McKenzie unwillingly becomes the surrogate parent for a chimpanzee that's involved in a divorce case between two animal trainers. Becker and Roxanne face the trauma of moving in together. Meanwhile, Mullaney is representing the owner of an inner-city housing project being sued by a tenant for the right to defend himself since guns have been banned where he lives. At the request of a Women's Rights group, Grace petitions the court on behalf of a former drug addict woman facing involuntary sterilization.

April 29, 1992. On the first day of the major L.A. riots, Becker stretches his practice and defends a theme-park employee fired for inappropriate behavior while in costume. Meanwhile, Rollins continues his leave of absence to be elected for City Counsel and canvass the riot torn South-Central district. Mullaney brings Zoey home to his house from the hospital to recover after the shooting. Becker's former secretary, Gwen Taylor, begins her law internship. With the departure of Grace Van Owen, C.J. Lamb, Alex DePalma, Frank Kittredge, and Susan Bloom, the firm hires Daniel Morales, a widower from Santa Barbara, as a partner, and he brings his infant daughter Lucy to work on his very first day. Brackman and Markowitz are caught in the riots when Brackman is falsely arrested for looting while on his way to the wedding chapel, and Markowitz is badly beaten by a mob.