Brant Pettis Interviewed by Mississippi Business Journal Recent Victory at the State Supreme Court for the Mississippi State Port Authority

Brant Pettis, partner in the firm’s Gulfport office and member of the Litigation practice, weighed in on the recent victory for the Mississippi State Port Authority in a recent interview with The Mississippi Business Journal. 

The article, published on July 13, 2022, outlined how the court’s early June ruling closed a bid dispute between the Port Authority and Eutaw Construction Co. as part of the last string of litigation related to the restoration of the Port of Gulfport after Hurricane Katrina. 

In ruling for the Port Authority, the Mississippi Supreme Court determined that the Port Authority properly applied state procurement regulations to allow a bid amendment to address minor errors that did not prejudice any other bidder.  

Brant commented on the implications of this historic ruling, saying, “The real significance of this is for public procurement in Mississippi. He went on to add, “Before this opinion, Mississippi appellate courts have not had the occasion to apply the Mississippi Procurement Manual to a state agency.” 

The reversal of the original ruling of the lower court closed years of litigation over contracts and other issues stemming from the rebuild of the Port destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. 

Brant previously served as the Chair of the Business Law Section of the Mississippi Bar Association, and as president of the Harrison County Bar Association. He is also an alumnus of Leadership Mississippi, a program sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council that is dedicated to developing and maintaining a network of Mississippians committed to strengthening the state's quality of life.

Brant routinely handles commercial litigation. He also helps contractors, utilities, and governmental entities comply with environmental and construction-related regulatory requirements. He regularly handles procurement compliance, bid protests, contract disputes, lien and/or bond claims, zoning applications and appeals, and professional negligence claims. 

Balch & Bingham’s Construction Practice includes attorneys across the Southeast and Texas who represent owners, developers, governmental entities, general contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers in all phases of any construction project, from inception and financing to post-completion litigation and trial. 

Brant has been recognized on Benchmark Litigation’s Top 40 & Under Hot List which recognizes the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigators under the age of 40.  He is also recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants and has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.