Nicholas Higgs

Barrister at 39 Essex Chambers

Speaker

Nicholas is a dual-qualified barrister and chartered civil engineer, specialising in complex building and engineering disputes. He regularly acts for clients, contractors, and developers in adjudication, litigation, and international commercial arbitration, both as junior and sole counsel. His engineering background enables him to quickly engage with and address technically challenging issues in his cases. He is experienced in all the standard-from construction contracts, in particular the FIDIC suite.

Before coming to the Bar, Nicholas enjoyed a distinguished career as an engineer with Ove Arup. His roles ranged from bridge engineering to serving as secretary to the firm’s management board, reporting directly to the group chief operating officer. He has significant experience in procurement, project delivery, and commercial management, having served as UK Infrastructure Commercial Manager and led procurement for major projects, including the Queensferry Crossing in Scotland and the Garden Bridge in London. Nicholas brings client-side insight, commercial pragmatism, and sector-specific expertise to his legal practice.