Hausfeld continues to attract leading lawyers from government service with the addition of Cecilia Cheng, Daniel Margolskee, and John Thompson

Hausfeld is proud to announce the arrival of Cecilia (Yixi) Cheng, Daniel Margolskee, and John Thompson as Counsel, all joining directly from distinguished service in government enforcement agencies. Their addition reflects Hausfeld’s continued success in attracting top government talent whose experience enforcing the nation’s competition and consumer-protection laws strengthens the firm’s plaintiffs-side advocacy on behalf of consumers and businesses.

“Cecilia Cheng, Daniel Margolskee, and John Thompson, along with our additions in recent years of Nick Murphy and Daniel Weick, bring invaluable expertise from their government service,” said Brian Ratner, Hausfeld’s Global Co-Chair. “Their experience enhances Hausfeld’s ability to advance private enforcement actions, secure redress for American consumers and businesses, and hold corporations accountable in complex, high-profile disputes.”

• Cecilia Cheng joins the New York office after nearly a decade of experience in antitrust, including six years at the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, where she most recently served as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General. She advised Division leadership across two administrations on competition priorities and, in the Antitrust Division’s Appellate Section, litigated matters ranging from algorithmic price-fixing and information-sharing conspiracies to merger challenges and criminal trials.
• Daniel Margolskee joins the Philadelphia office after serving as Chief of Civil Litigation at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he led affirmative enforcement efforts, defended the office in civil actions, and advised senior leadership. He also served as a line prosecutor, handling high-profile cases involving public corruption, prison contraband, firearms trafficking, and drug trafficking organizations, and successfully argued twice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, Daniel clerked for the Hon. Barrington D. Parker, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
• John Thompson joins the Washington, D.C. office following more than a decade as Senior Litigation Counsel at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). There, he led precedent-setting enforcement actions addressing unfair and abusive lending, debt collection, and payment-processing practices, securing substantial recoveries for consumers nationwide. Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant Attorney General in the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, where he successfully tried landmark cases against payday lenders.

Commitment to Attracting Top Government Talent

In recent years, Hausfeld has welcomed lawyers directly from government service, strengthening the firm’s advocacy for clients with insights into enforcement and agency practices at a high level:

• Nick Murphy, Of Counsel (Washington, D.C.) – Former prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Eastern District of Virginia “rocket docket,” litigating complex criminal matters under accelerated timelines. Recognized with multiple awards, including an Outstanding Service Commendation from the Attorney General, Nick focuses on cybersecurity, privacy, and data security litigation.
• Daniel Weick, Of Counsel (New York) – Former Special Litigation Counsel in the New York State Attorney General’s Antitrust Bureau, leading multi-state antitrust investigations and developing litigation strategies. Dan brings significant experience in the technology and life sciences sectors, with a focus on merger challenges, platform conduct, and pharmaceutical entry issues.

From Public Service to Client Advocacy

These transitions from government to private practice underscore Hausfeld’s ongoing commitment to bringing in lawyers with a proven track record of protecting the public interest. Their enforcement experience strengthens the firm’s ability to pursue complex antitrust and consumer-protection matters, while ensuring clients benefit from the same rigor and discipline that guided their work in government. By continuing to attract top government talent, Hausfeld enhances its capacity to deliver meaningful redress for consumers and businesses and to hold corporations accountable in the most challenging disputes.