Born in New York City, Shah received a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in 1994 from Stanford University.

He received a Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 1998 from the University of Chicago Law School.

He worked as an associate at the law firm of Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe in San Francisco, California, from 1998 to 1999.

He served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois from 2001–2014.

[5] On April 11, 2014 Senate Majority Leader Reid filed a motion to invoke cloture on his nomination.