# Will a J.D. help in hiring?



## Mikeberg1022 (Jan 2, 2009)

Hi everyone, I'm new to this board and have read a good amount of posts which were all informative. I have a question about my particular situation that maybe someone can shed some light on. I will be graduating law school in May and I really would like to go into police work. I am not currently in MA, but will be moving there after graduation. Will my JD help me when I apply for jobs or is it not even worth it considering that I will not have any residency or veterans' preference? Any help you could offer about whether I should take the CS test or non CS departments would be of great help. Thanks in advance.

Mike


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2009)

It certainly won't hurt, but hiring for CS departments is based mostly on exam score, veteran preference, and background investigation. A law degree would be a better selling point on departments which aren't bound by exam scores by CS.

Just out of curiousity.....why the hell do you want to move here?


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## GreenMachine (Mar 26, 2007)

why not be a lawyer?


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2009)

GreenMachine said:


> why not be a lawyer?


Unless you graduated from an upper-tier law school, you'll probably make more as a police officer in MA, especially on a Quinn Bill department.


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

To get the Quinn Bill for your J.D. 25% pay increase, you'd have to meet three main requirements:
1. You'd have to be hired by a Quinn Bill agency; 
2. Your law school must be acreditted by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges;
3. You must pass the Mass Bar Exam.


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