People

Overview

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.

Admission & Affiliations

  • 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

Experience

  • Serving at the forefront of regulatory and legislative engagement on climate and vehicle fuel issues related to federal Renewable Fuel Standard, California Low Carbon Fuel Standards, and Clean Air Act mobile source provision
  • Establishing a leading new trade association that successfully reversed EPA's regulation holding down renewable fuel blending in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
  • Assuming industry leadership, including by serving on the Environmental Law Institute's Leadership Council and the Board of Directors of the Low Carbon Fuel Coalition
  • Representing domestic mineral exploration companies seeking to supply materials necessary for electricity and transportation decarbonization
  • Assisting a leading environmental justice organization in protecting community interests relating to development proposals

Low Carbon Fuels

  • Assist with the evaluation of regulatory issues associated with CO2 to fuels technology
  • Advise RNG producer on opportunities associated with federal Renewable Fuel Standard and California Low Carbon Fuel Standard
  • Advise biomass to power entity on potential credits under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard

Venture Capital & Private Equity

  • Advise investor groups on carbon-related value associated with potential acquisitions

Agricultural Products

  • Assist leading agricultural technology company with application for climate smart grant funding from United States Department of Agriculture

Environmental Diligence

  • Evaluate environmental regulatory and policy issues in corporate transactions, and assist with structuring transactions in response
  • Assist crop cultivation company in evaluation of regulatory approvals needed for potential target company
  • Aid sustainable aviation fuels producer in the evaluation of environmental credit issues in sales contracts