Shantal M. Pai

Shantal leverages her experience working for state and federal judges to represent energy and environmental clients on regulatory and litigation matters.

Shantal is an associate in Fredrikson’s Environmental and Energy Practice Groups. She advises clients on matters involving state and federal agencies, including energy and environmental permitting, regulatory, and compliance matters, and toxic torts. Shantal also assists in trial and appellate litigation before state and federal courts.

Energy

• Part of teams that represented independent power producers and utilities in wind and solar farm permitting and siting in Minnesota.
• Member of case teams that defended challenges to transmission line development on statutory and constitutional basis.

Environmental

• Assist in response, preparation, and strategy in state and federal enforcement actions, including those involving the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• Assist in response, preparation and strategy following EPA Lead Based Paint information requests.
• Part of a team that represented a leading international engineering firm as lead national counsel defending the company against lawsuits filed around the country alleging personal injuries due to asbestos exposure.
• Assist in providing guidance to clients on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) liability and regulations.

Pro Bono

• Member of a case team that successfully represented a foster child in an appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals to challenge a county’s interpretation of state statute. The child challenged a county policy of placing non-delinquent foster children in juvenile detention centers for extended periods when there were not foster homes available.
• Represents asylum seekers in affirmative asylum proceedings.

Education

• University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 2021, magna cum laude
• University of Minnesota, B.S., 2018, summa cum laude

Admissions

• Minnesota, 2021
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2022

Clerkships

• Judicial Clerk, Honorable Nancy Brasel, U.S. District Court, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2021-2022
• Judicial Clerk, Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea, Minnesota Supreme Court, 2022-2023
• Judicial Extern, Honorable Nancy Brasel, U.S. District Court, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2021
• Judicial Extern, Honorable Tony N. Leung, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2019

• Pathfinder, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2025
• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2023
• William B. Lockhart Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Leadership, and Service, 2021
• Most Outstanding Contribution to the University of Minnesota Law School Class of 2021
• University of Minnesota President’s Student Leadership and Service Award, 2021
• Quarter Finalist in the National Energy & Sustainability Moot Court Competition Team, 2021
• Order of the Coif – Lolly Gasaway Faculty-Student Writing Award
• Order of the Coif
• 1L Legal Writing Section “Best Brief” Award
• Book Award in Legislation & Regulation

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association, Member
• Federal Bar Association, Member
• Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
• Minnesota Journal of Law, Science, and Technology, Lead Articles Editor, 2020-2021

Community

• Race Informed Study Experience (RISE), University of Minnesota Law School, Founder and Adjunct Professor, 2020-2022
• Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Moot Court, University of Minnesota Law School, Adjunct Professor, 2023-2024