MONTICELLO — There's a lot of legacy stories in Sullivan County about children who grow up and carry on the family business. Brian Conaty and his father Phil, however, might be the only father and son duo who have both served as Sullivan County Assistant District Attorneys.

After graduating from Brooklyn Law School, Phil's first day in the DA's office was September 17, 1979. He was hired by then-District Attorney Joe Jaffe. He served six years as an assistant district attorney (ADA), two under Jaffe and four under District Attorney Steve Lungen.

During that time, Phil said he prosecuted everything from spitting on the sidewalk to murder. “The range of experience that you get is incredible, particularly in a county of this size,” Phil said. “In my opinion, it's the best job in the legal profession. You get to do justice and you get to do the right thing.”

Back when Phil worked in the DA's office, there were only four ADAs, so he found himself in court most nights of the week. Now there are eight ADAs, but the profession is still a demanding one.

His son Brian's first day at the DA's office was November 13. “It's been great, I'm learning a lot,” said Brian. “I grew up down the street [from the office] so being able to come back here and do justice is very meaningful.”

The Monticello native graduated magna cum laude from the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 2017. After his graduation, his father gave him something that has been near and dear to both their hearts -- his restored 1982 Datsun 280zx.

So come springtime, Brian will be following his father's footsteps in more ways than one. “Right now it's in storage for the winter, but come springtime he'll be able to drive the same car to the same job [that I had],” said Phil.

Phil said his son has wanted the Datsun ever since he was young. “Even at six or seven-years-old, when Brian would have friends over they'd walk by the car in the garage and he'd say to them, ‘someday when I'm old enough to drive that's going to be my car' … When I gave him the keys to it, he looked at me and said, ‘I always thought I would get this but I didn't think it would be this soon,'” Phil joked.

When Phil heard from Meagan Galligan, chief assistant DA for Sullivan County, that Brian had been formally offered the job, he almost thought of jumping back into prosecution himself. “I asked Meagan, ‘do you remember how cool it was when the Seattle Mariners signed Ken Griffey Sr. to play with Ken Griffey Jr.?”

For now, at least, Phil will remain with the Callicoon Co-Operative Insurance Company, where he's administered the company's affairs as secretary and treasurer. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2002. In terms of advice for Brian, Phil said, “do the right thing. Handle every case on the basis of its individual merits.”