Can you you go to law school and be admitted to practice law with a felony record?

I don't know what kind of felonies you have, but having a criminal record does not necessarily prevent you from becoming a practicing attorney. The Illinois Bar does require that you possess good moral character and show no deficiency in honesty or trustworthiness. If not, you can be denied admission to the Illinois Bar even if you have passed the bar exam. But the decision is based on a complete review of your background and criminal history.

I would contact a law school that you plan to apply to and speak with an admissions counselor regarding your concerns about your felony record. Perhaps the school can provide you with more information so that you can determine if it is worth your time and money. The school may even have former students that were in a similar situation as yourself and have made a successful transition into the legal profession.

Here is the website of the Illinois Board of Admissions: https://www.ibaby.org/home.action. Read it carefully and if you have questions, contact the board. You may want to take a look at the application itself to see what kind of background questions they ask.

As for being a paralegal, there are rules and qualifications for that profession as well. Your criminal background may come up and you must deal with it. Here is the website for the Illinois Paralegal Association: http://www.ipaonline.org/.

Best of luck to you, and don't give up.