Social Security Disability Attorneys in Dayton, OH
Marilyn R. Donoff
After nearly 50 years representing Social Security claimants, Marilyn is one of the most experienced Social Security lawyers in the country.
The daughter of gravediggers, Marilyn was among the first women in her generation to attend law school—all while raising her daughter as a single mother. Marilyn rose through the ranks at a large law firm as a standout trial lawyer. But she never felt comfortable in the old boys’ club, where they were often taking quick settlements and charging massive fees. She left to start the firm now known as Donoff & Lutz, LLC (formerly known as M. R. Donoff & Associates). And unlike the other firms, Marilyn took all comers: she never forgot that she went to law school to help the poor and needy.
Marilyn still has the hard-nosed spirit of a trial litigator. She welcomes hard cases rejected by other firms. She aggressively cross-examines the government-hired “experts.” She takes cases to federal court. She shows up to doctors’ offices to demand evidence. In April 2026, one week after a surgery and one week before another, she spent a half-day sitting in a common pleas court so she could corner another attorney who had delayed on disclosing information needed for a case. And if you meet with Marilyn, she will ask seemingly countless questions so that she knows everything about your impairments.
It is hard to overstate Marilyn’s experience, expertise, and impact. She has helped generations of disabled Ohioans receive their benefits—now often representing the children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren of former clients. She has represented the children and friends of Social Security employees, public defenders, and judges. In the corner of her office, Marilyn has a set of twelve metal drawers, together standing more than four feet tall and around two feet wide. The drawers are filled with notecards, each representing a former client, that the firm uses to confirm we don't have a conflict of interest. Based on that set of drawers, since Marilyn helped on a Social Security disability case as an intern during her first semester of law school in 1978, Marilyn has represented more than 14,000 disability claimants. She has represented claimants at more than 9,000 disability hearings, and has filed hundreds of suits in federal court. A friend of the firm has called her “the lawyer-mother of more than one generation of Dayton’s disabled.” She has received the Martindale-Hubbard Award for Very High Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards. Marilyn has lived in Dayton, Ohio since graduating from law school almost 50 years ago: she has lived in Trotwood, Vandalia, Huber Heights, Washington Township, and Centerville. She married into the Donoff family, well-known for the neighborhood grocery store of West Dayton, and co-owned a tennis club that later became part of the Kettering-Quail Run Tennis clubs. She currently lives in Centerville-Washington Township, Ohio.
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Ohio
- United States Supreme Court
- Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Southern District of Ohio
Education
- J.D., University of Cincinnati
- B.A., Wright State University
Memberships
- National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR)
- National Association of Disability Representatives (NADR)
- Advocates, Counselors & Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD)
- Dayton Bar Association
- Cincinnati Bar Association
Rebecca R. Fate
Rebecca went from hardship to Harvard Law School. Now she helps disabled people get the benefits they need.
From a working-class background and the first in her family to graduate from college, Rebecca attended the University of Central Florida on a full scholarship. After graduating top of her class, she went to Harvard Law School (where she also graduated with honors). She immediately left for a national law firm known for its commitment to providing top-notch legal aid to both major corporations and individuals in need. Indeed, that firm represented the last Social Security claimant to reach the Supreme Court in Biestek v. Berryhill. She joined Donoff & Lutz, LLC (formerly M. R. Donoff & Associates) so that she could dedicate herself fully to helping those in need.
Rebecca works hard for her clients. She understands how much it matters for people to get their benefits. And she provides compassionate counsel to clients throughout the process. Rebecca’s goal is not just to win your case, but to help you navigate the maze with confidence. Since Rebecca has joined the firm—at which point she immediately led the firm’s appellate practice—the firm has won every appeal filed in federal court. Indeed, the National Association of Social Workers Ohio Chapter welcomed Rebecca (with Zachary) to speak to Ohio’s social workers about Social Security disability claims. After spending COVID quarantine in Centerville-Washington Township, Rebecca now lives in Miami Township, Ohio, and on weekends she is usually walking her dog on the river in Miamisburg, through the quaint neighborhoods of Oakwood, or in Kettering’s beautiful Hills & Dales Metropark.
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Ohio
- Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Southern District of Ohio
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School (with honors)
- B.A., B.S., University of Central Florida (Valedictorian)
Memberships
- National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR)
- National Association of Disability Representatives (NADR)
- Advocates, Counselors & Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD)
- Dayton Bar Association
- Cincinnati Bar Association
Zachary P. Lutz
When he was 13, Zachary started at the firm as a file clerk. After two Harvard degrees, he returned as an attorney.
Born into the Kettering- and Springboro-based Lutz family, Zachary got his start at his grandmother’s Social Security disability law firm as a file boy when he was 13 (initially demanding payment in meatball subs). Zachary later graduated with honors from Harvard College and Harvard Law School and completed graduate studies at the University of Chicago. He brings this scholarly bent to his practice, simultaneously painting general case themes and pressing little-known regulations to win cases. To present arguments, he brings well-developed debate skills, honed as the President of the Harvard Political Union and at a national trial litigation firm.
It’s not enough to know the law: advocates must convince judges and address their concerns. Zachary worked for judges and learned how they think. During college he was a judicial intern at the United States Supreme Court, memorably watching from the courtroom as Obergefell v. Hodges was announced. After law school, he clerked for the Associate Chief Justice of a state Supreme Court (a thought leader in “textualist” statutory interpretation), and for the longest-tenured active judge in the history of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Indeed, the D.C. Circuit—sometimes called “the Supreme Court of administrative law”—plays a foremost role in developing the administrative legal standards that govern many Social Security cases.
Zachary eventually returned to the firm now known as Donoff & Lutz, LLC. He didn’t go to law school to represent rich people. He helps the little guy live a happy, fulfilling life. During his time at Donoff & Lutz, LLC, Zachary has won every appeal he has filed in federal court. In March 2026, a seasoned out-of-town Administrative Law Judge, upon meeting Zachary for the first time, remarked that Zachary’s pre-hearing brief was “the best I’ve seen yet.” In his free time, he advocates for Social Security policy improvements and represents veterans pro bono in their claims for service-connected disability benefits. Other firms have inquired whether Zachary will ghostwrite briefs, particularly for appeals that concern administrative law. Please note that Zachary pursues projects that reflect his values and provides services for market-rate compensation. As evidence of his persuasive skills, Zachary convinced his brilliant wife, Rebecca, to move back home to Centerville-Washington Township, Ohio during COVID quarantine. Zachary lives in Miami Township, Ohio.
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Ohio
- D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
- Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Southern District of Ohio
- District Court for the District of Columbia
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School (with honors)
- M.A., University of Chicago (full-tuition scholarship)
- B.A., Harvard College (with honors)
Memberships
- National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR)
- National Association of Disability Representatives (NADR)
- Advocates, Counselors & Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD)
- Dayton Bar Association
- Cincinnati Bar Association
Clerkships
- D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
- Supreme Court of Utah
Judicial Internships
- Supreme Court of the United States
We’re here to help! Call (937) 223-4400 or email disability@donofflutz.com to discuss your claim.