John Eric Higgins Esq

Higgins, John Eric Esq. ALBANY John Eric Higgins, 56, of Albany, passed away on September 4, 2017. Having recently sent his youngest daughter to her first year of college at SUNY Geneseo, and helping his oldest to purchase a car and start her junior year of college at Siena College, he was full of pride when he passed. Born in Charleston, S.C., on June 28, 1961, he was the son of the late Patricia Ann Higgins, and Robert Samuel DeCosta Higgins, M.D. He was the maternal grandson of the late Alma Marshall Jennings, and John William Jennings, one of Albany's earliest Black attorneys, and one of the first to integrate the Pine Hills area in Albany. After the premature passing of his father, John moved back to Albany with his two brothers and his mother. John attended the Albany Academy for Boys for 13 years, where he was captain of the Varsity Football team. After graduating in 1979, he attended Hamilton College where he played D3 football for four years, and received B.A. in English in 1983. John then attended Albany Law School, where he became licensed as a labor lawyer in 1989. In 1996, John married Katja Cecchetti Higgins, of Mogliano, Veneto, Italy. They resided in Albany and raised two daughters, Jasmine Higgins (20), and Isabella Higgins (18). John began his professional work as Labor Lawyer soon after passing the N.Y.S. Bar Exam in 1990 with Bond, Schoeneck and King, Cusick, Hacker and Murphy, Nixon Peabody, and finally found his home at Jackson Lewis. John practiced management-side labor law for 25 years, and loved every year of it. He was an expert in discrimination and received several awards for his passionate litigation skills, including Best Lawyer Albany Labor Lawyer of the year (2015), and most recently Best Lawyers in America: Employment Law-Management, Labor Law-Management and Litigation-Labor and Employment (2018). John also participated in the Albany Court Bar Association, the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Capital District Trial Lawyers Association, New York State Bar Association, management co-chair of the Labor and Employment Section's ADR Committee, New York State Bar Association, former co-chair of the Committee on Minorities in the Profession, and Capital District Black & Hispanic Bar Association, former president (2004-2009). Outside of his complete and utter devotion to practicing law, the things he loved equally, if not more, were singing karaoke at multiple locations in downtown Albany, wearing his crocs, lounge pants, a true fashion icon. John loved to golf, albeit somewhat terribly and enjoyed taking his oldest daughter out on several occasions. He was always the loudest most enthusiastic parent at his daughters' soccer, lacrosse and rugby games. It was impossible to go anywhere with John without seeing a minimum of three people that he knew that had a lively story to tell about him. Survivors include his wife, Katja Cecchetti Higgins; two daughters, Jasmine Higgins and Isabella Higgins; his two brothers, Robert Samuel DeCosta Higgins II, M.D. and his wife, Molly, of Baltimore, Md. and Kevin Alan Higgins and his wife, Jane, of Scarsdale, N.Y.; his seven nieces and nephews, John, Grace, Grant, Olivia, St. Julian, Ruggero, and Raniero; and his family in Italy. The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday, September 8, from 5-8 p.m. at the Tebbutt Funeral Home, 633 Central Ave., Albany. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 9, at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of All Saints, 62 S. Swan St., Albany, followed by entombment in Graceland Cemetery, Albany. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John's memory, to his family, made payable to Jackson Lewis, P.C., attn. William Anthony, 677 Broadway, 9th Floor, Albany, NY 12207 or online at youcaring.com/thefamilyofjohnehiggins-940103; as well as to the Cathedral of All Saints. To express condolences and for more information, please visit sbfuneralhome.com.