Gloria Allred

Gloria Allred
Born	Gloria Rachel Bloom 3 7, 1941
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney
Employer	Allred, Maroko & Goldberg
Known for	High-profile civil rights and feminist legal cases
Education	Loyola Law School (J.D.)
Awards	National Women's Hall of Fame inductee
Website	[http://www.gloriaallred.com/ Official site]

Gloria Rachel Allred (née Bloom; born July 3, 1941) is an American attorney and founding partner of the Los Angeles–based law firm Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, known for her involvement in high-profile and frequently controversial legal cases, many of which involve the rights of women, minorities, and victims of sexual assault. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Allred has represented clients in cases involving public figures and major institutions, becoming one of the most recognizable attorneys in the United States. Her legal work has encompassed landmark same-sex marriage litigation in California, sexual assault cases against prominent entertainers and public figures, and civil rights disputes that have drawn sustained media attention. She has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in recognition of her advocacy. In 2025 and 2026, Allred has remained in the public eye as the attorney representing more than two dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, pressing the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice for greater transparency in the release of files related to the Epstein case.

Early Life

Gloria Rachel Bloom was born on July 3, 1941, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Details about her parents and childhood in Philadelphia remain limited in public sources. She grew up during the mid-twentieth century in a period of significant social and political change in the United States, and her later career reflected many of the civil rights and feminist movements that gained momentum during her formative years.

Allred's first marriage was to Peyton Huddleston Bray Jr. in 1960; the couple divorced in 1962. She later married William Allred in 1968, taking the surname by which she became publicly known; that marriage ended in divorce in 1987.

Before entering law, Allred worked as a teacher. Her experiences, including what she has described in public statements as personal encounters with gender discrimination and violence, informed her decision to pursue a legal career focused on civil rights and women's rights.

Education

Allred received her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California. She is a member of the State Bar of California. In May 2025, Allred delivered the commencement address at American University Washington College of Law, where she urged graduates to "defend democracy in tumultuous times," an indication of her continued involvement in legal education and advocacy well into her eighth decade.

Career

Founding of Allred, Maroko & Goldberg

Allred is the founding partner of the law firm Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, based in Los Angeles, California. The firm has handled a wide array of civil rights, employment discrimination, and personal injury cases. Through the firm, Allred has represented plaintiffs in cases involving sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and violations of civil rights statutes. The firm's client list has included both private individuals and public figures, and its cases have frequently attracted national media coverage.

High-Profile Cases

Allred's career has been defined by her willingness to take on cases involving prominent individuals and institutions. These cases have spanned entertainment, politics, sports, and criminal law.

Bill Cosby Cases

Allred represented multiple women who accused entertainer Bill Cosby of sexual assault. In 2015, during a deposition related to one of the civil cases, the legal proceedings drew significant public attention as part of the broader reckoning with allegations against Cosby that ultimately led to criminal charges. Allred's role in publicly representing accusers and holding press conferences became a notable feature of the case's media coverage.

Same-Sex Marriage in California

Allred was involved in the legal fight for same-sex marriage in California. When the Supreme Court of California issued its May 2008 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, Allred and her firm were among those who had advocated for the decision. The firm publicly celebrated the ruling as a civil rights victory.

Tiger Woods Controversy

During the controversy surrounding professional golfer Tiger Woods in 2009 and 2010, Allred represented several women who came forward publicly. Her involvement in the case was covered extensively by international media, including The Times of London.

Borat Litigation

In 2006, Allred was involved in legal proceedings related to the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, in which participants in the film claimed they had been deceived about the nature of the production. The case was covered by Court TV.

Roman Polanski Case

Allred was involved in public advocacy related to the case of filmmaker Roman Polanski, who had fled the United States in 1978 after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. When Polanski was detained in Switzerland in 2009, Allred represented the interests of individuals connected to the case and advocated for Polanski's extradition to the United States.

Airport Security TSA Case

In 2008, Allred represented a woman who alleged that she was forced by Transportation Security Administration officers to remove her nipple rings with pliers during an airport security screening. The case drew attention to TSA screening procedures and prompted public debate about passenger rights.

Scott Lee Cohen Matter

In 2010, Allred was connected to the political controversy surrounding Scott Lee Cohen, a candidate in Illinois who faced public scrutiny over past allegations. The Chicago Sun-Times covered Allred's involvement and the argument that Cohen was "not fit to serve."

Atlantic City Casino Case

In 2011, Allred won a legal fight to represent a former employee of Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in a case covered by The Press of Atlantic City.

Causeway Cannibal Case

In 2012, Allred became connected to the so-called "Causeway Cannibal" case in Miami, Florida, in which a man attacked and severely injured a homeless person. Allred represented the victim in the aftermath of the widely publicized incident.

Jeffrey Epstein Survivors' Representation (2025–2026)

In the mid-2020s, Allred took on one of the most significant cases of her later career, representing more than two dozen survivors of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Following the Department of Justice's partial release of Epstein-related files in December 2025, Allred became a prominent public voice advocating for fuller disclosure.

In a December 2025 CNN appearance, Allred stated, "I'm not here for politics. I'm here for justice, for my clients," emphasizing her focus on the survivors rather than the political dimensions of the case.

In February 2026, Allred alleged on CNN that male sexual predators were being protected by the handling of the Epstein files, while the identities of victims (referred to as "Jane Does") were being revealed. She called for greater protections for survivors and for accountability for those implicated in the documents.

On February 23, 2026, The Telegraph reported that Allred had called on the FBI to search Epstein's storage lockers, arguing that survivors deserved "the whole truth" about the extent of Epstein's activities and those who facilitated them.

Allred also commented on the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly known as Prince Andrew), stating that the arrest did not guarantee justice for trafficking victims and expressing concern that allegations concerning the sharing of state trade secrets during his time as a trade envoy were being given priority over sexual assault claims.

California State Bar Investigation (2025)

In June 2025, Bloomberg Law reported that California State Bar investigators had begun contacting former clients of Allred's firm, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, as part of a probe process. The report described the process as "fraught" and noted the firm's prominence in handling high-profile cases. Details of the specific nature of the investigation were not fully disclosed in the reporting.

Television and Media

Allred has been a frequent presence on American television news programs and talk shows throughout her career. She appeared on a reality television show, We the People with Gloria Allred, which was covered by entertainment media in 2011. She has also been a commentator on Big Think, an online media platform, where she discussed legal and social issues.

Her media profile has been a subject of both admiration and criticism. Allred's practice of holding press conferences alongside clients has become a distinctive element of her legal approach, a pattern documented extensively in coverage by Los Angeles Magazine in 2025, which described a typical scene in which "attorney Gloria Allred summoned these several dozen reporters, bloggers, and cameramen" to a press event.

Personal Life

Allred was born Gloria Rachel Bloom in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was married twice: first to Peyton Huddleston Bray Jr. from 1960 to 1962, and subsequently to William Allred from 1968 to 1987. Both marriages ended in divorce. She retained the surname Allred from her second marriage throughout her professional career.

Allred has a daughter, Lisa Bloom, who is also an attorney and legal analyst. Bloom has appeared as a television commentator and has her own legal practice.

Allred has spoken publicly about experiencing sexual assault earlier in her life, and she has stated that these experiences influenced her decision to focus her legal career on representing victims of sexual violence and discrimination. She has been based in Los Angeles for the majority of her professional career.

Recognition

Allred has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, one of the most significant honors recognizing contributions by American women to society.

In May 2025, she was selected as the commencement speaker at American University Washington College of Law, where she was introduced alongside Interim Dean Heather Hughes, American University President Jonathan Alger, and Provost Vicky Wilkins. The title of her address, "Courage Is Contagious," reflected themes she has emphasized throughout her career regarding the importance of individuals coming forward to assert their legal rights.

Allred's cases have been covered by major national and international news outlets, including CNN, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg Law, and Los Angeles Magazine, among others. Her ability to sustain media attention on cases involving women's rights, sexual assault, and civil liberties over a period of more than four decades has been a defining characteristic of her career.

Legacy

Gloria Allred's career has spanned more than four decades of American legal and cultural history, during which she has represented clients in cases that have intersected with major social movements, including the feminist movement, the push for LGBT rights, and the broader reckoning with sexual assault and harassment that accelerated in the 2010s and 2020s. Her firm, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, has been involved in cases that have set legal precedents and influenced public discourse on discrimination and victims' rights.

Her continued involvement in the Epstein survivors' cases in 2025 and 2026, representing more than 27 survivors and pressing for governmental transparency, demonstrates her ongoing engagement with civil rights litigation well into her eighties.

The California State Bar investigation reported by Bloomberg Law in 2025 introduced a more complex dimension to her public record, though the outcome and full details of the probe had not been publicly resolved as of February 2026.

Allred's approach — combining aggressive litigation with media strategy — has influenced how civil rights and victims' rights attorneys operate in the American legal system. Her practice of conducting press conferences alongside clients became a widely recognized method of drawing public attention to cases that might otherwise receive limited coverage.