About
Ed acts on a wide variety of derivative, trading, brokerage and structured finance transactions.
He advises brokers and a range of buy-side institutions – including managed account platforms, hedge funds, credit funds, asset managers, pension funds, corporates and high-net-worth individuals – on structuring and documenting their most challenging transactions, using innovative instruments and structures.
His practice covers all underlying asset classes and standard forms of trading agreements, as well as associated regulatory advice (including EMIR, SFTR and CSDR). Ed has particular expertise in significant risk transfer transactions, asset financing and back leverage arrangements, fund structuring and co-investments, and bespoke special situations mandates.
Ed has undertaken a secondment to the legal team of a leading multinational investment bank. Prior to joining Macfarlanes, he trained and qualified as an associate at a Magic Circle firm, practising in its derivatives and structured products practice.
He is a member of the firm’s ESG and structured finance working groups, and is a regular author of legal updates. Ed is recognised as a Key Lawyer for Derivatives and Structured Products in Legal 500 (2026).
Experience
- Derivatives and trading regulation – advising multiple clients on complex regulatory matters, particularly those involving derivatives, margin requirements and compliance with EMIR, SFTR, MiFID and other regulations.
- Trading documents – advising multiple clients regarding trading documentation, including ISDA Master Agreements, prime brokerage agreements, GMRAs, clearing agreements and collateral arrangements, as well as custody arrangements and terms of business trading.
- Structured finance – advising on the creation of a tailored repackaging structure for loans linked to partnership interests.
- Significant risk transfers – advising a range of investors on their significant risk transfer investments across a broad spectrum of portfolio types, including structuring considerations and financing arrangements.
- Private capital – advising clients on the hedging and financing aspects of private capital transactions, including structuring and negotiating back leverage structures, supporting co-investment strategies, integrating derivatives into fund structures, portfolio transfer arrangements with multi-jurisdictional considerations, developing solutions to complex special situations transactions, and assisting clients with their strategic transactions.
- Strategic derivatives – advising private equity firm Siris Capital Group, LLC on its £673m recommended bid for Equiniti Group plc.
/Passle/MediaLibrary/Images/2026-01-09-17-39-35-106-69613d57d42b6e4a5841561c.jpg)
/Passle/MediaLibrary/Images/2026-01-09-17-39-30-263-69613d52d42b6e4a584155d1.jpg)
/Passle/5a1c2144b00e80131c20b495/MediaLibrary/Images/2025-10-03-10-33-53-939-68dfa6918a133db117a63743.jpg)
/Passle/MediaLibrary/Images/2026-01-09-17-39-35-106-69613d57d42b6e4a5841561c.jpg)