A leading criminal solicitor has urged firms to boycott a ‘tacky’ scheme to introduce commercial advertising boards into magistrates’ courts.

HM Courts Service has given permission for a private company, Executive Legal, to install the boards and charge local law firms £424 a year to display their business cards. HMCS will not receive any income from the boards.

Ian Kelcey, senior partner at Bristol firm Kelcey & Hall, said the move was ‘tacky’. He added: ‘I would personally urge all firms to boycott this. Do they really need to pay to give out their business cards?’

Paul Kaufman of London firm Wiseman Lee said the scheme ‘diminishes the standing of courts’, adding that if HMCS wanted solicitors to display their cards, this could be done for free.

Managing director of Executive Legal, Lee Townsend, said solicitors wanted the facility to give court users more information, and it had met with a positive response from firms.

HMCS said the scheme was under review.