Baker Botts L.L.P.

Litigation / Environmental, Safety & Incident Response

Partner

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.

District of Columbia Bar

Environmental Law Institute - Leadership Council, 2017-present

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

J.D., Harvard Law School 2007

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