It is virtually impossible to win an appeal or to even appear before the AJL self-represented and win. Everyone who was telling you to get a lawyer was correct.

The only time not to get a lawyer, if you so prefer, is in the very first phase of the application. Then, if you win, you will not need to share any part of the benefit payment with the lawyer. But after the first failure (not the 3rd one, unlike in your case, but the 1st one), one must get a lawyer.

Whether you like or do not like the idea of having a lawyer is irrelevant. Your feelings about it are irrelevant. The only relevant part is the reality, the statistics. You can hire a lawyer and continue feeling the feelings, i.e. not liking the fact that you have engaged a lawyer, but you should not continue self-represented because it would be futile. You do not have to even like the lawyer, you just need to have a competent and seasoned advocate by your side.

So at this point, since you still have one avenue of appeal before you, a lawyer is an absolute must. And timing is of the essence.