Shasta Desbarats graduated from the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law in 1990. While at the University of Western Ontario, Shasta worked as an editor for the Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence and as a case worker for the London Community Legal Services representing clients in the area of criminal law. Shasta completed a summer internship and her Articles of Clerkship with the Toronto law firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon where she worked in the areas of human rights, constitutional, labour and employment, administrative, criminal and civil litigation. Shasta also completed a three month articling rotation with the Advocacy Resource Centre for the Handicapped in Toronto working in the areas of human rights and constitutional law. Shasta was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1992.

After completing her articles in Toronto, Shasta moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and was admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1992. Shasta worked as an Associate with the Boston law firm of Angoff, Goldman, Manning, Pyle, Wanger & Hiatt, practicing human rights, employment and labour law. Shasta represented unions and employees before arbitrators, labour relations boards, human rights commissions, state and federal courts. While in Boston, Shasta worked as a volunteer attorney for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and for the Committee for Public Counsel Services for the Roxbury Public Defenders Unit.

Shasta was admitted to the Law Society of Alberta in 1998. Shasta practiced in the areas of human rights, employment and labour law for the Alberta law firm of Chivers, Greckol & Kanee. Shasta became an Associate with Simon Renouf Professional Corporation in 2002 where she practices human rights, administrative, employment and labour law. Shasta represents unions, professional associations and non-unionized employees in the public and private sector on all labour and employment-related matters, including labour relations matters, wrongful dismissals, employment standards, and human rights complaints.