Eileen Yacknin is the director of litigation at Neighborhood Legal Services. Her duties include client advocacy, representation, and litigation in all areas of poverty law (housing, consumer, family, unemployment, public benefits); supervision of staff attorneys, law students, and legal interns; as well as attorney and client training.

Eileen has worked as a staff attorney at NLS since her 1977 graduation from Boston College Law School.
Throughout her career, Eileen has litigated several cases which resulted in a significant positive impact on the client community served by NLS.

During her career, Eileen has received the following awards:

• 2013 Pittsburgh Aids Task Force; Founders Award
• 2010 Thomas Merton Center New Person Award
• 2008 Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Legal Aid
• 2006 Allegheny County Bar Association Lorraine Bittner Public Interest Lawyer of the Year
• 1992 Pennsylvania Legal Services Center Striving for Excellence Award
• 1984 Allegheny County Bar Association Juvenile Law Award Nominee

Eileen was one of the founders of the Iron City Legal Assistance Workers/National Organization of Legal Services Workers/United Auto Workers employees union at NLS, She was Co-President of the Union from 1995-2015, and she currently is acting Co-President of the Union.

Outside of NLS, Eileen is involved in the following organizations: 

• National Lawyers Guild
• American Constitution Society
• Thomas Merton Center
• Bend The Arc
• J-Street
• Temple Sinai

Eileen resides in the Regent Square area of Pittsburgh with her wife, Kipp Dawson, a retired coal miner and public school teacher, and Oliver, their physically active and very cuddly tabby cat. Eileen and Kipp have always been actively involved in a wide variety of politically progressive causes, actions, campaigns, and demonstrations, both national and local. They have two grown daughters.