Gloria Allred was born on July 3, 1941 — an only child in a working-class home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned her B.A. with honors in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her M.A. from New York University and her J.D. cum laude from Loyola University School of Law in Los Angeles. She was also awarded an honorary J.D. from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.

Ms. Allred is a founding partner of the law firm Allred, Maroko & Goldberg (AM&G). Her firm handles more women's rights cases than any other private firm in the nation and has won hundreds of millions of dollars for victims. Ms. Allred also founded and is currently president of the Women's Equal Rights Legal Defense and Education Fund (WERLDEF).

Allred, Maroko & Goldberg represents victims who have been discriminated against on account of their sex, race, age, physical handicap or sexual orientation. Her firm also represents victims of AIDS discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. AM&G is also well-known for its work on behalf of victims in sexual assault, rape, child sexual abuse and battered women cases.