If you can find a Lawyer who does specialise in a certain area, then that is a great thing, especially if they have experience in an industry like aviation.
Lawyers are expensive. £150 isn't bad, you can sometimes be looking at £300/hr for a really top class person, but it is rare when the extra money isn't worth it. If you can get someone like Tudor Owen (FlyingLawyer on here) then you have a better chance than with someone who is a good "general" brief. (He's a Barrister not a solicitor, so you wouldn't go to him for inital advice.)
Like any industry there are sharks out there, but there are also some really good people out there.
One thing to mention, is that on most people's household insurance there is legal cover included, so if you do decide to go to down the legal route, you can get them to pay. Worth thinking about, as BALPA can leave something to be desired............
The cover is normally with an insurance company called DAS and they will try and push you down a route that suits them. i.e if you haven't got a good chance of winning, then they'll try and convince you to drop it or settle.
Anything less than a 70% chance of winning and they get nervous. (if memory serves correctly, but I may be wrong on an exact figure.)
They sometimes also force solicitors and briefs on you who you might not think much of. You can choose who you want, but expect to have to kick up a stink.
As if dealing with the underlying situation isn't stressful enough!