This represented 33% growth in both metrics versus the first quarter last year. Bank of America's continued struggles Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC), meanwhile, continues to be haunted by the memories of the financial crisis, namely in the form of massive legal expenses. Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) has paid more than $50 billion in mortgage-related legal fees to settle disputes made against its subsidiary Countrywide, which it acquired just before the financial crisis. The bank reported first-quarter profit of $0.20 per share, missing analyst expectations. In the first quarter, the bank had litigation expenses of $881 million. These expenses have hurt profitability and impeded the company's ability to reward shareholders. The bank hasn't been able to increase its dividend above its current level of $0.01 per share quarterly.