Shailesh Sahay > Baker Botts L.L.P. > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Baker Botts L.L.P. Offices

Baker Botts L.L.P.
700 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001-5692
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
Visit website 1 202 639 7700 1 202 639 7890

Shailesh Sahay

Shailesh Sahay photo
+1 202 639 7745 shailesh.sahay@bakerbotts.com View profile

Work Department

Litigation / Environmental, Safety & Incident Response

Position

Partner

Career

Shailesh Sahay is one of the nation’s leading thinkers on energy transition and environmental issues, with experience advising clients in the liquid fuels, climate tech, energy, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors, and beyond. His years of experience as an in-house regulatory and policy lawyer allow him to deeply understand client positions and represent them in front of federal, state, and international agencies at the highest levels. He has built robust coalitions across industrial sectors to pursue common interests. And his scientific background and technical acumen allow him to delve into complex issues and serve as an interface between how industry works and the policies that affect businesses.

Prior to returning to private practice, Shai spent six years serving as in-house counsel at the largest biofuels producer in the world, including a year serving as acting General Counsel of the largest biofuels trade association. As a result, Shai has been involved in nearly every major regulatory and policy issue affecting the biofuels sector for the last decade. His experience, though, spans well beyond biofuels. For example, he has been representing a number of clients developing climate solutions in response to regulatory, tax, and voluntary market incentives in the energy transition, including in the carbon capture and e-fuels sectors. Shai also maintains a robust environmental counseling practice across multiple media, and has engaged in compliance advising, enforcement defense, and regulatory advocacy relating to the Clean Air Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and other statutes. Due to the breadth of his experience, Shai is well positioned to serve as a go-to regulatory compliance and policy advisor to a broad range of industries.

Memberships

District of Columbia Bar

Environmental Law Institute – Leadership Council, 2017-present

Low Carbon Fuel Coalition – Board of Directors & Secretary, 2019-present

Education

J.D., Harvard Law School 2007

A.B., Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard College 2002

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Environment > Environment: litigation

Clients turn to the team at Baker Botts L.L.P. for its expertise handling toxic tort, natural resource damage claims, defending against class and individual lawsuits arising from air, water and land contamination. Scott Janoe leads the group from Houston, attracting a spread of clients from the energy, mining and manufacturing sectors seeking assistance with enforcement defense and crisis management. The Washington DC office fields Megan Berge, who is recommended for her experience handling climate change mandates, Steven Solow, who deals with environmental incidents within the maritime, chemicals, mining and utilities spheres, and Nadira Clarke, who has extensive white collar crime and civil trial experience. Shailesh Sahay joined the DC team in July 2023 from Foley Hoag LLP, bringing with him experience handling climate, environmental and sustainability issues at federal, state, and international levels.

United States > Environment > Environment: regulatory

The team at Baker Botts L.L.P., led by Houston’s Scott Janoe, offers clients coast-to-coast expertise, handling a spread of environmental challenges such as incident response, energy transition, contaminated sites, as well as air and water quality and supply. The Houston-based Scott Elliott works predominantly with chemical and energy clients, assisting with environmental health and safety issues and investigations. Over in Washington DC, Debra Jezouit is known by clients from across pharmaceutical and chemical industries for her experience dealing with Clean Air Act issues, whilst Alexandra Dunn, former member of the EPA’s Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention division, is well equipped to handle the gamut of risk management advice concerning contaminants and chemicals, particularly regarding PFOS. The team has also been bolstered by the recent acquisition of DC-based partner Shailesh Sahay from Foley Hoag LLP.

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