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Danielle M. Higson, J.D., LL.M.

Military Professor Joint Military Operations Department
Capt., U.S. Navy
Danielle Higson faculty photo

Biography

U.S. Navy Capt. Danielle Higson is a military professor for the Joint Military Operations Department. She most recently received a master's degree from the U.S. Naval War College. During her career, she has served as the legal advisor at various levels of command at sea and ashore at joint, multinational and interagency commands. Her deployments include a carrier deployment to SW Asia, Individual Augmentation to Iraq, and an assignment to Bahrain. She specializes in national security law. She gained significant expertise in cyber and intelligence law while providing operational legal advice at the National Security Agency, U.S. Cyber Command, and U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. Tenth Fleet.

Contact Information

(401) 856-5434

Areas of Expertise

  • Cyber Warfare
  • Ethics
  • Information Operations
  • Intel
  • International Law
  • National Security
  • Operational Warfare
  • Rules of Engagement
  • UNCLOS
  • Women, Peace, and Security

Professional Highlights

2018

Force Judge Advocate, Naval Education and Training Command

Principal legal advisor to largest Echelon II Commander in the Navy, responsible for Navy recruiting, boot camp, and most training schools for enlisted and officers. Provided legal advice on ethics, military justice, and administrative law to Commander, his staff, and subordinate commands.
2016

Deputy Fleet Judge Advocate and Chief of Op Law, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet

Provided operational law advice on Navy cyber operations. Assited U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises with cyber law advice during planning and execution. During this tour, she was the first judge advocate to qualify as an Information Warfare Officer.
2015

Director of the Cyber, Information Operations, and Intelligence Law Division of the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy

Served as the Navy's subject matter expert in cyber, information operations, and intelligence law, providing training and advice to judge advocates across the fleet.
2012

Operational Law Attorney, National Security Agency

Worked in the Information Assurance/Cyber Security Practice Group of the Office of the General Counsel for the NSA. Temporarily assigned for four months to support U.S. Cyber Command Staff Judge Advocate Office during the stand-up of the Cyber Mission Forces with her defensive cyber law expertise.
2008

Force Judge Advocate, FIRST Naval Construction Division

Sole legal advisor to the Naval Construction Force, including Commander, Staff and 35 subordinate reserve and active units located world-wide. Transformed billet from simply performing man, train, and equip functions to providing operational advice to the Flag Battle Staff and deploying units.
2007

Staff Judge Advocate and International Law Attorney, Maritime Civil Affairs Group

Provided advice to the Commanding Officer and subordinate commands on a wide array of areas to include ethics, fiscal law, humanitarian law, rule of law, operational law, and ROE/RUF.

Education

LL.M., The U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Legal Center and School, International & Operational Law (focus Cyber Law)

J.D., University of Virginia School of Law

M.A., U.S. Naval War College, National Security and Strategic Studies

B.A., The Johns Hopkins University, Political Science and Sociology

Research Contributions and Publications

"Applying the Law of Neutrality While Transiting the Seas of Cyberspace"
American University National Security Law Brief, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2016

Awards and Decorations

Qualified Information Warfare Officer

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