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 of 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.

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 civil rights, rape, child sexual abuse and murder cases.

Over the course of her 37 year legal career, Gloria Allred has won countless honors for her pioneering legal work on behalf of women's rights and rights for minorities.

Ms. Allred has won the President's award from the National Association of Woman Lawyers and the President's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism, presented to her by President Ronald Reagan at the White House. She has been voted by her peers as one of the best lawyers in America.

Gloria Allred is also a three-time Emmy nominee for her commentaries on KABC television in Los Angeles. Her nationally syndicated television show "We the People, with Gloria Allred" was also nominated in 2012 for a Daytime Emmy Award.

Ms. Allred was also selected as one of the most important radio talk show hosts in America by USA Today, and in May, 2001 she received the Judy Jarvis Memorial Award from the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts for her outstanding contributions to talk radio.

Articles by her or about her have appeared in publications such as TIME Magazine, The New York Times, Ms. Magazine, The American Lawyer, The Daily News, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Herald Examiner and The London Times. In July 1990, Los Angeles Magazine named her "One of the 30 Most Powerful People in Los Angeles" and in 1994, "One of the 50 Most Interesting People in Los Angeles." TIME Magazine called her "one of the nation's most effective advocates of family rights and feminist causes."

In 1986 she received a commendation from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her "exceptional record of achievement" and a commendation from Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley "for her many outstanding contributions to the justice system."

Ms. Allred is also the only individual in the nation to win the 1986 Public Service Award from the National Association of Federal Investigators, and she was voted one of 1987's "Best Lawyers in America" by lawyers who won that honor in 1986. She won this honor again by being chosen by her peers as one of the best lawyers in America in 1991.

In 1998, the Los Angeles Business Journal named her "One of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Los Angeles Law". In 2000, The Daily Journal named her "One of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California".

In 2006 Ms. Allred was honored by her high school as a "Distinguished Daughter" of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, an honor that she received at a ceremony in Philadelphia. Also in 2007 she was presented the "Silver Achievement Award" by the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, for "distinguishing herself in the community through professional, volunteer and/or philanthropic work resulting in significant change". In addition, in 2009, she was selected by New York University to receive its Distinguished Alumnus Award, which she accepted at their commencement in May 2009.

Ms. Allred was elected for inclusion in Southern California SuperLawyers listings from 2004 to 2014 by Law and Media and Los Angeles Magazine and she has been selected for inclusion in the 2011-2013 editions of "Best Lawyers in America". Most recently in September 2013 she received the Victoria Woodhull Award from the Veteran Feminists of America for her dedicated efforts as a champion of women's civil rights.

In addition to being an attorney, Ms. Allred holds California life credentials in secondary school education and supervision. She taught in public schools for 6 1/2 years, and was also a lecturer at the University of Southern California for several years.

Ms. Allred is also the author of "Fight Back and Win, My Thirty-Year Fight Against Injustice- And How You Can Win Your Own Battles".

JP SOTTILE is a freelance journalist, published historian, radio co-host and documentary filmmaker. His credits include a stint on the NewsHour news desk, C-SPAN, and as a newsmagazine producer for ABC affiliate WJLA in Washington. Joseph “JP” Sottile is a two-time Washington Regional Emmy Award Winner. Documentary film credits include: writer, director, producer of The Warning and various production and photography credits on other public interest films. His weekly show, Inside the Headlines w/ The Newsvandal, co-hosted by James Moore, airs every Friday on KRUU-FM in Fairfield, Iowa. He is the Newsvandal.