pine by the kraft process.