Thomas Peter Winters

Thomas P. Winters grew up in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. He went to Hamline University where he double majored in Legal Studies and Political Science. From there, he went to William Mitchell College of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctor in May 2009.

Thomas has spent most of his legal career concentrating on helping people that often feel helpless. He spent his summer between his first and second year of law school volunteering with Tubman Family Alliance in Minneapolis. Here, he would help advocate for victims of domestic abuse. He would assist them in obtaining an order for protection, and work with them to find a safe place for them to go.

From there, Thomas spent his final year of law school working with the Ramsey County Public Defenders Office. With the Public Defenders Office, Thomas spent much of his time negotiating plea agreements with the prosecutors. He also would perform bail arguments to help defendants pleading not guilty get out of jail. He performed some investigative work, and helped attorneys prepare cases for trial.

After law school, Thomas spent a year working with Thomson Reuters as a document reviewer. Here, he would spend much of his time reviewing and proofreading legal documents before they were published.

Outside of work, Thomas spends a lot of time working out in the community. His community involvement was instilled in him from an early age by his parents. He grew up working in his Dad's mechanic shop and on the family farm. He was a member of St. Alexius Catholic Church in nearby West Union. All through high school, he spent time volunteering at the church. He was a regular mass server through tenth grade. He volunteered at the church dinners every year. He also helped his Mom as a Sunday School Teacher for a few years.

His community volunteering continued through college. He volunteered at the International Institute of Minnesota, where he helped new citizens learn computer skills, and worked with them to develop a resume to obtain work. He also spent time volunteering with the Big Brother organization where he was paired up as a mentor with an underprivelaged youth.

Thomas moved to Detroit Lakes in August of 2010. He instantly became involved in the community once he arrived here. He is a member of the Detroit Lakes Jaycees. He is also an active member in the Detroit Lakes Morning Rotary Club. He has also become a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Detroit Lakes. He likes to spend his free time out in the community, or outdoors where he has taken up fishing and curling since moving to the lakes area.