Jones Walker attorneys John C. Blackman, IV; Timothy P. Brechtel; Kenneth J. Najder; J. Marshall Page; Christopher M. Wappel; and William R. Bishop served as co-counsel to CenturyLink in connection with its April 2010 agreement to acquire Qwest Communications. The $10.6-billion all-stock deal ($22.4 billion, including debt assumption) is heralded as the largest telecommunications acquisition since 2008. Messrs. Najder and Bishop provided corporate and securities representation, Messrs. Page and Wappel provided finance advice, and Messrs. Blackman and Brechtel provided employee benefits representation. In connection with this transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of 2010, Jones Walker continues to serve as co-counsel to CenturyLink with the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Both firms also represented CenturyLink in its $11.6-billion (including debt assumption) acquisition of Embarq Corporation, completed in 2009.