“I thought Adam was a genius, it was just genius” – Marc Gellman, Director Of Design Development at Edison Properties, LLC
My name is Marc Gellman. I’m a graduate architect from CCNY, City College of New York. I was fortunate enough to land a job in 1974 with a parking and real estate company, and I stayed with them for my entire career. During college, I sold real estate in the Bronx, getting my real estate license at just 18 years old. That job as a staff architect clicked for me, and I stayed forever. But now, I’m off on my own—I’ve become an author, and I published my first book two months ago. Look at that, it’s a real book! Just this week, I sold over 100 copies.
Working with Adam Leitman Bailey has always been memorable. As a landlord representative, it’s often grueling to deal with tenants—arguing over minor issues or fighting over bigger ones—but working with Adam always made the experience better. He has a way of making even the toughest situations manageable and, dare I say, even fun.
One tenant story comes to mind. We had a tenant who moved into our building, and I went out of my way to accommodate him and ensure he was comfortable. I even built strong relationships with the other tenants on his floor to make things harmonious. But this tenant couldn’t keep up with the rent for his large office. He was already behind, so I offered him a smaller office at a reduced rent to help him catch up little by little. I even spent money fixing up the smaller office for him. Despite all this, he still didn’t pay his rent and eventually moved out.
I shared the details with Adam, and we prepared for court. A couple of days before the hearing, Adam asked me to bring everything—all my files, correspondence, leases, plans of the floor, plans of the building—everything related to the tenant. I thought to myself, “How am I supposed to carry all this into the courtroom?” So I packed everything into a suitcase with wheels.
The day of the hearing, I arrived at court rolling the suitcase. Adam met me outside the courtroom. I told him I had everything he asked for, and he said, “Great, you’ll know when to use it.” When we were called in, Adam instructed me to place the suitcase on the table and start unpacking it. As I began pulling out documents, the judge stopped and said, “What’s going on here?” Adam calmly replied, “My client has evidence he’d like to present.” The judge immediately called for a recess and asked to meet with both attorneys privately. A few minutes later, Adam came out and said, “We settled. We won.” That was it. I thought Adam was a genius. The way he handled that was brilliant.
Adam is tough but always calm, cool, and collected. He’s never rattled and gets his point across with authority. Tenants were often frightened of him because they knew he didn’t fool around, but at the same time, Adam made the process comfortable for everyone—even those we were suing. He’s aggressive when he needs to be, but he’s always professional and respectful.
One particular moment I remember was when the opposing attorney in a case shouted, “This is a case of a big, rich landlord taking advantage of a small business owner just trying to get by!” Without missing a beat, Adam responded, “What kind of small business owner? He’s 42 years old! He just needs to pay his rent.” Adam was quick, sharp, and professional, but he never let theatrics derail him.
Another experience with Adam involved vacating several rent-controlled buildings in Manhattan. These tenants had been paying minimal rent for decades, but we wanted to do something new with the buildings. Adam explained to me that you can’t just force tenants out—it doesn’t work that way. He advised me to approach the situation respectfully. We worked together to offer tenants alternatives, like relocating them to other properties we owned or buying them out. Adam even joined me in knocking on doors and talking to tenants. He’d introduce himself and explain their rights, never hiding anything. This approach built trust and allowed us to make fair agreements. The tenants were happy, and so were we.
Adam’s integrity stands out. Even in tough negotiations, he handles things properly and never crosses a line. I’ve seen him be completely upfront and honest, which puts tenants at ease. Once tenants opened up about their concerns and needs, we were able to work toward solutions that satisfied everyone.
Adam is more than just an attorney—he’s a good guy. He’s professional, incredibly well-dressed, and exudes confidence. His demeanor can intimidate the opposition, but his respect and honesty win people over. Working with Adam is always an experience. I hated going to court, but I miss going with Adam because he made it something to remember every time.
Adam has a remarkable ability to navigate challenging situations, whether it’s in the courtroom or negotiating with tenants. He’s a strong attorney, a great person, and someone who always gets the job done. If you’re working with Adam Leitman Bailey, you’re in the best hands possible.