NEW YORK CITY-Jefferies Group’s acquisition Monday by Leucadia brings together two major financial firms with significant real estate business. Jeffries will operate as Leucadia’s largest operating company following the deal’s close in early 2013. It will continue to operate as a full-service global investment-banking firm in its current form. Leucadia, which already held a 28.6 percent stake in Jeffries, is acquiring the firm for about $2.6 billion in stock.

The two firms have had a working relationship for more than 20 years. They have partnered on many financings and strategic transactions. Combined, the two firms have total assets of $42.1 billion and total shareholder equity of $9.3 billion.

Jefferies’ investment banking arm is involved in a long list in industries including a category it describes as Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging. In July 2010, it formed a new Real Estate & Lodging Group and describes its services as offering clients in-depth global coverage of REITs, REOCs, lodging companies and real estate private equity sponsors.