in a period marked by a spate of office openings in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. In June 2018, DWF announced its intention to seek a stock exchange listing. The firm strengthened the IPO business case with a double-digit growth in September 2018. DWF posted revenue growth of 18% from £201.3m to £236m ($309m) for 2017/18 ahead of the firm's initial public offering. The firm also said profit per equity partner (PEP) increased by 9%. In September 2018, DWF agreed to an exclusive association with US law firm Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP (WSHB), a Los Angeles headquartered full-service law firm with 22 offices across the US, 56 partners and 250 lawyers, and generated gross revenue of $81m in its last financial year. In January 2020, DWF acquired Mindcrest, a legal and managed services business, for $18.50 million. Recognition Legal business DWF was highly commended in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers report and ranked 11th as most innovative law firm in Europe for developing a platform based on Kim, the AI technology that underpins Ernst & Young Riverview Law's virtual assistants, to manage employment tribunals for clients. In a 2018 report by Experian, DWF ranked 7th among the most active legal and financial advisers in the UK and 15th in Europe by deal volume and value. Nine legal experts from DWF have been recognised in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, an annual industry benchmarking guide that recognises * DWF achieved a number of awards in 2018 in the insurance industry recognition for Insurance Law Firm of the Year at the Post Claims Awards, Best Fraud Prevention Solution of the Year and Legal Partner of the Year at the Insurance Times Claims Excellence Awards and Outsourced Partner of the Year at the British Insurance Awards. The business won Litigation Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards and achieved Gold in the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (ENEI) new Talent Inclusion & Diversity Evaluation (TIDE) Awards for its outstanding equality, diversity and inclusion practices. DWF has been ranked 10th in the 2017 Financial Times Most Innovative Lawyers in Europe Report, and scored highest of all firms for innovation in the business of law. The firm won 'Best Work Placement Scheme' (Best in Law Awards 2017). Commended for Team of the Year – Corporate/Commercial (Manchester Legal Awards 2017). Won the award for ‘Data Analytics Excellence’ (Insurance Times