Khaitan & Co has hired ex-bureaucrat and lawyer Dr PK Agrawal as partner to head its real estate practice in Delhi.

This is Agrawal’s first assignment at a law firm, which he has now taken up after retirement.

Agrawal said: “As an IAS officer, I was dealing with a lot of court cases, especially in revenue matters and land laws - there were lakhs of cases since it’s a big litigation area. In fact, I was already doing a half-lawyer’s job and I am happy that [in Khaitan] I’ll be doing a full lawyer’s job.

He added: “My team consists of three lawyers and two assistants. My job will be to advise the firm on real estate matters and also on Consumer Act related issues - if it comes through - and as usual on other constitutional matters.”

Agrawal served as an IAS officer for 11 years in the field of land revenue and land reforms in various departments of Government of India undertakings and for the Government of West Bengal.

He worked as deputy secretary and director and joint secretary in Department of Consumer Affairs of the State of West Bengal, Ministry of Law & Justice, Ministry of Environment & Forests for 10 years and for the Department of Jails, Woman & Child Development, social welfare departments and PWD as Principal Secretary for 8 years.

He was principal secretary and additional chief secretary in the consumer affairs department for over two years.

Agrawal has authored 50 books on land reforms and land laws. He was also guest faculty at Allahabad University and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences even while he continued to remain a civil servant.