Deaf to Sue to Allow Stock Trades Over Relay

A hearing impaired client at Morgan Stanley (MWD) is expected to file a lawsuit later Tuesday claiming the securities firm discriminated against him because it doesn't accept stock trade orders using a system that allows the deaf to communicate by telephone.

The lawsuit, which is expected to be filed in federal court in the District of Connecticut on Tuesday afternoon, is seeking class-action status under the Americans with Disabilities Act for Donald A. Brunner Jr., who is deaf, and other similarly situated individuals.

The complaint asks that Morgan Stanley be ordered to accept stock trade orders via a relay system for the deaf or hard of hearing as a "public accommodation" under ADA.

Gary Phelan, Brunner's lawyer, initially said Brunner is no longer a client of Morgan Stanley, but later clarified that Brunner continues to have accounts at the firm. Brunner no longer makes trades with Morgan Stanley because of the rule, Phelan said.

A Morgan Stanley spokesman didn't immediately have a comment on Tuesday. According to the complaint, Brunner claims Morgan Stanley allowed him to make trades from 1999 to June 2004 using a teletypewriter, also known as Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and Telecommunications Relay Services, or TRS. A teletypewriter, also known as a TTY, combined with TRS allows the deaf or hard of hearing to communicate via telephone by typing messages back and forth instead of talking and listening, according to the lawsuit.

Read more here. Pesky sign-up is required for free reading. Some companies' habits die hard.