Ewing studied law at Edinburgh University, graduating in 1976, then moved to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, for his PhD.

Ewing is the author, co-author or editor of dozens of books and journal articles.

Ewing has also published on reforming labour law to strengthen trade union freedom, constitutional reform, relating to public participation in the political process and the status of social and economic rights.

His COVID-19: Government by Decree (2020) argued there was a failure on the part of the British Parliament to discharge its basic constitutional duties during the pandemic.

To celebrate his scholarly legacy, The Constitution of Social Democracy: Essays in Honour of Keith Ewing was published in 2020.