{"id":20652,"date":"2026-09-14T13:49:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T17:49:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=20652"},"modified":"2026-09-14T13:49:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T17:49:38","slug":"a-path-shaped-by-advocacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/14\/a-path-shaped-by-advocacy\/","title":{"rendered":"A Path Shaped by Advocacy"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20652_26ffa1-87\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><sub>Farnan School of Law student Jonathan Taylor (left) with his longtime mentor, attorney Mike Nestor<\/sub><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Years after an attorney advocated for him as a child, Jonathan Taylor is preparing to become an attorney himself.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jonathan Taylor <\/strong>was 8 years old when he met <strong>Mike Nestor<\/strong>, an attorney appointed to represent him when he was thrust into Delaware\u2019s foster care system. He couldn\u2019t have known then how deeply the relationship would affect his life, or that the attorney advocating for him and his four siblings would become one of the most enduring influences in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Children often enter foster care at one of the most uncertain times in their lives. They may be separated from the people, places and routines they know, while adults they\u2019ve never met begin making decisions about what happens next. In the middle of all that uncertainty, having someone who listens without judgment can make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nestor was that person. He wasn\u2019t just an attorney assigned to Taylor\u2019s case. He was someone who showed up, listened and made an 8-year-old feel like what he had to say mattered. At a time when so much of Taylor\u2019s life was beyond his control, Nestor gave him a voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Years later, Taylor is beginning to understand how much that relationship shaped him. Today, he\u2019s a first-year student at <a href=\"https:\/\/law.wilmu.edu\/index.aspx\">Wilmington University\u2019s Farnan School of Law<\/a>, preparing to enter the same profession that first touched his life as a child. His decision to pursue law wasn\u2019t the result of one defining moment, but rather years of experience, education, work and plenty of ups and downs \u2014 along with the example Nestor continued to set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there was an early sign of where that influence might lead. \u201cYou have a thing called \u2018The Life Book\u2019 in Delaware when you\u2019re in the foster system,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cIn this book, you\u2019re supposed to write things down and I wrote that I wanted to be like Mike.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dream was there. Believing he could reach it was another matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere was a time I stopped believing in myself,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cI thought I wasn\u2019t smart enough or good enough and that ruled my teenage years. I struggled in college. I started developing anxiety and dealt with an adoptive family that battled mental health issues. Mike stayed in my life and, despite all that, I sat down with him and told him I still wanted to go to law school. So, he created a game plan, and told me that WilmU was starting a law school, and if I got accepted, I\u2019d have to put the work in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nestor, who is vice chair of Young Conaway Stargatt &amp; Taylor LLP, a prominent Delaware-based law firm with a national reputation, particularly in corporate restructuring and bankruptcy law, has spent more than three decades practicing law. He\u2019s represented companies in financial distress and served as lead counsel in complex restructuring matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He\u2019s also spent much of his career serving as a guardian ad litem, a court-appointed attorney who advocates for children in the Family Court system. It\u2019s work that has allowed him to be a voice for children during some of the most difficult periods of their lives. Taylor puts Nestor\u2019s impact more simply: \u201cMike and his team saved us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are a lot of kids who get caught in that cycle and can\u2019t find a way out, so part of our responsibility is to give them an opportunity and do the job we\u2019ve been entrusted to do as guardians ad litem,\u201d Nestor says. \u201cBut Jon also had the strength and wherewithal to distance himself from his circumstances and break that cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In His Corner<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What began as an attorney-client relationship grew into a mentorship, and Taylor increasingly turned to Nestor as life became more complicated, confiding in him about school, work and questions about his future. Taylor also saw firsthand the kind of attorney Nestor was \u2014 someone who built a prominent corporate practice while giving his time to support children and the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI feel blessed beyond measure,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cHaving lived so much of my life without people in my corner, it\u2019s pretty incredible when you finally have them. Mike has been one of the most consistent people in my life. He would even check in with my adoptive parents, which I didn\u2019t know at the time. The truth is, if it weren\u2019t for Mike and his team, who knows what my life would have been like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJon is an inspiration to me,\u201d Nestor says. \u201cEvery time I tell his story, people are amazed by what he\u2019s overcome. And there\u2019s still so much ahead of him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taylor continued to face hard times, including life with an adoptive family struggling with mental illness. \u201cMike believed in me then, and he still does \u2014 probably more than I believe in myself,\u201d Taylor says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not lost on him how accomplished Nestor is \u2014 or how rarely Nestor draws attention to himself. As Taylor sees it, \u201cThere\u2019s no ego. He\u2019s one of the humblest people I\u2019ve ever met. All my fellow students feel the exact same way about him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93{margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 ,.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 h1,.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 h2,.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 h3,.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 h4,.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 h5,.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 h6{color:#00843d;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93{border-top:1px solid #db1313;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93{border-top:1px solid #db1313;}}\/**** BLOCKQUOTE CSS ****\/\/* @import \"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/css\/blog\/style.css\"; *\/:root {  --global-md-spacing: 1.5rem;  --color-accent: #f9c22c;  --color-neutral3: #605f60;  --radius-md: 0.625rem;  --quote-size-text: clamp(1.25rem, 3cqi, 2.25rem);  --quote-size: clamp(2.5rem, 8cqi, 5rem);}\/* =========================   BLOCKQUOTE CONTAINER========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple {  container-type: inline-size;   margin-block: 0;  border-radius: var(--radius-md);  border: 0.15rem solid rgba(0 132 61 \/ 6%);  box-shadow:\t\t 0px 3px 1px -2px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 20%),\t\t 0px 2px 2px 0px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 14%),\t\t 0px 1px 5px 0px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 12%);\tposition: relative;\tisolation: isolate;\tcolor: var(--color-neutral3);\tinline-size: 100%;  padding: 1.875rem 2.688rem;  flex: 1;  display: flex;  flex-direction: column;  align-items: center;  text-wrap:balance;}\/* =========================   TEXT BLOCK (anchor)========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p {\tposition: relative;\tinline-size: -webkit-fit-content;\tinline-size: -moz-fit-content;\tinline-size: fit-content;\tcolor: var(--color-primary);\tmax-inline-size: 40ch;\thanging-punctuation: first last;\tfont-family: ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, \"Times New Roman\", serif;\tfont-weight: 600;\tfont-size: var(--quote-size-text);\tmargin-block: 0 !important;}\/* =========================   QUOTES========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::before,blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::after {\tposition: absolute;  font-size: var(--quote-size);  font-weight: 700;  line-height: 1;  color: var(--color-accent);  opacity: 0.45;\tz-index: 0;}\/* =========================   OPEN QUOTE========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::before {  content: open-quote;  \/* optical margin alignment *\/  left: -0.65em;  \/* top: -0.25em; *\/}\/* =========================   CLOSE QUOTE========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple p::after {  content: close-quote;\t-webkit-margin-after: -1rem;\tmargin-block-end: -1rem;}\/* ========================= CITATION ========================= *\/blockquote.wu-blockquote-simple cite {  display: block;  inline-size: -webkit-fit-content;  inline-size: -moz-fit-content;  inline-size: fit-content;  margin-inline: auto;\tfont-family: proxima nova, system-sans, sans-serif;  font-style: italic;  color: var(--color-neutral3);\t-webkit-text-stroke: 0.25px rgba(0 0 0 \/ 25%);\tletter-spacing: .03em;}.wu-blockquote-row {\tmargin: 0 !important;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id20652_1b6a53-93 alignnone FULL wu-blockquote-row wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-md, 2rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-md, 2rem);}.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20652_85b000-1c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20652_85b000-1c kb-section-dir-vertical wu-blockquote-section\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple wp-container-content-9cfa9a5a is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I thought I had to settle. Now I know I don\u2019t have to. <\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 Jonathan Taylor<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are three lessons Nestor has impressed upon Taylor over the years: respect people\u2019s time; success doesn\u2019t come by elevator \u2014 you have to take the stairs, one step at a time; and, finally, be kind. \u201cHe taught me that you never really know what people are going through, so just try to be a good human being,\u201d says Taylor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJon is absolutely a good human being,\u201d Nestor says. \u201cHe has held onto his faith and remained a source of strength for his siblings through some really difficult circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For years, Taylor struggled to see much of a future for himself. \u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d amount to anything,\u201d he says. \u201cMy aspirations didn\u2019t exist. I thought I had to settle. Now I know I don\u2019t have to. Now I\u2019m in this position, and to be honest, I still feel so undeserving of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting into law school didn\u2019t make those feelings disappear. \u201cI still feel the effect of what it was like to be a kid in those environments, but I\u2019m fighting the good fight,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cI know that\u2019s because people who love me are still fighting for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Taking the Stairs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2021, when Taylor was 16, Young Conaway provided Jon with a job as a records clerk. He organized confidential legal files, digitized records and handled firm documents, gaining an early look at the work behind a law practice. There was something full circle about it: years after Nestor had represented him as a child, Taylor was now working at the same firm where his mentor had built his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Young Conaway, Taylor began to see the law from the other side. As a child, he knew the legal system as someone who needed an advocate. Now he was seeing the work behind that advocacy \u2014 and the responsibility it demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Life soon pushed him into a different chapter. Two years later, at 19, Taylor was forced to leave his adoptive home and support himself. He worked as an assistant to the executive director of a political organization before joining Dole Fresh Fruit Company as a senior maintenance and repair coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His path to law school took shape over time. He earned an associate degree in General Studies from Delaware Technical Community College in 2025, then continued at Wilmington University in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/education\/interdisciplinary-studies.aspx\">B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies program<\/a>. By September of that year, education costs had him considering the military to help pay for school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then Nestor made an introduction that changed his life, connecting Taylor with Wilmington University Board of Trustees Chairman <strong>Joseph J. Farnan Jr.<\/strong>, President <strong>Dr. LaVerne Harmon<\/strong> and Farnan School of Law Dean <strong>Jan Jurden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image20652_b6ca8d-5c .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image20652_b6ca8d-5c\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full kb-image-is-ratio-size\"><div class=\"kb-is-ratio-image kb-image-ratio-land43\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/mike-nestor-jan-jurden-jonathon-taylor.jpg\" alt=\"Mike Nestor, Jan Jurden, and Jonathon Taylor.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-20660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/mike-nestor-jan-jurden-jonathon-taylor.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/mike-nestor-jan-jurden-jonathon-taylor-250x160.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/div><figcaption>Taylor considers support from Nestor and Farnan School of Law Dean Jan Jurden (middle) integral to his success.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHere were these incredible people who all had tremendously busy lives,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cThey took the time to share stories about their backgrounds and successes and were completely open about their failures. Dr. Harmon said that no one in that group would be where they were without second chances. She said no one is defined by their mistakes. She somehow knew about what I sacrificed and how I cared for my siblings. Then, she said, \u2018Look at what you\u2019ve already accomplished through everything you\u2019ve faced. Imagine what you can accomplish with even more support.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Taylor, the meeting helped make a future at Wilmington University and its law school seem possible. \u201cI felt then, and still feel now, like I\u2019d found a family at WilmU,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later that year, another opportunity followed: a part-time job at WilmU as an accounts payable analyst, where he now assists with procurement and contracts. Like many WilmU students, he balances work with a full-time course load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy manager,<strong> Patty Greene<\/strong>, has been such a blessing, day in and day out,\u201d Taylor says. Greene, general accounting manager in Financial Affairs, has watched Taylor continue to push forward despite the challenges he\u2019s faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJonathan\u2019s journey is a reflection of resilience and strength,\u201d Greene says. \u201cHe continues to demonstrate a commitment to moving forward, even when the path is not easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taken together, Taylor\u2019s jobs may have looked different, but each asked more of him \u2014 judgment, discretion, communication and accountability \u2014 while exposing him to workplaces and responsibilities he might never have encountered otherwise. He was building a career, continuing his education and, piece by piece, moving closer to the profession he had imagined as a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through every change, Nestor remained a constant presence, though for Nestor, that was part of the commitment he had made years earlier. \u201cI don\u2019t think the human responsibility stops when the legal responsibilities end,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That commitment extended into a place that would become important to Taylor as well. In addition to his legal career at Young Conaway, Nestor serves on the Farnan School of Law\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/law.wilmu.edu\/about\/deans-advisory-board.aspx\">Board of Advisors<\/a> and as co-chair and interim director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/restructuring-institute\/index.aspx\">Wilmington University Restructuring Institute<\/a>, a national resource for education and training in corporate restructuring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the time Taylor began moving toward the Farnan School of Law himself, his understanding of the profession was already deeply personal. He knew what it was like to need an advocate, understood the inner workings of a law firm and had built a life through experiences beyond the legal world. He would bring all of it with him to law school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Becoming the Advocate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taylor entered the Farnan School of Law through Wilmington University\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/law-pathway\/\">3+3 Accelerated Law School Pathway<\/a>, which allows eligible students to apply credits from their first year of law school toward completion of their bachelor\u2019s degree and complete both degrees in six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With guidance from the School of Law\u2019s Admissions team, Taylor was able to navigate the pathway and see how law school could fit into his plans. Once he arrived, he found that same sense of support in Dean Jan Jurden, whose encouragement made an early impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt orientation, Dean Jurden stayed outside as students were leaving and answered questions until there were none left,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cIt was August, the hottest month of the year, and she stayed there and relieved our fears. She made everyone feel we could do it. She lifted us up. She said we were not alone and made it clear that we would always have access to her \u2014 and we have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She greets everyone with kindness, Taylor adds. \u201cYou never feel like she doesn\u2019t have time for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dean Jurden finds Taylor\u2019s words humbling. \u201cWhat strikes me about Jonathan is that everything he\u2019s been through could\u2019ve hardened him, but it hasn\u2019t. He\u2019s kind, personable and someone people are naturally drawn to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most inspiring parts of the Dean\u2019s work, she says, is watching all Farnan School of Law students, in their own way, begin to see possibilities for themselves that they may not have imagined before. \u201cWhen I think about Jonathan and all that lies ahead for him, it fills my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His experiences have taken him through the foster care system, a law firm, politics, corporate operations and financial administration, giving him insight into people, institutions and responsibilities that don\u2019t fit neatly into one category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd that\u2019s what makes Jonathan such a promising future lawyer,\u201d Dean Jurden says. \u201cThat hard-earned perspective will serve him well in the classroom and, eventually, as an attorney. He understands that there are real people behind every case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Much of that understanding traces back to Nestor, whose influence on Taylor extended beyond the courtroom. In addition to his restructuring practice, Nestor has worked to strengthen the legal profession and expand opportunities within it, including through the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. His community involvement has included service on the boards of Action for Delaware\u2019s Children and Wine to Water, and in 2025, the Delaware State Bar Association honored him with its Community Service Award. That same year, Nestor was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, recognizing his expertise, leadership, professionalism and service in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mentorship seems personal for Nestor. He participates in the <a href=\"https:\/\/law.wilmu.edu\/professional-development\/law-mentor-program.aspx\">Farnan School of Law\u2019s Mentor Program<\/a>, which pairs first-year students with members of the legal community to help them build relationships, understand the profession and learn from those already practicing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen I was in college, I didn\u2019t know anything about law school or a legal career,\u201d he says. \u201cI didn\u2019t have friends or family members who were lawyers. I see myself in a lot of kids who don\u2019t know anything about the profession or how any of it works. If something I\u2019ve learned can help someone else be better prepared, that matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nestor thinks that mentoring can be as simple as giving someone your time, answering a question or making an introduction. \u201cEveryone has their own lives, challenges and jobs, but there are still ways to help,\u201d he says. \u201cIf we can make the profession and our communities a little better along the way, that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image20652_a1106d-1f .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image20652_a1106d-1f\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full kb-image-is-ratio-size\"><div class=\"kb-is-ratio-image kb-image-ratio-land43\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/jonathon-taylor-mike-nestor-walking.jpg\" alt=\"Jonathon Taylor and Mike Nestor walking halls of the Farnan School of Law.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-20662\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/jonathon-taylor-mike-nestor-walking.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/jonathon-taylor-mike-nestor-walking-250x160.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Life He\u2019s Building<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taylor\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 now includes a line that reads \u201cJuris Doctor candidate, with graduation expected in 2029.\u201d They\u2019re meaningful words and a powerful aspiration, but they capture only a fraction of the story. They say little about the work and persistence that will get him there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To understand what that line really means, you have to go back to the day an 8-year-old Taylor first met Mike Nestor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither could have known where that meeting would lead. What stayed with Taylor wasn\u2019t simply that Nestor represented him. It was that, during a time when so much of his life was beyond his control, someone listened, took him seriously and stood up for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That experience has shaped both who Taylor is and the lawyer he wants to become. He will enter the profession knowing that the law isn\u2019t abstract when you\u2019re the person whose future is being decided. It\u2019s personal, consequential and, at times, frightening. And sometimes, what one attorney does for a person can stay with them for the rest of their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy whole drive is to be like Mike,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cI may not know what type of law I want to practice, but I do know what I want to do with it. I want to help people with limited resources. My biological mother was a ward of the state \u2014 I was born to someone who grew up in the same foster care system. But for me, that cycle was broken, thanks to Mike and his team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJon gives me credit for the impact I\u2019ve had on his life, but the truth is, <em>he<\/em> deserves the credit,\u201d Nestor says. \u201cI may have been fortunate enough to walk beside him for part of the journey, but he\u2019s the one who overcame the obstacles, made the hard choices, and became the remarkable young man he is today. Watching the 8-year-old boy I first met grow into a law student has been a privilege. If I played even a small part in helping him see what was possible, I\u2019m incredibly grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taylor plans to foster and adopt children of his own one day. \u201cLike Mike, I hope to have the means to provide for my family but also give my time and resources to people in need. Those are the people I want to represent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now Taylor is preparing to become an advocate himself. \u201cIt all gave me a unique perspective,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m grateful, even for the bad times. I lived a lot of my life without much. And now, look at everything I have! I have a precious life. What an honor it is to be in the position I\u2019m in now, and there are no words to express how Wilmington University has blessed me. How can I not give back?\u201d &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<em>\u2014 Maria Hess<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64{margin-top:0em;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64{border-top:0px solid transparent;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 a{color:#00843d;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64{border-top:0px solid transparent;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64{border-top:0px solid transparent;}}.wu-text-col,.wu-img-col {\tmin-block-size: -webkit-fit-content;\tmin-block-size: -moz-fit-content;\tmin-block-size: fit-content;}.wu-text-col &gt; div,.wu-img-col &gt; div {\tflex: 1;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id20652_e71797-64 alignnone FULL wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid #f9c22b;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(249,194,43,0);flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(249,194,43,0);flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}.kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 figure.image-is-svg {-webkit-margin-after: 1em;  margin-block-end: 1em;}img[src$=\".svg\"] {  max-width: 220px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20652_4194d2-e5 kb-section-dir-horizontal wu-img-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image20652_d7e35e-0a:not(.kb-image-is-ratio-size) .kb-img, .kb-image20652_d7e35e-0a.kb-image-is-ratio-size{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-image20652_d7e35e-0a .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image20652_d7e35e-0a size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"224\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/WU-FSOL_L-WEB_FullColor-750x224.png\" alt=\"Wilmington University Farnan School of Law logo.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-20653\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/WU-FSOL_L-WEB_FullColor-750x224.png 750w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/WU-FSOL_L-WEB_FullColor-250x75.png 250w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/WU-FSOL_L-WEB_FullColor-768x229.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/WU-FSOL_L-WEB_FullColor.png 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid var(--global-palette1, #3182CE);}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:#eeeeee;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-right:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-bottom:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-left:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-right:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-bottom:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-left:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}.kt-row-column-wrap &gt; .wp-block-kadence-column {align-self: stretch;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 &gt; div {  padding-block: 1em;}.kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 p:last-of-type {  -webkit-margin-after: 0;  margin-block-end: 0;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20652_1c5d24-43 kb-section-dir-vertical wu-text-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"NoMargin has-theme-palette-3-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ab24341e0d1a618d9248b3759d557dc5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:1rem\"><em>If you\u2019re an attorney who would enjoy mentoring a Farnan School of Law student, learn about<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/law.wilmu.edu\/professional-development\/law-mentor-program.aspx\"><em>The Mentorship Program at Wilmington University Farnan School of Law<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><em>Learn more about Wilmington University\u2019s <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/law-pathway\/\"><em>3+3 Accelerated Law School Pathway<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Farnan School of Law student Jonathan Taylor (left) with his longtime mentor, attorney Mike Nestor Years after an attorney advocated for him as a child,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":20658,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[1083,69,14,15,70],"class_list":["post-20652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifewilmu","tag-farnan-school-of-law","tag-law-1","tag-wilmington-university","tag-wilmu","tag-wilmu-home"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":163,"label":"LIFE@WILMU"}],"post_tag":[{"value":1083,"label":"Farnan 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