“Home” is where the heart is

Adam Leitman Bailey, the pugnacious real estate attorney, is showing a softer side with a new children’s book called “Home.”

It’s the story of a little boy who looks all over for a new place to live before realizing that his heart truly lies in the big city apartment he shares with his family. Bailey, who is self-publishing the illustrated tale, said it was his personal experience as the father of two young boys that motivated him to write the story.

“The thing that happens when you have a child is, it constantly brings you back to try to remember how you were as a child,” he said. “When I was my son’s age, I lived in a small apartment in the big city. We’re trying to teach children [that] it’s not how big the house is, but it’s who you live with and how much you love them that really counts.”

“Home” comes seven years after the lawyer’s first foray into book writing — “Finding the Uncommon Deal: A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home for the Lowest Possible Price,” published by Wiley.

Adam Leitman Bailey and students

Bailey, who made a name for himself in the early 2000s representing condo owners in shoddy buildings, recently “test drove” the book at a local school, where he donned a Dr. Seuss-style hat and read aloud for students.

It’s a side of Bailey that opponents who have found themselves sitting across from him in the courtroom might be surprised to see. The attorney has been known to use very aggressive tactics at times. Bailey stirred up a controversy in March 2017 when a phone recording was released in which he called a former tenant at Lalezarian Properties’ 100 Maiden Lane “worthless” and told him he “should commit suicide.”

“That was not my best day,” Bailey said, explaining he’s been harassed since the incident. “It was the biggest mistake I ever made, and I’m paying for it severely.

“My clients and adversaries know that no one is going to fight harder for their clients than I will,” he added. “At the same time, I think part of my success comes from having a big heart. I don’t think I’d be a successful lawyer unless I had a soft side.”