Meet the team

Stephen Bradford

Having completed his Law degree at Strathclyde University, Stephen spent 10 years working in top tier corporate firms advising on a range of company and commercial transactions. In 2002, with the urge to return back home to Ayrshire, Stephen decided to bring his specialisms to Lockharts/Law which resulted in him being assumed a Partner in 2004. He prides himself in having acted for multi nationals in corporate and property acquisitions and now acts for a number of the firm's most important property and business clients. His broad practice extends across household-name hotels and leisure operators, commercial investors and developers, as well as funders. He has a superb reputation for completing complex deals quickly and efficiently and is also a popular referral choice for the Scottish end of cross-border commercial contracts.

Stephen's extensive expertise also includes diversification projects and alternative land uses such as telecoms, wind farms and security work acting on behalf of Banks and Landowners. As part and parcel of advising farming and local businesses, Stephen also provides comprehensive succession planning advice for clients with complex personal and family situations ensuring that family assets are protected and passed to their chosen beneficiaries.

Email: StephenBradford@lockhartslaw.com

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Margo McGill

Margo McGill is head of Lockharts/Law Agriculture and Estates team and is Ayrshire's only lawyer to be accredited as a specialist in Agricultural Law by the Law Society of Scotland. After growing up on her family farm in Maybole, Margo decided to ditch her wellies in favour of a city career practising law. Having spent 7 years honing her skills in top tier city firms, Margo returned back to Ayrshire to start a family life with her husband who is a local farmer and joined Lockharts/Law in 2011 as a Partner.

Having more than 15 years experience in rural and estate business Margo specialises in agricultural law and rural property including all aspects of land and estate purchases and sales as well as agricultural landlord and tenant issues. Her extensive expertise also includes advising family businesses and partnerships where she has helped many through the trials of restructuring their business; she also advises on and security work acting on behalf of Banks and Landowners. As part and parcel of advising farming and local businesses, Margo also provides comprehensive succession planning advice for clients with complex personal and family situations ensuring that family assets are protected and passed to their chosen beneficiaries.

Her professional memberships include, The National Farmers' Union of Scotland and The Agricultural Law Association. She is also a member of the Ayr Faculty of Solicitors Deans Council and enjoys this role very much.

Email: MargoMcgill@lockhartslaw.com

 Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a Specialist in Agricultural Law

Peter Lockhart

Peter, the fourth generation, joined his family firm in 1979, becoming a Partner in 1980. Peter has remained with the firm ever since. The firm will celebrate 150 years in 2026.

Peter is highly regarded amongst his peers having practiced at the very highest levels for several years.

Since 1990 was practicing exclusively in the Criminal Courts in Scotland, dealing with a variety of cases of a complex and novel nature. Throughout his career, Peter has been tasked with appearing in several significant and highly publicised Criminal cases and his extensive experience saw him receive regular instructions for litigating in Criminal matters of an intricate and novel nature.

Peter is a former Dean of Ayr Faculty of Solicitors and Council Member of the Law Society of Scotland. He was made, an Honorary Member of Ayr Faculty, in November 2024, to acknowledge his contribution to the Legal Sector. Peter previously served on various Law Society Committees as well as the Scottish Legal Aid Board Quality Assurance Committee.

Peter has now retired from Court practice, although remains a Partner of the firm.

Peter is the firm’s Financial Control. He is also the firms Client Relations Partner, after serving on the Council of the Law Society of Scotland.

Peter also looks after the Peer Review section of the firm, after years of experience, while on the Scottish Legal Aid Board Quality Assurance Committee.

His reputation proceeds him, and he is often asked for media contributions where Scots Law is subject to a significant development. His media presence also extends to Radio, where he presents popular music shows on the local Community Station, Irvine Beat FM.

Email: Peter@peterlockhart.com

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David Leishman

David Leishman joined Lockharts/Law in August 2022, after having spent the first eight years of his career practicing in Campbeltown and latterly Glasgow. He was assumed Partner in November 2023 and is now head of our Private Client Department. Before qualifying as a Solicitor, David was a conveyancing and litigation paralegal and worked in Glasgow while studying at Strathclyde University part-time.

Originally from Clydebank, David was a general practitioner in Campbeltown for seven years and practised in the following areas of law: conveyancing (agricultural and residential), liquor licensing, estate administration, Wills, Powers of Attorney, guardianship and intervention actions, and divorce and child contract actions. David has appeared (and succeeded) in debates against Junior Counsel and appeals heard by the Sheriff Civil Appeals Court. David also once raised an action to exhume human remains which were buried in the wrong grave! David is also one of the few Solicitors in Scotland to have experience in connection with raising (successfully) court applications against Apple to enable executors to access a deceased’s icloud account.

David’s practise has narrowed since joining Lockharts/Law and he mostly deals with residential and agricultural conveyancing and property work, Estates, Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Guardianship applications. David remains able to assist with actions against Apple and other similar providers for the sake of enabling executors to obtain access to a deceased person’s icloud account or similar.

David is also a Council member of the Scottish Law Agents’ Society

Email: DavidLeishman@lockhartslaw.com