Here is the link for the ABA's list of approved paralegal education programs. http://apps.americanbar.org/legalser...als/directory/

Absolutely do get a paralegal education. The ABA defines a paralegal or legal assistant as:

"a person, qualified through education, training, or work experience, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency, or other entity in a capacity or function which involves the performance, under the ultimate direction and supervision of an attorney, of specifically-delegated substantive legal work, which work, for the most part, requires a sufficient knowledge of legal concepts that, absent such assistant, the attorney would perform the task. "

Thus, at this point the education is essential for you to market yourself as a virtual paralegal. Before you become a virtual legal assistant, I agree with Dawn that you really need to get practical law office experience. As a virtual paralegal, you will need to have the skills and experience to jump right in and perform the functions a seasoned paralegal can perform.

There is plenty of work out there. I've just recently started, and will soon be at the point where I will need to turn PCs away, but am looking to subcontract out.

I wish you the best of luck!