English international lawyer and expert in maritime law.

Called to the bar in 1908, Higgins later taught international law at the London School of Economics and at the Royal Naval War and Staff colleges and became Whewell professor of international law at Cambridge in 1920. During World War I his special knowledge enabled him to serve invaluably as adviser in international law and prize law to the Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor. Higgins was a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague (1930) and president of the Institut de Droit International (Institute of International Law (International Law, Institute of)) from 1929 to 1931. He also published works on international and maritime law and history.