No, it doesn't sound like he's a good lawyer.
Alcoholics (especially those who have already endangered their children, as yours has) are not good parenting material, and the courts do recognize that.
As much as I loathe many of the "father's rights" groups (because I think a lot of them are havens for abusive men), they might have resources that would help.
I wouldn't be so concerned about the legal aspects but for what you've said about her father hiring a good lawyer for her. You have too much at stake to go it alone. There are also some lawyers who will take "pro bono" cases. Don't give up.
One advantage to the R.O., incidentally, is that the court can order alcohol evaluations and treatment as a condition of her spending time with the children. I know you feel "sorry" for her, but if her father has money she is unlikely to be homeless. It would give you some breathing room. The R.O. isn't like a criminal conviction--it won't ruin her life unless she had a job like being a police officer or something that required her to carry a gun.