Gloria Allred - Feminist, Advocate, Lawyer

Gloria Allred has been described as determined, inspirational and a flamboyant feminist. She has also been described as a dilettante, media hog, showy and confrontational. Ms. Allred is notorious for accepting high profile cases and setting up media events to further her agenda.

While most outspoken feminists in the U.S. endure a certain amount of negativity thrown their way, Ms. Allred has been highly criticized for her use of the media. While effective, it has also given her a tremendous amount of notoriety.

Gloria Allred was born July 3, 1941 in suburban Philadelphia to Morris and Stella Bloom. He was door-to-door salesman and she a homemaker. Ms. Allred married while still in college and had a daughter, Lisa (known as Lisa Bloom, a former Court TV anchor). Separated from her husband and unable to collect child support, Ms. Allred began to understand the inequalities in the law and society. Ms. Allred returned to her parent's home with her young child in order to complete her education. She also obtained a master's degree from NYU and began a teaching career in inner city Philadelphia. Moving to Los Angeles in 1968, Ms. Allred taught in the turbulent Watts neighborhood.

Ms. Allred's life experiences sparked her interest in civil rights and feminism. Having dealt with unequal pay and society injustices toward women and minorities led her to attend law school at Loyola-Marymount in Los Angeles. Graduating with honors, she founded the firm of Allred, Maroko & Goldberg with her classmates, Nathan Goldberg and Michael Maroko.

This partnership has lasted for over thirty years as one of the premier civil rights and employment discrimination law firms in Los Angeles. Ms. Allred has represented individuals in some of the most high profile cases of the past few years. She represented Amber Frey (who was a witness in the Scott Petersen case), she represented Nicole Brown Simpson's family during the O.J. Simpson trial as well as lawsuits involving rocker Tommy Lee, Britney Spears, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rob Lowe.

High-profile cases are not the only cases Ms. Allred takes. Individuals and small groups that have endured employment or gender or other types of discrimination have been helped by Ms. Allred and her firm. In 2007 she represented three former employees of a well-known, big box electronics retailer in an age discrimination suit. Her firm also filed the first lawsuit in California challenging the denial of marriage licenses to two same sex couples, without compensation. Her firm also represented a male employee of a supermarket chain. The 25 year employee was fired after he complained of a female supervisors sexual harassment. A California jury awarded him $18 million.

Ms. Allred's notoriety, while often seen as abrasive and opportunistic, is also very effective in establishing a firm public perception of her client's position. High profile clients are newsworthy subjects for the media and Ms. Allred has used her representation of celebrity client s to create her own media persona. Ms. Allred's media presence allows her to bring attention to her less famous clients, in their struggle for justice.