Katie Hood

Born and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, Katie graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelors of Business Administration, and continued her education, graduating with honors from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Katie is a Partner with Balch & Bingham, LLP in their Gulfport, Mississippi office.  Her law practice focuses on a wide spectrum of general business and complex litigation matters for both governmental agencies and private sector clients. Katie’s day-to-day practice includes contract interpretation, business litigation, and environmental litigation.

In 2017, Katie was appointed by Governor Phil Bryant to serve a three-year term on the Board for the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Services, and was recently elected to serve on the Carolyn Ellis Staton Society of Young Law Alumni for the University of Mississippi School of Law.  Katie is a Life Member of the Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport, and currently serves as the Treasurer/Secretary for the Harrison County Bar Association. She has also been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for two consecutive years.

Katie resides in Gulfport with her husband, John Payton, and their son, Hewes.