Lieutenant Governor David Paterson’s father defended transit employees during a strike that left thousands of New Yorkers stranded for nearly three days in December 2005.

Basil Paterson, a former state senator from Harlem and secretary of state of New York, was chosen by the Transport Workers Union to represent the union on a three-member arbitration panel convened to resolve contract negotiations after the strike.

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A member of the Long Island law firm Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, PC, Mr. Paterson “personally represents” other powerful unions in New York, including 1199 SEIU, the United Federation of Teachers, and Teamsters Local 237, according to the firm’s Web site.

But amid speculation that Governor Spitzer may resign and be replaced by David Paterson, some are questioning whether Basil Paterson’s labor ties could become problematic for his son if he becomes governor. Even if father and son have not faced conflicts of interest before, some say the lieutenant governor’s ascent to chief executive of New York could give the appearance of one in the future.

“The fact that his father represents significant interests who are seeking something from government, as chief executive it might pose a conflict,” a professor of public policy at Baruch College, Douglas Muzzio, said. “The conflict would immediately present itself in a vote where his father’s interests were at stake.”

Yesterday evening, it was not clear whether Mr. Spitzer would resign after it was disclosed earlier this week that he patronized a $4,300-a-night prostitute in Washington, D.C., the night before Valentine’s Day.

But the Republican minority leader of the Assembly, James Tedisco, yesterday threatened impeachment proceedings if the governor did not resign within 48 hours. If Mr. Spitzer resigns, David Paterson would become the first black governor of New York.

Basil Paterson, 81, a graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School, earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in 1948 and received a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in 1951.

He enjoyed a long political career, serving as New York City’s deputy mayor for labor relations and personnel; a vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

He also has negotiated on behalf of some of the state’s most powerful unions. Officials at the health care workers union, 1199 SEIU, said Mr. Paterson assists the union’s general counsel with collective bargaining. For nearly 15 years, he has represented Teamsters Local 237, which represents 24,000 New York City employees. “There is absolutely no potential conflict of interest,” a spokesman for the union, Hank Sheinkopf, said.

The legislative director of the League of Women Voters of New York State, Barbara Bartoletti, said she was withholding judgment on a potential conflict while waiting for the dust to settle on the scandal. “That will become an issue, I’m sure,” she said, adding that her group has not had time to process the news. “Usually it’s a case of recusal, but you don’t do that when you’re governor.”

The director of the Commission on the Public’s Health System, Judy Wessler, said she was not concerned about a potential conflict of interest, or even the appearance of one. “We all have balancing acts,” Ms. Wessler said. She said that when the younger Mr. Paterson served as minority leader in the state Senate, he was an ally of community health advocates.

A spokesman for the New York State Commission on Public Integrity, Walter Ayres, outlined a general policy of conflict resolution. “We would work with that person to make sure they recuse themselves from a matter,” he said.

Asked what would happen if the individual were governor of New York, he declined to make any predictions: “We deal with a case when it appears.”