Allred, Gloria (1941–)

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Allred, Gloria (1941–)

American lawyer, feminist, and social activist. Born Gloria Rachel Bloom, July 3, 1941, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania, BA with honors; New York University, MA; Loyola University School of Law, JD, cum laude, 1974; married and div.; children: Lisa (attorney who anchored a daily show on Court TV).

Taught at an African-American boys' school in Philadelphia; after Los Angeles riots (1965), moved to Watts to teach; specializing in family law, started law firm of Allred, Maroko, Goldberg and Ribakoff; turned to cases involving employment discrimination, sexual harassment and civil rights and civil litigation; founded and served as president of the Women's Equal Rights Legal Defense and Education Fund; was a talk-show host on KABC TalkRadio in Los Angeles for 14 years; became a columnist for legal newspaper, The Daily Journal. Voted Best Lawyer in America (1987, 1991).