José Couto graduated in law at the University of Lisbon School of Law.
Post-Graduated in Law and Public Procurement Practice, School of Law at Portuguese Catholic University.
Post-Graduated in Science of Legislation and Legistics, Institute of Legal and Political Sciences - University of Lisbon School of Law.
Specialized in Administrative, Law University of Lisbon School of Law.
Head of Staff to the Secretary of State Assistant and of Education of the XXI Government -Portuguese Republic.
Technical Office Lawyer in the Presidency of the Regional Government of the Azores.
Assistant to the Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs, of the XI Regional Government of the Azores; to the Regional Secretariat for Social Solidarity of the XI Regional Government of the Azores; and to the Regional Secretariat of the Presidency of the X Regional Government of the Azores.
He was also Associate Attorney at BPLD - Borges da Ponte, Linhares Dias & Associates Law Firm; and Vice President of the Regional Council of the Azores of ANJAP - Associação Nacional dos Jovens Advogados Portugueses.