Contributing to the global and accomplished Class of 2025 at the USC Gould School of Law, Katarina Mousinho de Matos will be graduating with a Master in Laws (LLM). The Brazilian labor judge came to USC interested in expanding her knowledge of American laws and labor protections, specifically in comparison to Brazil’s legal system.
“The degree will expand my knowledge, open my mind to new ideas, and connect me with people from different legal systems,” Mousinho de Matos said. “This experience helps me become a better legal professional — not only as a judge, but as someone committed to improving justice and promoting human rights.”
Before USC, Mousinho de Matos grew up in Belém, a city in Para, a Brazilian state, where she saw firsthand the importance of community. Inspired, she began her career as a labor rights lawyer in 2004 and soon opened her own law firm. However, in 2010 Mousinho de Matos transitioned to working as a law clerk, eventually becoming a labor judge in 2011. She believes that as a judge, she can “directly improve people’s lives on a greater scale than I could as a lawyer.”
Mousinho de Matos said her time at USC has expanded her knowledge of both law and culture. She finds herself inspired by the passion that professors Nicole Webster, Katia Yannaca-Small, Angela Zhang and Anitha Cadambi brought to their teaching. Outside of academics, Mousinho de Matos was able to bond with people from across the globe and learned from different international perspectives. She believes her personal and professional growth at Gould will “help her serve society better.”
After graduation, Mousinho de Matos plans on returning to her position as a labor judge in Brasilia and sharing her newfound knowledge with her coworkers and community.
“I believe in the power of education to bring positive change,” she said. “I am always open to learning and collaboration, and I want to keep working to build a more fair and inclusive society — through law, education and international cooperation.”
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