Your local legal team
We believe in providing sound, honest advice that is easy to understand. As we guide our clients through the legal process with empathy and understanding, we aim to build long-standing relationships based on a trusted and personalised service.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Lesley Dowdalls
Senior Partner
Lesley Dowdalls is our Senior Partner and has over 30 years’ experience as a Court Lawyer. She is a former Dean of Kilmarnock Faculty of Solicitors.
She has practiced in Child and Family Law throughout her career and is Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as both a Family Law and a Child Law Specialist. She represents clients in all aspects of divorce, cohabitation claims, residence, contact, adoption and all other Family and Child Law related cases.
Lesley is a Scottish Legal Aid Board Peer Reviewer, an External Examiner at Strathclyde University, a Child Welfare Reporter in Kilmarnock and Ayr Sheriff Courts and is on the East and North Ayrshire panels as Curator ad litem and Reporting Officer for court proceedings. She also convenes the Family and Child Law Accreditation panels of the Law Society of Scotland.
Additionally, Lesley holds judicial appointments as Legal Member of both the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland and the Health and Education Chamber, Additional Support Needs Tribunal. She has had specialist training in adolescent cases in the Mental Health Tribunal and is the Lead Reviewer in the Additional Support Needs Tribunal.
Lesley enjoys theatre, travel, walking and spending time with friends and family, especially her three adult children.
Mackintosh & Wylie Stewarton
Alastair McDonald
Partner
Alastair McDonald joined the firm in 1998 and is the resident Partner of our Stewarton office. He has 40 years’ experience of General Practice in both private and commercial work. He advises on all aspects of property transactions, both residential and commercial, and currently deals with much of the firm’s rural workload. He provides advice on writing Wills and Powers of Attorney and assists our Private Client Department in winding up estates.
Alastair is married with four grown up children. In his spare time he is a keen musician, conducts a Glasgow-based community concert band and enjoys playing a number of instruments including the hurdy-gurdy. He also enjoys the great outdoors, and particularly loves exploring Scotland in the family campervan.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Fiona Connolly
Partner
Fiona Connolly has been a Partner with the firm since 2015 and is experienced in a broad range of domestic and commercial property transactions, including leasing for both landlords and tenants and the purchase and sale of development property. She also deals with Commercial/Corporate work including the purchase and sale of businesses, funding and security work and portfolio management.
Her client base consists of both major companies and private property investors and she has extensive experience in dealing with cross country energy and infrastructure projects, traditional and renewable energy and telecoms.
Outside the office environment Fiona enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She is a keen triathlete and a SPA Rock Climbing instructor.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Lynsey Murray
Partner
Lynsey Murray was recruited to the firm in 2010, appointed as an Associate in 2013 and subsequently as a Partner in 2015.
Lynsey is a highly experienced Family Law Solicitor with a wealth of knowledge. She is Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Family Law and is a skilled Court Practitioner appearing in Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland.
She represents clients in all aspects of divorce, cohabitation, residence, contact and all Family and Child Law related cases, as well as Guardianship applications. In addition, she provides advice and represents parents, children, and other family members at Children’s Hearings.
Lynsey is a Child Welfare Reporter appointed by the Sheriffs at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in actions involving disputes over residence and contact with children.
She has also developed her work in Employment Law and regularly advises both employers and employees on contentious and non-contentious matters.
Additionally, Lynsey is a tutor on the Diploma in Legal Practice at Glasgow University in Family Law.
Outside working hours, Lynsey is a fully qualified figure skating instructor and enjoys dance, musical theatre and spending time with her young family.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Karen Stewart
Partner
Karen joined Mackintosh & Wylie in 2014 as an Associate. She later became the head of Private Client and then became a Partner in May 2021. Karen is a very experienced Private Client solicitor, with over 15 years’ experience.
She is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and specialises in Wills, Trusts, Executry Administration, Deeds of Variations, Powers of Attorney, Guardianships, Inheritance Tax Planning and Age Care.
Karen is the Depute Senior Tutor on the Diploma in Legal Practice for Glasgow University and is a Notary Public.
Outside working hours, Karen enjoys going to the gym, socialising and spending time with her family.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Rosa McKay
Associate
Rosa graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Law from the University of Glasgow in 2015. After obtaining her Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in June 2016 she commenced her traineeship with a firm in North Ayrshire.
She joined Mackintosh & Wylie as a Solicitor in November 2020 and was appointed as an Associate in August 2021, based in our Kilmarnock office.
Rosa deals with Family and Child Law including divorce, financial provision, contact and residence and Children’s Referrals. She regularly conducts Court Hearings in the Sheriff Court in Family and Child Law cases, as well as attending at Children’s Hearings. Rosa also assists our Criminal Department with Court work, appearing in the Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Courts.
Outside work, Rosa enjoys strength training at the gym and spending time with friends and family.
Mackintosh & Wylie Stewarton
Joanna Bingham
Associate
Joanna trained and worked in a long established Ayrshire firm for 15 years and joined Mackintosh & Wylie in 2021 as an Associate Private Client Solicitor.
Joanna’s expertise covers a wide range of Private Client matters, including Wills and adults with incapacity issues, which involves the preparation and administration of Powers of Attorney and deals with the administration of complex and contentious executries including high value estates and legal rights claims. She also deals with residential conveyancing matters and is a Notary Public.
Joanna adopts a holistic approach to problem solving and endeavours to put clients at ease when advising on their personal affairs and dealing with sometimes complex, life changing issues. She is committed to providing an excellent standard of service and building lasting client relationships.
Outside work, Joanna enjoys spending time with her young daughter, family and friends, travelling and attending the gym. She is also a member and treasurer of Stewarton Community Council.
Mackintosh & Wylie Irvine
Alex Muir
Solicitor
Alex is based in our Irvine office. He has been a Criminal Lawyer for more than 30 years. He has practiced Law in Ayrshire since 1991 and has a wealth of experience ranging from Justice of the Peace to Sheriff and High court cases.
Alex is a keen photographer, chef and musician.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Deborah Sharp
Conveyancing Practitioner
Deborah joined Mackintosh & Wylie in 2014 having previously worked in Residential Conveyancing both locally and in Glasgow.
She qualified as a Conveyancing and Executry Practitioner in 2004 after working as a Paralegal for 11 years. She has a depth of knowledge in Residential Conveyancing and is able to deal with a variety of issues as they arise.
Away from the office, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters as well as attending the gym.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Stacy Willock
Paralegal
Stacy completed a Specialist Paralegal Qualification with the University of Strathclyde to qualify as a Residential Conveyancing Paralegal in 2008 and again in 2017 to qualify as a Commercial Conveyancing Paralegal.
She joined Mackintosh & Wylie in 2019 and deals with both Residential and Commercial Conveyancing from our Kilmarnock office.
Away from the office, Stacy enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog and reading.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Kelly Brown
Paralegal
Kelly joined Mackintosh & Wylie in 2008 and initially worked within the Court Department, thereafter moving to the Private Client Department.
She gained her Specialist Paralegal Qualification in Wills, Trusts and Executries and, based in our Kilmarnock office, works within our busy Private Client team.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Madeleine Telfer
Paralegal
Madeleine joined Mackintosh & Wylie in 2017 and progressed within the firm to obtain her Specialist Paralegal Qualification in Family Law. Madeleine is based in our Kilmarnock office and works within our busy court department.
Outside the office, Madeleine enjoys spending valuable time with her son, family and friends.
Mackintosh & Wylie Kilmarnock
Nancy Gibson
Office Manager & Conveyancing Paralegal
Nancy has worked at Mackintosh & Wylie for over 40 years. She was secretary to one of the former Partners for 37 years and during that time, qualified as a Conveyancing Paralegal. Nancy is the Office Manager which involves working with the Partners and staff to assist with the day to day running of the office.
Outside the office, Nancy enjoys spending time with family and friends. Nancy also enjoys walking, Yoga and Pilates.