The Legal Defense Global Challenge is an online litigation simulation competition run by LegalEagleBee for high school, college, and gap year students worldwide. Teams of up to 3 students step into the role of associate defense attorneys, analyzing a realistic 10-page discovery packet and building a written defense portfolio. No prior legal experience is needed.
Three tracks (choose one):
| Track | Case |
|---|---|
| White-Collar | Defend an AI startup founder accused of criminal wire fraud and algorithm theft |
| Civil Liability | Represent a festival venue operator in a premises liability suit after a platform collapse |
| Constitutional Law | Assert First Amendment press protections for a student journalist who published leaked city surveillance files |
Published Fall 2026 competition stages:
- Stage 1 (all teams): Submit a 3-part written defense packet — Defense Strategy Memo (4–5 pages), Client Advisory Letter (1–2 pages), and Exhibit & Deposition Audit (2–3 pages)
- Stage 2 (top 10% finalists only): Unseal a confidential Judicial Order; record a 3–4 minute video oral argument
Fall 2026 timeline:
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration closes | September 30, 2026 (or 500 teams) |
| Stage 1 submission due | October 1, 2026 |
| Finalists & merit announced | October 15, 2026 |
| Stage 2 video due | October 29, 2026 |
| Winners announced | November 20, 2026 |
Prizes:
- 1st & 2nd place per track: $100 cash + gold/silver certificate + deliverables published
- 3rd place per track: bronze certificate + deliverables published
- Top 10% worldwide: Finalist status + names published on winners page
- Top 25% worldwide: Names published on winners page
- Best per deliverable: Featured on winners page (4 awards, one per deliverable)
Historical registration fee: $59.99 per team (up to 3 students — approximately $20/person). Capacity capped at 500 teams.
Checked November 4, 2026: The fully rendered official page explicitly labels registration closed and confirms the Fall 2026 schedule. Registration closed September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST or when 500 teams signed up; the written packet was due October 1 at 11:59 PM EST. The provider’s EST label is retained literally. October 15 was the results/order release, October 29 the finalist-video cutoff, and November 20 the scheduled winner announcement. These are separate milestones, not a seven-week attendance period. No next cycle was announced.
The official eligibility FAQ specifies grades 9–12, undergraduate college or gap-year students worldwide. Its fee is exactly US$59.99 per team, with up to three participants. The page itself differs on packet length: one overview says under 10 pages total, another says under 8, while component targets are 4–5, 1–2 and 2–3 pages. The promised detailed post-registration guide was not available to verify a governing total. Those differences remain unresolved; the component descriptions above are targets rather than one inferred universal cap.