Allen was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from the University of Montevallo with a B.A. in English in 1988. He then received his Juris Doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law in 1991.

He is admitted to practice in all Alabama State Courts and the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Alabama. Allen is a member of the Mobile County Bar Association, Alabama State Bar, Alabama Trial Lawyers Association (where he has been a member of the Board of Governors) and the South Alabama Trial Lawyers Association (where he has been a member of the Executive Committee).