Our Team
Jessica Steele Bauer
Our associate attorney, Jessica Bauer, has been with The Foster Firm since 2015. Ms. Bauer has experience in many areas of family law including: Divorce, Child Custody (time sharing), Child Support, Enforcement Issues, Modifications, Relocations, Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, Contempt Hearings, Domestic Violence Injunctions, and any other related issues. Outside of her practice within the Law Firm, Ms. Bauer volunteers her professional time to assist foster parents with their legal issues. She has worked as an independent legal consultant with a former non-profit activist organization for foster parents until December, 2019. She continues to advocate for foster parents and provides discounted legal services and free consultations for them. Prior to joining The Foster Firm, Ms. Bauer worked as a trial attorney for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). From her years within DCF, she became a skilled advocate both in and out of court. From legal drafting to courtroom appearances, Ms. Bauer has the professional experience and capacity to fight for a successful resolution to your case. Ms. Bauer believes that each case is unique and requires individual attention so that a creative, and workable solution can be reached.
Ms. Bauer is proudly a "double Gator," having graduated from the University of Florida with her undergraduate degree and juris doctor. Ms. Bauer was a Summa Cum Laude graduate with a bachelor of arts in sociology and minors in business in Spanish. Her love for the Spanish language continued throughout law school and she was the first non-native Spanish speaker to do two internships during the summers. Her first internship was with the Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos (IIDH- Inter-American Institute of Human Rights) in Costa Rica; the sister organization to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Her second internship was in Chile with the Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Américas (CEJA-Judicial Studies Center of the Americas). Ms. Bauer also aided with a law and policies conference in the U.S. and in Uruguay. Working with these international intergovernmental organizations was monumental in forming her perspective for her legal practice. Ms. Bauer also worked during the summer of 2005 in the political section of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. Coming from a human rights and diplomatic background has given her an edge as a very well-rounded attorney with diverse practical experience.
Ms. Bauer has been to 25 different countries and lived in 8 of them. However, she considers herself to be "from" Niceville, as she graduated from Niceville High School and her family continues to reside in the area. Ms. Bauer is a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, photographer, and Spanish tutor. In her free time, she enjoys going on dates with her husband, and any activity that involves the beautiful Emerald Coast or her Aussiedor puppy, Diesel Bauer and Aussiepoo puppy, Buster Bauer.
Ricky Dayaram
Before engaging in his successful private practice for the last couple of years, Ricky Dayaram began his career as an Assistant Public Defender in the First Judicial Circuit in Okaloosa County. As an Assistant Public Defender for three and a half years, Ricky has defended hundreds of clients involving charges from misdemeanors to felonies that are punishable by life in prison. Ricky has experience in several areas of criminal law including: Assault & Battery, DUI, Drug Possession, Drug Trafficking or Sale, Sexual Offenses including Sexual Battery and Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of Children, Weapons & Firearms offenses, Burglary, Robbery, Thefts, and Violations of Probation/Community Control. Ricky’s time as an Assistant Public Defender afforded him the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the criminal justice system to aggressively represent his clients. Ricky also represents clients in civil litigation matters, including personal injury. Ricky is also admitted to the Federal District Court of the Northern District of Florida.
