Macfarlanes brings back credit funds partner from Kirkland

Macfarlanes has rehired credit fund formation specialist Edward Prestwich from Kirkland & Ellis, five years after he left the UK firm to become a partner at its US rival.

Prestwich rejoins as a partner in Macfarlanes’ London fund formation team, where he was an associate between 2014 and 2021. His return bolsters a practice the firm has identified as a strategic priority.

Strategic focus

Prestwich's work covers the establishment and operation of credit funds across strategies including special situations, distressed debt, direct lending, and liquid and structured credit. He also advises on carried interest and co-investment arrangements.

Macfarlanes senior partner Damien Crossley said: “Advising credit funds on their house matters, funds and investments continues to be an area of strategic focus for the firm and Ed’s return strongly supports that initiative.”

Top of the funds community

Kirkland presented his arrival in 2021 as a significant addition to its credit funds offering. At the time, London investment funds partner Christopher Braunack described Prestwich as sitting “at the top of a very small community of senior credit fund specialists in London who are not already at Kirkland”.

Fellow Kirkland investment funds partner Anand Damodaran added that his experience, particularly in credit fundraisings, would enhance the firm’s ability to advise across credit strategies.

Driving forward

Prestwich hailed Macfarlanes' credit fund formation practice and said that he was "looking forward to helping drive forward that practice and the firm’s broader offering to credit fund managers”.

Prestwich’s work at Kirkland included advising Arrow Global on a €300 million commitment from CPPIB Credit Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.