I have had the pleasure and honor of working for Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for the past 5 years. Unfortunately, I was forced to leave the firm due to unforeseen and unalterable circumstances that meant a quick relocation to Chicago. My fiancée was presented an opportunity that he could not refuse and being that he is my life, I would never let him. As this next door has opened for us, the door on my office at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has closed, and I am not only leaving behind wonderful colleagues and friends, but I am also leaving behind my boss, Adam Leitman Bailey.
Now to most, that might not seem like such a big deal, but I have been Adam’s right hand and we have worked as a team for many years together. He has become family to me and I want him to find the absolute best replacement for my position so he can continue to grow the firm beyond what it is already. I hope he can find someone who is worthy of working for someone as amazing as he is and someone who truly understands what an incredible opportunity it is to work for the firm.
It seems not so long ago that I took my first steps into the highly impressive offices of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. I remember feeling so many emotions – determination, excitement, hopefulness coupled with a bit of anxiety and nausea, if I am being completely honest. I was largely intimidated being that the firm is highly regarded nationwide for its prominence in the real estate world. It has also won numerous awards and many of the attorneys are Super Lawyers. Not to mention, I was there to support the most important figure in the firm, Adam Leitman Bailey, the founding and managing partner. No pressure, right?
To my surprise, my nerves quickly dissipated once I began working with Adam. Yes, of course, he is like many of the high-powered executives working on Wall Street in the hardest working city on Earth. He is tenacious, brilliant, a full-blown workaholic and he needs things to be exact in every single way. But, at the same time, he is very caring and has an incredibly big heart. He is an extraordinary person and he pushes us all to strive to be the best versions of ourselves. He expects the same level of work from each of his employees that he exhibits on a daily basis. It is something that I have always admired greatly about him, he works just as hard, if not harder, than any one of his employees. Adam works around the clock, sometimes with little to no sleep to ensure that he produces for not only his family at home, but for his family at the office, which actually to him, are one in the same. When you are working for someone who works so hard and gives so much to his employees – his family – you ultimately want to be able to give back on that same level. And so, in wanting the best for Adam, I can only hope he finds the best assistant when I am gone.
Being that Adam works so vigorously, I also do the same right by his side. We are a team. I do not mind working the sometimes long hours with him though as he is more than fair to me. He treats me with the same level of respect as he does his most senior partners. I have worked for other good employers during my career but none of them have come close to making me feel as important, heard, and valued as Adam. He has created an egalitarian work environment where his employees can learn, grow and achieve greatness. He has an open-door policy—literally, Adam’s door is never closed. I, or anyone, can walk into his office at any point throughout the day to discuss pretty much anything. He listens and truly cares about each of his employees, personally and professionally. He also provides ample vacation time for us to recharge our batteries and encourages us to have lives outside of work. He wants us to spend time with our families and friends as he believes that having a happy home life is just as important as a happy work life.
In this day and age, it is uncommon for a millennial, like myself, to stay at a job for more than two years, yet, here I am on year five. Why is that? Because, working for Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is not just a job, it is a career. We are encouraged to advance professionally and we are incentivized to do so as well. Adam is beyond generous with compensation and he gives some of the largest bonuses in the industry. He also prides himself on providing us with the best benefits available such as superior health care, gym memberships to Equinox, tickets to Broadway shows and sporting events, and we also receive complimentary manicures and massages every other Friday! Those are just a few of the many things he gives to us. He wants his employees to be happy and feel appreciated. In fact, on one occasion, he sent me on an all-expenses-paid trip to Florida as a reward for completing a large project. I do not know of many bosses who would do something like that for their employee.
Adam is always there for us in the best and the worst of times. He celebrates every one of our milestones—birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, graduations, pregnancies, new homes, weddings, the list goes on! He throws us parties and always takes the time to personally congratulate us which makes us all feel very special and acknowledged. Adam is also there for us during our darkest of days. Employees have gone through major life obstacles, lost loved ones and had serious health scares and he has been there every step of the way. He extends us extra days off if needed, sends us for dinners on him, gets us the best doctors in the world, lets employees bring their children in if the babysitter does not show, sends food or flowers to our families for Shiva calls and funerals, sends flowers and gifts to the hospital to welcome our new babies, gets us lunch when the weather is bad, gives us advice to buy homes of our own, lets employees work remotely, when possible, to spend more time with their kids—I could go on but I think you get the idea. He constantly goes above and beyond his responsibilities as our boss.
I am honored to have had the opportunity to work for such an amazing company and person and hope Adam finds someone who can care about and appreciate the position and the part it plays in the greatness of the firm, as much as I have. As this chapter of my life comes to a close, I am continuing on as a more poised, professional and esteemed individual because I worked for Adam Leitman Bailey and this firm. The lessons I have learned and the relationships I have formed have forever changed me for the better. I hope that whomever takes my place knows how fortunate they are to hold such a position and I can only hope that they provide Adam the unwavering loyalty, support and dedication that he so very well deserves. Working for this firm has been one of the best experiences of my life and Adam is undoubtedly one of the best people on this Earth to work for, and that is exactly why you should work for my boss.