I'm interested in having an attorney review my financial situation and help me determine my best course of action. Basically I need a consultation from someone who won't try to pressure me into a course of action that makes them money and leaves me regretting my decisions.

If word of mouth doesn't turn up the referral I need, what other methods do I have to determine who's good and who's just a bankruptcy mill?

Findlaw.com search results for San Francisco area

You can contact your local bar association to get a list of members that specialize in bankruptcy. While I understand your concern and caution, I think you must simply express your concern to whomever you speak to and trust that they will act responsibly and professionally to you. Mills aren't all bad for this type of situation because they can at times deliver the most expedient and cost effective solution due to the amount of cases they handle. On the otherhand, you may want more personal attention so you may wish to check some references to make sure that calls will be returned and your case will not be pushed down a long list.

I always google any service provider I use. I also check yelp.com and other websites that allow customers to review the service provider. I think these websites that allow user reviews are the best new thing. The only hazard to user reviews is that there are people out there that are just angry about everything or hyper sensitive... gotta be careful to read reviews with a balanced approach because even the best businesses get slammed now and then.

Thanks for the ideas!