2022 Unsung Legal Heroes: Tinzing Artmann

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Target The daughter of Tibetan refugees living in India, Tinzing Artmann knows what it is like to be a refugee in a new country.

After graduating from Delhi University in India, Artmann immigrated to the United States in 1999, where she established a career as a paralegal. Today she volunteers much of her time with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, often working with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) clients to stay in the United States.

Artmann’s journey to becoming a paralegal began while working at Wells Fargo as an operations analyst where, while doing some research on mortgages, a colleague suggested she had a mind for law school. However, when she expressed little desire to attend school for another two years, the colleague suggested Artmann earn a paralegal degree and she took the advice.

In 2005 she began as a paralegal, working at two mid-sized firms before joining Target in 2012. While Artmann enjoys her work as a litigation paralegal, Artmann’s equally committed to helping immigrants struggling to avoid deportation. She began collaborating with legal partners on an asylum case several years ago and has since continued her pro bono work.

“I take every opportunity that I get to do pro bono work because at the end of the day, I am left with this graceful feeling that I helped someone,” she said.

Artmann believes she has collaborated with fellow Target attorneys on more than 100 immigration-related cases. Annually she spends anywhere from 100 to 200 hours on immigration matters, many related to individuals falling under DACA. She recently had a case involving a woman whose work authorization papers were about to expire partly because of a mail order error committed by the U.S. Post Office. She eventually involved Sen. Tina Smith’s office in rectifying the situation by expediting the authorization. As a result, the woman kept her job and her young family intact.

“Pro bono work gives me what I always call a ‘happiness tonic,’” Artmann said. “When I help someone, it always lifts me and gives me a purpose.”

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