left to right: Daniela Pierre-Bravo, Deb O'Neal, Pavel Gurevich, Michelle Markham, Alycia Walker, Joe Luizzi, Alex Block, and Katie Law
Miami Takes 6th Place at 2011 Nationals
Last year, the 2009-2010 James Lewis Family Mock Trial Team was about as good as it got: 7-1 at nationals, 1 point away from a perfect tournament and a chance to play in the national championship final. Spectacular attorneys lead by All-American Gus Lazares with Tom Jeffcott and Kevin Harrison and witnesses lead by seniors Jackie Sherrick, Jaime Glinka, Jeremy, Grondin, and Alex Bluebond. All Seniors….all graduated….the only “letterman” back for this year, from one of the best teams in all of Miami mock trial history, was sophomore witness Pavel Gurevich.
Clearly, 2010-2011 would be a rebuilding year: a painful, growing, and developing year…uh, except someone forgot to tell that to the 2010-2011 edition of the James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Team. This “rebuilding” team took it down to the wire in Des Moines, Iowa April 15-17 before finishing up in 6th place in the nation at the national championship tournament. Playing the Universities of Cincinnati, California-Berkeley, and Texas-Austin in the first three rounds, the Miami “Mock Hawks” were posed to challenge for the national championship. They needed to take two ballots from mock trial power Macalester College. Macalester was equally in the hunt as well and needed to take two ballots from Miami. Well, as these things go, Miami won ballot #1 by 4 points and Macalester took ballot #2 also by 4 points. UCLA would go on to win the national championship only one ballot ahead of Miami, who settled for 6th, Macalester was half a ballot behind and finished 4th. UCLA defeated defending national champions NYU in the final round.
So much for Miami’s rebuilding year. When 630 teams started in September and Miami was fielding a brand new, untested team, few gave the Redhawks much of a chance. So much for conventional wisdom.
Coincidentally, the one veteran on the squad—junior Pavel Gurevich—earned an All-American Award for his witness portrayal of Dr. Ranier Gardner, a forensic and pharmacological expert. Members of the 6th ranked team in the country, in addition to Gurevich, are: Senior Michelle Markham, Juniors Joe Luizzi, Alycia Walker, Daniela Pierre-Bravo, Sophomore Katie Law, and First Years Deborah O’Neal and Alex Block. That’s right, only one senior; everyone else in back…suffice it to say, it won’t be a rebuilding year, it will be a reloading year!
Clearly, 2010-2011 would be a rebuilding year: a painful, growing, and developing year…uh, except someone forgot to tell that to the 2010-2011 edition of the James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Team. This “rebuilding” team took it down to the wire in Des Moines, Iowa April 15-17 before finishing up in 6th place in the nation at the national championship tournament. Playing the Universities of Cincinnati, California-Berkeley, and Texas-Austin in the first three rounds, the Miami “Mock Hawks” were posed to challenge for the national championship. They needed to take two ballots from mock trial power Macalester College. Macalester was equally in the hunt as well and needed to take two ballots from Miami. Well, as these things go, Miami won ballot #1 by 4 points and Macalester took ballot #2 also by 4 points. UCLA would go on to win the national championship only one ballot ahead of Miami, who settled for 6th, Macalester was half a ballot behind and finished 4th. UCLA defeated defending national champions NYU in the final round.
So much for Miami’s rebuilding year. When 630 teams started in September and Miami was fielding a brand new, untested team, few gave the Redhawks much of a chance. So much for conventional wisdom.
Coincidentally, the one veteran on the squad—junior Pavel Gurevich—earned an All-American Award for his witness portrayal of Dr. Ranier Gardner, a forensic and pharmacological expert. Members of the 6th ranked team in the country, in addition to Gurevich, are: Senior Michelle Markham, Juniors Joe Luizzi, Alycia Walker, Daniela Pierre-Bravo, Sophomore Katie Law, and First Years Deborah O’Neal and Alex Block. That’s right, only one senior; everyone else in back…suffice it to say, it won’t be a rebuilding year, it will be a reloading year!
MIAMI ADVANCES TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY IN DES MOINES APRIL 15-17
Why did two year old Joey Davis tragically die in the Midland Hospital Emergency Room at 2PM on August 8, 2009? Was it the toxic coating on his eleven year old sister’s toy beads that Joey had ingested just two hours beforehand? Was it a pre-existing respiratory condition that turned fatal? Was it an undiscovered genetic condition that created a toxic substance in his body? These are the questions posed in Andi Davis v. Happyland Toy Company.
Before you get rightfully emotional about a little two year old boy’s death, remember, Midlands is make-believe and Joey Davis doesn’t really exist, at least in our world. But in collegiate mock trial, he was real for the twenty-four collegiate mock trial teams competing this past weekend at the Opening Round Championship Series hosted by Miami University at the Government Services Center in Hamilton, Ohio.
Twenty-four award winning teams from the Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo Regional Tournaments competed this past weekend for six slots in the National Championship Tournament April 15-17 in Des Moines, Iowa. February saw 24 regional competitions with 8 teams from each regional advancing to one of the eight Opening Round Championships Tournaments in March across the country. Forty-eight teams will then advance to the national championship tournament, forty-eight from an original total of over 550 from over 350 colleges and universities!
When all the arguments, testimony, and evidence were reviewed in Hamilton. Miami was one of the six teams to advance. Joining the top Miami squad are Ohio State, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Eastern Kentucky, and Bellarmine. Four Redhawks earned individual honors: Alycia Walker and Dan Nickels were named outstanding attorneys and Claire Meikle and Pavel Gurevich earned outstanding witness awards.
Walker is a third-year political science major from Reading and Nickels is a fourth year finance major from Nashville TN. Meikle is a first year zoology major from Oxford and Gurevich is a third year finance major from Solon.
Members of the team advancing to Des Moines are, left to right: Ian Ferrell, Daniela Pierre-Bravo, Alex Block, Katie Law, Michelle Markham, Pavel Gurevich, Alycia Walker, and Mike Woeste.
Members of Miami's second team competing in Hamilton are, left to right below: Liz Sams, Deborah O'Neal, Dan Nickels, Joe Luizzi, Mike Rhodes, Andi Jackson, Katie Wallrabenstein, Claire Meikle, Brandon Patterson, and Krista Pikus.
Before you get rightfully emotional about a little two year old boy’s death, remember, Midlands is make-believe and Joey Davis doesn’t really exist, at least in our world. But in collegiate mock trial, he was real for the twenty-four collegiate mock trial teams competing this past weekend at the Opening Round Championship Series hosted by Miami University at the Government Services Center in Hamilton, Ohio.
Twenty-four award winning teams from the Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo Regional Tournaments competed this past weekend for six slots in the National Championship Tournament April 15-17 in Des Moines, Iowa. February saw 24 regional competitions with 8 teams from each regional advancing to one of the eight Opening Round Championships Tournaments in March across the country. Forty-eight teams will then advance to the national championship tournament, forty-eight from an original total of over 550 from over 350 colleges and universities!
When all the arguments, testimony, and evidence were reviewed in Hamilton. Miami was one of the six teams to advance. Joining the top Miami squad are Ohio State, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Eastern Kentucky, and Bellarmine. Four Redhawks earned individual honors: Alycia Walker and Dan Nickels were named outstanding attorneys and Claire Meikle and Pavel Gurevich earned outstanding witness awards.
Walker is a third-year political science major from Reading and Nickels is a fourth year finance major from Nashville TN. Meikle is a first year zoology major from Oxford and Gurevich is a third year finance major from Solon.
Members of the team advancing to Des Moines are, left to right: Ian Ferrell, Daniela Pierre-Bravo, Alex Block, Katie Law, Michelle Markham, Pavel Gurevich, Alycia Walker, and Mike Woeste.
The James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program is directed by business legal studies Professor Daniel Herron. The coaching staff also includes business legal studies professors Wayne Staton and Dan Haughey; attorney Neal Schuett; Chase law student Lawrence Hilton; Stanton Residence Hall Advisor Barry Tolchin; graduate assistant Melissa Schuett; and Miami alumnus Gus Lazares.
Members of Miami's second team competing in Hamilton are, left to right below: Liz Sams, Deborah O'Neal, Dan Nickels, Joe Luizzi, Mike Rhodes, Andi Jackson, Katie Wallrabenstein, Claire Meikle, Brandon Patterson, and Krista Pikus.
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MIAMI CLAIMS 13TH CONSECUTIVE REGIONAL TITLE
Thirteen might be unlucky for some, but for the James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program, “thirteen” is just business as usual. The Miami Mock Trial program claimed its thirteenth consecutive regional championship February 12-13 at the University of Pittsburgh. Two Miami teams were assigned to the Pittsburgh regional this year along with twenty other teams from the region. The remaining two Miami teams are assigned to the University of Cincinnati region for the February 26-27 tournament.
The two Miami teams in Pittsburgh took first and fourth places to earn the maximum-allotted two bids to the national first round championship series tournament March 18-20 in Hamilton, Ohio hosted by Miami University and the Butler County Government Services Center. Eight national tournaments throughout the country will determine the final 48 teams to move on to the national championship tournament in April in Des Moines, Iowa.
The top Miami squad in Pittsburgh swept to the regional championship with the only undefeated record by taking two ballots each from the University of Cincinnati, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and Oberlin University. Alycia Walker was named the tournament’s top attorney while Pavel Gurevich was named the top witness. Alex Block was also named an All-Region attorney along with Walker.
The second Miami squad dropped its opening round to the University of Michigan but then stormed back with a vengeance by sweeping victories over Ohio State, Wittenberg, and Carnegie Mellon to secure a national bid by finishing fourth. Mike Rhodes was named an All-Region attorney.
This year’s case focuses on Happyland Toy Company’s “Princess Beads”, a jewelry set for young teenage and pre-teen girls. The beads stick together with just a spritzing of water to make rings, necklaces, and bracelets. However, when two year old Joey Davis swallowed a few of the beads, the adhesive agent turned toxic and caused Joey’s death, at least according to Joey’s doctor. The company claims that Joey died from a pre-existing respiratory condition.
Members of the two squads qualifying for the national tournament are:
Pittsburgh Regional Championship Squad--
All-Region Attorney Alycia Walker, junior political science major from Cincinnati;
All-Region Witness Pavel Gurevich, junior finance major from Solon;
All-Region Attorney Alex Block, first year political science major from Evanston IL;
Michelle Markham, senior management major from Centerville;
Ian Ferrell, junior business economics major from Massillon;
Mike Woeste, sophomore political acience major from Westminster, CO;
Katie Law, sophomore philosophy major from Rochester NY.
Second Miami Squad—
All-Region Attorney Mike Rhodes, junior finance major from Cuyahoga Falls;
Dan Nickels, senior finance major from Knoxville TN;
Elizabeth Sams, junior political science major form Pickerington;
Katie Wallrabenstein, senior psychology major from Milan;
Joe Luizzi, junior history major from Newtown PA;
Brandon Patterson, first year political science from Shaker Heights;
Amielia Adams, first year biochemistry major from Shaker Heights;
Daniela Pierre-Bravo, sophomore international studies major form Lima.
The championship team is coached by Professor Dan Haughey and Gus Lazares; the second squad by Neal and Missi Schuett. The James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program is directed by Professor Dan Herron.
The program is housed in the Richard T. Farmer School of Business but students from across campus participate. The School of Business also houses the Mock Trial Room in the business building. The Miami Program is currently ranked third in the nation out of over 300 colleges and universities fielding competitive teams.
Miami Opens Mock Trial Season with First-Year Squad Leading the Pack
With its newly-minted 3rd Place national ranking on the line, the four mock trial squads from the James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program launched into the initial competitions the past two weekends. After nearly 6 weeks of practicing, the four teams went into intercollegiate competition in Columbus, Ohio and New York City. This year’s case is a civil action for the wrongful death of Joey Davis, The case is captioned: Davis vs. Happyland Toy Company. Two year old Joey Davis died after swallowing 25 “Princess Beads” made by Happyland Toys; the beads were coated with a harmful chemical. The two year old got his hands on the beads despite warning labels on the packaging saying “harmful if swallowed.”
Two of Miami’s veteran squads ventured to New York City to battle in the prestigious and highly competitive “Columbia University ‘Big Apple’ Tournament”—CUBAIT. Miami is the only program in the nation to have won this ten year old competition two times. Miami was not able to secure the hat-trick but the two Redhawk squads battled to a strong winning record by sweeping Yale and Washington and Lee and splitting ballots with Harvard, Brandeis, Cornell, Columbia, and Washington University. At the end of the weekend, the top five teams were 1. Virginia, 2. Columbia, 3. Harvard, 4. Miami, and 5. Brandeis. Two Miami students brought home individual outstanding witness awards: senior finance major Pavel Gurevich from Solon OH and senior psychology major Kristi Flynn from Westerville OH. These two teams are coached by Prof. Dan Haughey and Miami Graduate Assistant Missi Schuett and attorney Neal Schuett.
The weekend before, the third Miami veteran squad, coached by Stanton Hall Head Res Barry Tolchin, and the brand-spanking-new first year squad, coached by Chase law student Lawrence Hilton and Prof. Dan Herron, went to Columbus to compete in the Ohio State University “Scarlet and Gray ”Invitational. The first year squad showed what it was made of by taking third place and the veteran squad took fifth. The first year squad whipped two OSU teams, Eastern Michigan, and battled a split with Loyola-Chicago and tied with that same Loyola squad for the second spot but the lost the tie-breaker and brought home the third place trophy.
First year Alex Block, political science major from Evanston IL, scored perfect ranks as the plaintiff’s opening attorney and perfect ranks as a defense witness. He was the top mock trialer of the tournament. First year Claire Meikle, zoology major and an Oxford Talawanda High School graduate and member of the THS state team from last year, also earned an outstanding witness award at the competition. From the veteran squad competing at OSU, junior Scott Stafford from Defiance OH earned an outstanding attorney award and senior zoology major Kristina Gaietto from Tiffin OH an outstanding witness award.
Two of Miami’s veteran squads ventured to New York City to battle in the prestigious and highly competitive “Columbia University ‘Big Apple’ Tournament”—CUBAIT. Miami is the only program in the nation to have won this ten year old competition two times. Miami was not able to secure the hat-trick but the two Redhawk squads battled to a strong winning record by sweeping Yale and Washington and Lee and splitting ballots with Harvard, Brandeis, Cornell, Columbia, and Washington University. At the end of the weekend, the top five teams were 1. Virginia, 2. Columbia, 3. Harvard, 4. Miami, and 5. Brandeis. Two Miami students brought home individual outstanding witness awards: senior finance major Pavel Gurevich from Solon OH and senior psychology major Kristi Flynn from Westerville OH. These two teams are coached by Prof. Dan Haughey and Miami Graduate Assistant Missi Schuett and attorney Neal Schuett.
The weekend before, the third Miami veteran squad, coached by Stanton Hall Head Res Barry Tolchin, and the brand-spanking-new first year squad, coached by Chase law student Lawrence Hilton and Prof. Dan Herron, went to Columbus to compete in the Ohio State University “Scarlet and Gray ”Invitational. The first year squad showed what it was made of by taking third place and the veteran squad took fifth. The first year squad whipped two OSU teams, Eastern Michigan, and battled a split with Loyola-Chicago and tied with that same Loyola squad for the second spot but the lost the tie-breaker and brought home the third place trophy.
First year Alex Block, political science major from Evanston IL, scored perfect ranks as the plaintiff’s opening attorney and perfect ranks as a defense witness. He was the top mock trialer of the tournament. First year Claire Meikle, zoology major and an Oxford Talawanda High School graduate and member of the THS state team from last year, also earned an outstanding witness award at the competition. From the veteran squad competing at OSU, junior Scott Stafford from Defiance OH earned an outstanding attorney award and senior zoology major Kristina Gaietto from Tiffin OH an outstanding witness award.
2010-2011 Newcomers Meeting
For any newcomer who wishes to be considered for MIAMI MOCK TRIAL 2010-2011: informational meeting at 8PM in the Mock Trial Room, School of Business (Room 1035) on Tuesday September 7, 2010.
MIAMI PLACES TWO TOP TEN TEAMS IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Miami Completes Successful Season With First-Place Tie and Seventh Place
First Year Mike Woeste Earns Top Tournament Witness; Senior Guz Lazares Earns All-American Attorney Award
To be so close and yet so far… what a difference one point can make!! But, Miami once again showed that its intellectual prowess runs with the nation’s elite as its mock trial program again finished in the very top tier. It is among the three or four elite programs in the nation (out of 350+ colleges and universities) to place two teams in the final top ten at the national championships, and its top team was just that one point away from it all!
The James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program stormed Memphis, Tennessee with a blistering performance by its two teams in the mock trial national championship April 16-18. The “Final 48” field (from an original 650) was divided into two 24 team divisions with the two top teams to play for the national championship: at the end of the four round tournament there were four teams left standing—defending national champion Northwood University and New York University from one division and Harvard and Miami from the other division.. All four teams were tied at the top of their divisions with seven wins and only one loss. Miami’s lone loss was by just one point out of one hundred and forty total points. Miami and Harvard did not meet in the courtroom but Harvard won the tie-breaker over Miami by the narrowest of margins while NYU edged out Northwood in their division’s tiebreaker. Harvard and NYU played the final round for the national title.
Miami’s second squad held its own as well, earning 7th place by prevailing over the University Wisconsin-Superior, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. They dropped ballots to the University of Texas. Mike Woeste, a first year political science major from Loveland, Ohio and St. Xavier High School was the national championship tournament’s only perfect-scoring witness earning the highest All-American witness honor.
Miami’s first squad prevailed over Duke, Texas, St. Olafs, and the University of Iowa. All four opponents trophied at the tournament. Gus Lazares, the team’s closing attorney on both prosecution and defense, was named one of the 20 top attorneys in the nation and achieved All-American status. Lazares is a senior economics major from Maineville, Ohio and a Kings High School graduate. He will be volunteering for “Teach for America” this fall in Indianapolis for two years before going on to law school.
The members of the top Miami squad are, in addition to Lazares: seniors Tom Jeffcott, business legal studies major form North Canton; Kevin Harrison, management major from Mason; Alex Bluebond, economics major from Akron; Jackie Sherrick, political science major from Dublin; Jaime Glinka, political science major from Delaware, OH; Jeremy Grondin, math major from Hilliard; junior Kristi Flynn, Chinese major, from Columbus and sophomores Pavel Gurevich, finance major, from Solon; Krista Pikus, business legal studies major, from Columbus, Indiana.
Miami’s second team has only two graduating seniors: Scott Lippert, English major from Cincinnati and Emily Homel, psychology major from Covington, KY.
Most of the seniors are starting law school or graduate school in the fall in addition to Lazares’ Teach for America stint: Alex Bluebond to Duke Law, Emily Homel to Cincinnati Law, Scott Lippert to Case Western Reserve Law, Kevin Harrison to Wake Forest Law, Tom Jeffcott to Capitol University Law, Jaime Glinka and Jackie Sherrick will be in a yet-to-be-decided law school. Jeremy Grondin will be in graduate school to Notre Dame.
In this year’s case, the State of Midlands has accused Jackie Owens of the murder of his friend and movie studio business partner Jacob Bennett. Owens was heavily indebt from gambling and his creditors were “after” Owens. But then an almost miraculous opportunity presented itself: an offer was made to buy Owens and Bennett’s business for enough money to pay off all of Owens’ gambling debts. But, business partner Bennett refused and his body was found buried in a shallow grave in the Calkins Cliffs in the State of Midlands. Owens was charged with the murder. Each team must play defense and prosecution twice in each competition.
With this year’s national championship performance, the Miami program moves up to 3rd place in the nation in the running three year “BBR” (bonus bid rankings), the three year performance gauge of collegiate mock trial programs. Northwood moved in 1st place with NYU placing second.
The James Lewis Family Mock Trial Program is directed by business legal studies professor Daniel Herron. In addition to Herron, coaches include business legal studies professor Dan Haughey and Wayne Staton, first-year resident hall advisor Barry Tolchin, and second year law student Lawrence Hilton from Chase Law School. The Miami program also provides student coaches to the Talawanda High School mock trial program and lead them to the state tournament this year.
First Year Mike Woeste Earns Top Tournament Witness; Senior Guz Lazares Earns All-American Attorney Award
To be so close and yet so far… what a difference one point can make!! But, Miami once again showed that its intellectual prowess runs with the nation’s elite as its mock trial program again finished in the very top tier. It is among the three or four elite programs in the nation (out of 350+ colleges and universities) to place two teams in the final top ten at the national championships, and its top team was just that one point away from it all!
The James Lewis Family Miami Mock Trial Program stormed Memphis, Tennessee with a blistering performance by its two teams in the mock trial national championship April 16-18. The “Final 48” field (from an original 650) was divided into two 24 team divisions with the two top teams to play for the national championship: at the end of the four round tournament there were four teams left standing—defending national champion Northwood University and New York University from one division and Harvard and Miami from the other division.. All four teams were tied at the top of their divisions with seven wins and only one loss. Miami’s lone loss was by just one point out of one hundred and forty total points. Miami and Harvard did not meet in the courtroom but Harvard won the tie-breaker over Miami by the narrowest of margins while NYU edged out Northwood in their division’s tiebreaker. Harvard and NYU played the final round for the national title.
Miami’s second squad held its own as well, earning 7th place by prevailing over the University Wisconsin-Superior, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. They dropped ballots to the University of Texas. Mike Woeste, a first year political science major from Loveland, Ohio and St. Xavier High School was the national championship tournament’s only perfect-scoring witness earning the highest All-American witness honor.
Miami’s first squad prevailed over Duke, Texas, St. Olafs, and the University of Iowa. All four opponents trophied at the tournament. Gus Lazares, the team’s closing attorney on both prosecution and defense, was named one of the 20 top attorneys in the nation and achieved All-American status. Lazares is a senior economics major from Maineville, Ohio and a Kings High School graduate. He will be volunteering for “Teach for America” this fall in Indianapolis for two years before going on to law school.
The members of the top Miami squad are, in addition to Lazares: seniors Tom Jeffcott, business legal studies major form North Canton; Kevin Harrison, management major from Mason; Alex Bluebond, economics major from Akron; Jackie Sherrick, political science major from Dublin; Jaime Glinka, political science major from Delaware, OH; Jeremy Grondin, math major from Hilliard; junior Kristi Flynn, Chinese major, from Columbus and sophomores Pavel Gurevich, finance major, from Solon; Krista Pikus, business legal studies major, from Columbus, Indiana.
Miami’s second team has only two graduating seniors: Scott Lippert, English major from Cincinnati and Emily Homel, psychology major from Covington, KY.
Most of the seniors are starting law school or graduate school in the fall in addition to Lazares’ Teach for America stint: Alex Bluebond to Duke Law, Emily Homel to Cincinnati Law, Scott Lippert to Case Western Reserve Law, Kevin Harrison to Wake Forest Law, Tom Jeffcott to Capitol University Law, Jaime Glinka and Jackie Sherrick will be in a yet-to-be-decided law school. Jeremy Grondin will be in graduate school to Notre Dame.
In this year’s case, the State of Midlands has accused Jackie Owens of the murder of his friend and movie studio business partner Jacob Bennett. Owens was heavily indebt from gambling and his creditors were “after” Owens. But then an almost miraculous opportunity presented itself: an offer was made to buy Owens and Bennett’s business for enough money to pay off all of Owens’ gambling debts. But, business partner Bennett refused and his body was found buried in a shallow grave in the Calkins Cliffs in the State of Midlands. Owens was charged with the murder. Each team must play defense and prosecution twice in each competition.
With this year’s national championship performance, the Miami program moves up to 3rd place in the nation in the running three year “BBR” (bonus bid rankings), the three year performance gauge of collegiate mock trial programs. Northwood moved in 1st place with NYU placing second.
The James Lewis Family Mock Trial Program is directed by business legal studies professor Daniel Herron. In addition to Herron, coaches include business legal studies professor Dan Haughey and Wayne Staton, first-year resident hall advisor Barry Tolchin, and second year law student Lawrence Hilton from Chase Law School. The Miami program also provides student coaches to the Talawanda High School mock trial program and lead them to the state tournament this year.
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