The Bernie Segal 1L Cross and Close Competition was held every year in January at the beginning of the Spring Semester. The competition was open to all 1L students at GGU. During the Fall semester, the student organization, Society of Litigators, hosted Lunchtime Litigation Series Workshops every Wednesday to introduce 1L students to the skills they needed to bring to the competition, such as: how to conduct an effective cross examination, refreshing and impeaching witnesses, and strategies to deliver a memorable closing argument. Generally, participants in Cross and Close were 1L students who were vying for admission into the Summer Trial and Evidence Program (STEP), wanted to put themselves on the Litigation Center’s radar as a candidate for membership on the National Trial Team, or were just passionate about litigation and looking for an opportunity to test their skills in the courtroom.

The Cross and Close fact pattern was released on a Sunday night. In five short days, by Friday, each team had to be prepared to deliver both a cross examination and a closing argument to win their case in 15 minutes total. A coin flip at the beginning of the first round determined which team member was performing which task for the preliminary round (who crosses first, who closes first), so both teammates had to be prepared to play either role. The competition was historically as small as 10 teams and as large as 20 teams of two. Only four teams moved on to the second and final round, where the teammates switched roles and had one last chance to cross, close, and out-score the other team in 15 minutes. The Final Four round was open to the public, so classmates, professors, friends, and family were welcome to come see their loved one take on the competition.