Social Security Disability Lawyers in Dayton, OH

Zachary Lutz -- Dayton, OH Social Security Disability Lawyer -- Donoff & Lutz, LLC

Zachary P. Lutz

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) & Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Attorney

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.