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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

PANDEMIC PROGRESS - The COVID-19 pandemic served to level the playing field for many disabled law students—at least for a while. "Accommodations suddenly became available because everyone needed them," Britney R. Wilson, associate professor of law and director of the Civil Rights and Disability Justice clinic at New York Law School, told Law.com's Christine Charnosky, adding that "it opened up [opportunities] for people with disabilities." But as the pandemic wanes, Wilson noted, "We are seeing those options going away." When everyone had to be remote, accommodations had to be granted, but now those accommodations are once again being framed as differential treatment, according to Wilson. "Schools are showing a flagrant disregard for disabled students and public health" as they become more determined to get everyone back in person, Marissa Ditkowsky, a staff attorney at Tzedek DC and executive director of the National Disabled Law Students Association (NDLSA), told Law.com. With masks mandates lifted, it feels like nobody cares about those who are immunocompromised, Ditkowsky, who has myotonic dystrophy, said. "The pandemic made things a bit easier with remote learning, but a lot of schools and employers will bounce back like it never happened," she said.

PARTNER PARITY PROBLEM -  Law firms have been shaken at the lower levels of their rosters by the Great Resignation. But they're also being pulled apart at the top, as they continue growing their income, nonequity and other alternative partner tiers faster than their traditional equity ranks, Law.com's Andrew Maloney reports. While the number of nonequity partners throughout the Am Law 200 has grown 43% over the last decade, the number of equity partners has only increased by 11%. And in spite of historically great financial results, the number of equity partners across both the Am Law 100 and Second Hundred firms was essentially flat last year. No doubt some of the split is a bottom-up phenomenon, as veteran lawyers look to alternative paths where they can stay in Big Law while mitigating some of the headaches caused by the responsibilities of partnership. But the shift is also being driven by the quest for efficiency in a high-demand environment, as firms look to those alternative tracks to get the benefits of experience without all of the cost. And, analysts say, while the industry has work to do to make partnership seem more attainable—particularly for diverse lawyers—the value generated by firms can understandably make partners protective of their profits. "You're still talking about essentially trying to find new owners for your business," says Bill Josten, strategic content manager for Thomson Reuters Institute. "There is still a strong argument to be made for being discerning, because these people are responsible for the future success of your firm, and the livelihoods of a lot of people ride on that."

TRADE TROUBLE - Charles Schwab, a financial services holding company, was hit with an antitrust class action Thursday in Texas Eastern District Court over the company's merger with TD Ameritrade. The lawsuit was filed by Bathaee Dunne LLP on behalf of retail investors who contend that the merger has "substantially decreased" competition, with a significantly less transparent process that causes customers to make less money through trades while paying higher transaction costs. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendant. The case is 4:22-cv-00470, Corrente et al v. The Charles Schwab Corporation. Stay up on the latest deals and litigation with the new Law.com Radar. 

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