NEW ORLEANS — Suspended New Orleans attorney Louella P. Givens-Harding has been permanently disbarred following a Jan. 14 Louisiana Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding over her 2017 federal health care fraud conviction.
In its seven-page disciplinary proceeding, the Supreme Court revoked Givens-Harding's license to practice law in Louisiana and permanently prohibited her from being readmitted. The court also ordered Givens-Harding to pay all costs and expenses, plus interest, in the matter.
Givens-Harding was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on April 27, 1990, according to her profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website.
Allegations against Givens-Harding stem from the June 2015 criminal complaint filed against her by the U.S. Attorney for Louisiana's Eastern District, alleging she engaged in a Medicare fraud scheme, according to the background portion of the disciplinary proceeding.
Givens-Harding "was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and paying kickbacks." the disciplinary proceeding said. "One year later, [Givens-Harding] was indicted on the same charges, along with a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud."
In August 2017, Given-Harding pled guilty to health care fraud and the remaining charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement with the government. The following November, she was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison ordered to pay more than $575,000 in restitution to Medicare.
Givens-Harding had been held at the Carswell Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, with a release date of Feb. 5, 2020, according to an online federal inmate search. A more recent online federal inmate searches turned up no inmate by her name.
In February 2018, the Supreme Court issued an order that placed Givens-Harding on interim suspension.
In January 2019, Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) recommended Givens-Harding be permanently disbarred.
Givens-Harding failed to respond in the disciplinary proceeding against her.