THE ASSISTANTS
Helen Bailey: protagonist and original down-trodden Assistant. Has the misfortune of working for the two notorious bullies in the firm: the Boss and Miranda. Her only relief is through the exploits of her friends – Jane, Liz and Alex.
Jane Black: Helen’s best friend and fellow Assistant. Takes no prisoners. Always at the forefront of subversive action and has dreams of world domination.
Alex Spicer: Helen’s best male friend and fellow Assistant. Frustrated performer and only openly gay member of staff in the team.
Liz Kennedy: another of Helen’s friend and fellow Assistant. More rational than Jane or Alex but obsessed with dieting. Recently (and controversially) got engaged to Dan.
Tarquin Winkworth: fellow Assistant and deadly rival. Toadying sycophant with eyes on partnership.
Hamish: Tarquin’s trainee and mini-me.
Dan Turner: Corporate team exile, ex-barrister and office lady-killer.
Simon Short: Corporate team exile and wannabe Alan Sugar.
THE PARTNERS
The Boss: senior litigation partner. Rules by old fashioned fear and intimidation.
Miranda Myers: only female litigation partner. Will do anything to get to the top.
Malcolm Morris: longest serving salaried partner. Does not understand modern litigation practices.
Clive Coleman: relatively new to the partnership. Has the most common sense of all of them but keeps his head down.
Barry Wiliams: salaried partner and former joint Boss of Melinda. Presently on secondment in Singapore.
Philip Carlton: new Corporate partner and veteran harrasser of female members of staff.
THE SECRETARIES
Melinda Peach: Helen’s PA. The worst legal secretary in the City.
Danielle Wellard: Jane’s secretary and unofficial leader of The Typing Union.
Lynnette Biggins: deputy leader of The Typing Union.
Gemma Goodman: the department’s only reliable secretary.
THE REST
Jeanette Harris: office manager with a penchant for revealing outfits and shirking her responsbilitles.
Roger Fortesque-Smythe QC: creepy barrister and school friend of The Boss. Expert in the art self promotion.
Derek Jones: security guard and frustrated comedian.
Caroline Hardwick - personnel manager, partnership guardian, dripping with pearls and smug vitriol.
Veronica Proudlove: deputy personnel manager – the office equivalent of a well meaning but impotent social worker.
Creepy Dave: IT geek and porn afficianado.
Hamish Pike: trainee and miniature version of Tarquin.