People on the move: Cushman & Wakefield; Slater Heelis; DTM Legal; Palace Chemicals

Graduates Katie Beattie and Katherine Almond have joined commercial real estate agent Cushman & Wakefield’s Manchester office.

Selected from around 1,000 applicants, they spent their induction week being welcomed to the firm by EMEA chief executive John Forrester and head of UK and Ireland, Colin Wilson, before embarking on a packed schedule of talks, workshops and activities.

This included meeting current graduates and mentors who will provide support and guidance across the programmes.

John Keyes, head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Manchester office, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Katie and Katherine to the Manchester office. They join another substantial intake of talented and enthusiastic new graduates and apprentices this year.”

Kirsty Bannerman, early career development manager at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “Our programmes ensure each individual takes on responsibility for their own workband and is given the chance to make an active contribution right from the start.”

Over the coming two years, commercial pathway graduates will undertake three eight-month rotations across the UK and Ireland business, which might include external secondments or a posting abroad.

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Claire Higham, a family law specialist, has joined Manchester law firm Slater Heelis as an assistant solicitor and will advise clients on all issues arising from separation, including divorce, children and financial matters.

She comes to the firm after two years at KBL Law in Bolton and will be based from the firm’s Manchester office.

The family team has enjoyed its busiest year on record and Higham’s appointment brings the team to nine fee earners.

Mark Heptinstall, head of the family team, said: “The continual increase in demand for our services, meant that we needed to expand our team and Claire was the perfect fit. She brings a wealth of experience and she compliments the team very well.”

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Law firm DTM Legal, which has offices in Chester and Liverpool, has made a key appointment to its property team.

Isabel Rial, who specialises in property development and investment, joins the firm from Harrison Drury in Lancashire. She brings with her a wealth of experience in all aspects of commercial property.

Rial has acted for a wide range of clients made up of financial institutions, private companies, investors, developers, landowners, pension companies and charities.

She has a broad experience of all types of commercial property transactions and has also driven a number of major portfolio management acquisitions.

DTM Legal head of property Anna Duffy said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Isabel to the team. She is solution and relationship driven. This, together with her keen commercial eye makes her a perfect fit with our commercial property team which continues to go from strength to strength.”

Rial said: “DTM Legal has a very strong reputation for commercial property work and I am excited to join the team.

“Professionally, this is an exceptional opportunity for me to be part of a well-established, talented and ambitious commercial practice.”

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Liverpool-based Palace Chemicals has appointed a new commercial director.

Steve Ball has joined manufacturer of tile adhesives and building products, after over seven years working at, Building Adhesives.

Managing and leading the national sales team across its commercial, retail and specification sales, Ball was previously responsible for overseeing plans and objective setting.

Ball has also previously worked on a national basis with companies such as Ceramic Tile Distributors and Homelux.

He said: “My new role brings with it a wealth of opportunities and I am very excited to be joining Palace at the start of its structured growth plan leading the company into 2020.

“It is my intention to bring my skills from a corporate background into the new post, in addition to creating new routes to market.

On joining the firm as commercial director, Ball will predominantly be responsible for driving all brands under the Palace umbrella, in addition to managing the southern sales team.

He also has exciting plans for assisting the continuing development of the Laticrete brand in the UK whilst obtaining the sort of growth currently being achieved for the brand worldwide.

Managing director and one of the founders of Palace Chemicals Charlie Clapham said: “We are pleased to have Steve on board.

“His experience and expertise particularly in the wall and floor tiling market going back 25 years will add an enormous amount of strength and depth to Palace during an exciting time in the companies development as we enter 2018 which will be the 40th year of trading for Palace.”