Ronald Dworkin, 81, former professor of law at New York University, died of Leukaemia, London, early Thursday.

Dworkin was also an emeritus professor at University College London, an American philosopher and constitutional expert on both U.S. and British law.

Richard Revesz, NYU Law School Dean, told Huffington Post that Dworkin was not only an intellectual giant but also a masterful teacher, admired colleague and beloved friend.

Revesz said that he will be dearly missed by countless people who followed and admired his work.

Dworkin was known to have argued that the law should be founded on moral integrity so that each member of the community is treated as an equal.

Other central arguments by him include- 'the freedom of speech,' and 'due process of law.'

Dworkin also penned books which include 'A Matter of Principle,' 'Law's Empire' and 'Justice for Hedgehogs.'

An excerpt from one of his writing pieces:

"If we manage to live a good life well, we create something more. We write a subscript to our mortality. We make our lives tiny diamonds in the cosmic sands."

Dworkin completed his graduation from Harvard Law School, 1957, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, England.

Professor Stephen Guest at University College London said that Dworkin was a cosmopolitan American who knew how to enjoy things, especially music and art.