A passionate and fearless trial lawyer fighting against the coal industry, whose determination and complex motivations influence Samantha's journey.

The founder and director of the Mountain Legal Aid Clinic, serving as a mentor to Samantha and embodying a steadfast dedication to social justice.

Donovan's younger brother and a significant supporting character who becomes more central following Donovan’s mysterious end, operating on the fringes of the law.

Samantha's estranged father, a former plaintiffs' lawyer with a complicated past and a focus on financially lucrative legal practices.

Samantha’s mother, a lawyer with the Department of Justice, providing personal support and comfort to Samantha.

The coal companies, including Lonerock Coal and Krull Mining, represent an amoral force driven by profit, causing environmental and social harm in Appalachia.

Individuals like Pamela Booker and Buddy Ryzer, who illustrate the human cost of poverty and corporate exploitation in Appalachia.