Edward has been with Herbert Smith throughout his professional career and was senior partner between 1992-2000. He sat on the Departmental Enquiry (the Cork Enquiry) into insolvency law between 1977-82. The report resulted in the enactment of the Insolvency Act 1986.
At the beginning of 1983, Edward was appointed as one of the first three nominated members of the Council of Lloyd's, sitting on the Council for six years. He chaired the Investigations Committee at Lloyd's which conducted the investigations of the many Lloyd's scandals of the late 1970s and early 1980s and prosecuted the subsequent disciplinary proceedings. He is well known in the City having been involved in many high-profile cases including a number of celebrated take-over battles.