An esteemed Māori academic and senior law lecturer died suddenly at the opening of a new building at the University of Waikato on Thursday morning, Stuff writes.

Matiu Dickson, of Ngāiterangi and Te Whakatōhea, had taught at the university since 1996 and was Associate Dean Māori in Te Piringa - Faculty of Law.

Māori academic Matiu Dickson died at the ceremony of the opening of the new Law and Management building at the University of Waikato in Hamilton. Photo: University of Waikato.

Māori lawyer Willie Te Aho, whose wife, Linda, worked with Dickson, said his death would be felt not only among those in the legal profession, but across Te Ao Māori (the Māori world).

"Matiu was, first and foremost, a dear friend, and our aroha goes out to his whānau; to his mum, to his wife, Helen, and their children and his mokopuna, to his eldest child, Papahuia, and to his youngest, Thomas," Te Aho said.

"One word that categorised Matiu is tūturu (staunch in his beliefs).

"He was very staunch and true to the tohunga, to his elders and his marae, and it was reflective in the way he led his life and what he did.

"His teachings at the university were directly connected and relative to the old world."

Dickson dedicated his life to teaching kauapapa Māori in a legal context. He held many hats and was a Tauranga District Councillor, a member of the board of Te Kōhao Health, he chaired Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa Charitable Trust and was a member of Taumata Kaumātua, who advise Hamilton City Council.

For the last seven years, he was a sole practitioner and a barrister and solicitor in private practice.

University of Waikato spokeswoman Peta Goldsworthy said a flag is at half mast to mark Dickson's death.

"His special interests were legal education, youth advocacy and the criminal system, resource management and local government law, and Māori legal issues," Goldsworthy said.

Dickson will lie in state at Hungahungatoroa Marae Ngāti Tukairangi, Hungahungatoroa Rd in Matapihi, Tauranga Moana.