Zachary Gaynor, Esq. — Student Defense Lawyer
A practice built around one purpose: representing students and families when an institution puts a degree, a record, or a future at risk.
Zachary Gaynor, Esq.
I’m Zachary Gaynor, a student-defense and education lawyer. I represent college, graduate, and professional students in disputes with their schools, and work with the families supporting them. When you contact this practice, you speak with the lawyer who will handle your matter.
A conduct charge, an accommodation problem, and an academic dismissal can be parts of the same dispute. I look at the whole record: the school’s policies, the reasons for its decision, the deadlines, and what the outcome could mean for your degree or professional plans.
My background spans law, accounting, and health law: a bachelor’s degree and Master of Accounting from the University of Florida, a J.D. from UF Law, an LL.M. in Health Law, and a Florida CPA license. That background helps me examine how institutions document decisions and apply their policies.
Read about fees and the Full Read + Game Plan, or tell me briefly what happened.
Away from the file, I am a husband and a father to quite a few lovely children — and their advocate too, which turns out to be good practice for the day job. If you call on something time-sensitive and hear them somewhere in the background, that is the trade-off for reaching the lawyer himself instead of an answering service.
I work directly with every client, and I represent students in campus proceedings and — where a school crosses a legal line — in litigation. I am actively litigating student matters right now — including cases in both federal and state court against universities, raising disability and breach-of-contract claims, and a putative class action brought on behalf of students. Protecting those students' rights is not a sideline; it is the same work this practice does every day. When you call, you reach the lawyer handling your matter, not an intake queue.
One recent addition makes that even easier: Benjamin Jones now helps with intake and follow-up, so you hear back faster. If you have reached out, the call or text that gets things moving may come from Ben at 561-300-0648 — save that number so you know it is us. Ben is not an attorney and does not give legal advice; your matter stays with me.
J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law
LL.M. in Health Law, Seton Hall · M.A. in Psychology
Certified Public Accountant (Florida)
The Florida Bar
Bachelor’s degree and Master of Accounting (M.Acc.)
S.D. Fla. · M.D. Fla. · N.D. Fla. · D. Colo. · N.D. Ill. · S.D. Ill. · D. Neb. · D.N.M. · W.D. Wis. · U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
A campus decision can follow a student for years.
This practice can be flexible in a way a larger firm often cannot. Depending on the matter, that can take any of these forms.
From the very beginning
The earlier I'm involved, the more options stay open. I can step in at the first notice, charge, or letter — before a deadline closes or a statement is given — and help shape the matter from the outset.
Behind the scenes
Where a process limits an advisor's speaking role, I work in a consulting capacity — reading the policies, preparing you and your statement, and drafting submissions and appeals — without ever appearing.
Complex, high-stakes matters
Cases that cut across academic, disciplinary, civil-rights, and financial lines — the ones that don't fit a single box — are squarely the work this practice is built for.
Second opinions
If you already have counsel, or simply want another read before you act, I provide focused second opinions at a reasonable, agreed cost.
Ongoing counsel
For students, families, and advisors who want a lawyer on call as a situation develops, I'm available on an ongoing monthly basis.
Worked out to fit
The scope and the fee are discussed up front and structured to fit the matter. The goal is a practical arrangement that gets the situation handled.
The scope of any engagement and the fee are set out in a written agreement. Contacting the practice does not create an attorney–client relationship.
Who you’ll hear from
Ben Jones
Client Care Coordinator (not an attorney)
Ben handles new inquiries and scheduling. After you reach out, he may call or text you from (561) 300-0648 to confirm the details and set up your time with me.
Ben earned a Master of Medical Science in Kinesiology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, so he knows what a demanding health-sciences program asks of a student.
Ben is not a lawyer and does not give legal advice. Every question about your case, your options, or the engagement comes to me, and I review everything he takes down.
Have a situation you'd like to discuss?
Reach out about a Full Read + Game Plan — a substantive, no-time-limit look at your matter and the deadlines you’re facing.