George Edward Allen was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia, and was orphaned at the age of two. He was raised by an aunt and uncle alongside six cousins and worked his way through higher education. A native of Southside Virginia, he maintained a lasting connection to Lunenburg County even after moving his family and practice to Richmond during the Great Depression.
Allen studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and later pursued legal studies at the University of Virginia. His education supported a career that combined private practice, public service, and appellate advocacy.
Allen began practicing law in 1910 in Lunenburg County, Virginia, establishing the practice that later developed into Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen. He became mayor of Victoria in 1914 and served as a Democratic member of the Virginia Senate from 1916 to 1920. After more than two decades of practice in Southside Virginia, he moved his family and law office to Richmond in 1931 and brought his three sons into the firm, which then adopted the name Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen. He remained a broad-based trial lawyer rather than limiting his work to one specialty, representing clients in matters involving civil rights, banking, elections, utility rates, obscenity, alienation of affection, and other disputes. In the 1960s he represented Fred Wallace, an African American Harvard law student prosecuted in Prince Edward County during the civil-rights era; the case ultimately produced dismissals of the felony and several misdemeanors and small fines on the remaining charges. In 1971 Allen argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in a Federal Tort Claims Act appeal concerning property damage allegedly caused by military-aircraft sonic booms. He continued practicing law into his eighties and died in 1972.
Founded the law practice that became Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen in 1910 and helped establish it as a multigenerational Virginia law firm.
Successfully defended Fred Wallace in a significant civil-rights prosecution in Prince Edward County, Virginia, after pursuing the case through state and federal appellate proceedings.
Argued a Federal Tort Claims Act appeal before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1971.
Served as a founding member and the first president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.
He represented the Democratic Party in the Virginia Senate from 1916 to 1920.
Allen was associated with the principle that a lawyer's life should be devoted to serving others, a principle expressed in the motto adopted by the firm he founded.
Quotations: “We find our lives in spending them in the service of others.”
Allen was president of the Richmond Bar Association in 1959 and a founding member and first president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association in 1961. He was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Served as president.
Richmond Bar Association , United States
1959 - 1959
Founding member and first president.
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association , United States
1961
Elected a Fellow.
American College of Trial Lawyers , United States
Elected a Fellow.
International Academy of Trial Lawyers , United States
Allen was associated with a strong commitment to public service, fairness, and advocacy for clients in difficult or unpopular cases. His willingness to undertake the defense of Fred Wallace during the civil-rights era was cited in recognizing his courage as a trial lawyer.
Quotes from others about the person
The University of Richmond Law School identifies Allen as the founding partner of Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen and as the first recipient of the American College of Trial Lawyers' Award for Courageous Advocacy.
Allen established a multigenerational legal practice with his sons George E. Allen Jr., Ashby B. Allen, and Wilbur C. Allen. After his relocation to Richmond, the family firm expanded from his individual practice into Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen, which continued the professional tradition he began in 1910.
Lawyer and Virginia legislator who joined his father's legal practice.
Lawyer who joined his father's legal practice.
Lawyer who joined his father's legal practice.
Allen's first wife and the mother of his children.
Allen's second wife.
