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A native of South Buffalo, Higgins served on the [[Buffalo Common Council]] (city council) from 1988 to 1993, representing the South District.<ref name="Bio"/><ref name="News Bio">{{cite document|title=Member's bio: Rep. Higgins, Brian, D-N.Y. (27th CD)|id = </ref><ref>{{cite document|title=Many in politics express interest in top county post|id = {{ProQuest|380673255}}}}</ref> Higgins's grandparents were from [[Ireland]].<ref name="News Bio"/>。

In 1993, during his final year on the Council, Higgins was rated "Buffalo's Best Lawmaker" in a 1993 ''[[The Buffalo News|Buffalo News]]'' Survey of Western New York business and community leaders.<ref name="News Bio"/><ref name="Survey">{{cite document|title=Survey finds three on council stand out as most effective members|id = {{ProQuest|380835417}}}}</ref> Responding to the survey were 158 business, community, and government leaders in Western New York.<ref name="Survey"/> Higgins earned the highest rating of any political leader, with a 3.81 out of a possible score of 5.<ref name="Survey"/> The ''Buffalo News'' wrote of Higgins, "During his 5 1/2 years on the Council, he has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, soft-spoken lawmaker who has paid attention to both district and citywide concerns."<ref name="Survey"/> One community leader said, "Brian is a very bright, responsible public official,"<ref name="Survey"/> while a government leader said of Higgins, "The best Councilman in Buffalo. Has great vision."<ref name="Survey"/>

Higgins graduated from [[Buffalo State College]] with a B.A. in [[political science]] in 1984.<ref name="Bio"/><ref name="Congresspage"/><ref name="News Bio"/> He received an M.A. in history from Buffalo State College in 1995<ref name="Bio"/><ref name="News Bio"/> and an [[Master of Public Administration|M.P.A.]] from [[Harvard University]]'s [[John F. Kennedy School of Government]] in 1996.<ref name="Bio"/><ref name="Congresspage"/><ref name="News Bio"/> Higgins has taught courses on state and local government, and the economic history of Buffalo and Western New York, in Buffalo State College's history and economics departments.<ref name="News Bio"/> He served as the 145th district representative to the [[New York State Assembly]] from 1999 to 2004.<ref name="Bio"/><ref name="News Bio"/><ref name="Matters">{{cite web|title=Why He Matters|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/brian-higgins-d-ny/gIQAnP7UAP_topic.html#t-a-glance|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408222018/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/brian-higgins-d-ny/gIQAnP7UAP_topic.html#t-a-glance|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-04-08|work=Who Runs Gov|publisher=Washington Post|access-date=24 March 2014|date=2014}}</ref>