It's been few months into tier 1 law firm and I have been often get looks by seniors when I say I don't have bandwidth. My peers at other teams also says it is brave of me to tell it in a blunt manner. They often take more work then they can handle and though they are able to deliver most of the time, they get chided for delay or quality. On the other hand, I feel I need time to learn things and it is difficult for me to handle multiple things at once. But even I have got remarks that I shouldn't say that I don't have bandwidth on senior's face. Instead try to hint at it indirectly. I don't understand what is wrong with saying it directly when you know that you cannot handle workload. Further, if I should say it indirectly or hint at it, how should it be? My rationale is that it is lesser evil to not commit to do the work and let the senior give it to someone else, than to commit to take up the work and do it in such a way that the senior would have to re-do it again. Also if I am not sure about whether I can balance the workload or not, should I just take it up anyways and face the consequences of a bad work or say I might not be able to do it. Idk how you all are able to handle this. At one point you have to be 100% accurate pulling out every law, rules and notifications etc and at the same time you have to do it in record time, managing multiple stuff. But somehow I see seniors are able to manage it because I have never heard them saying they don't have bandwidth to their partners.

Cycle of toxicity. Your strategy is precisely right to combat it. Nobody is coping or thriving in this situation. Modify your strategy based on the following suggestions:

1. For non-toxic people: If situation is really bad, then be blunt. If not, be a little more indirect. Something like, "Considering all I have on my intray at this time, I feel ABC could do a much better job of this more efficiently than I could. Therefore, why not consult him? If there's anything else I can help you with, please do let me know". Thanks!".

2. For toxic people: Repeat step 1 as above, always giving benefit of doubt. If it doesn't work, then go for the nuclear option (but only use in the most desperate situation where nothing else is left): "You are a toxic piece of shit, you think you can get over your personal insecurities by making other peoples' lives hell. Try a taste of your own medicine you worthless, useless fart. Now fuck off and suck your dick. I wish your mother had swallowed/your dad had restricted his activities to pleasuring himself under the sheets".

Tell them you can take the new work but list what you already have on your plate and how much time those things will take. Then ask them to help you prioritize what to do first and how much time to spend on it. Either they'll get the hint or help you de-prioritize something for which they had set an arbitrary deadline.

Be transperant. Bandwidth estimation is a bitch but you need to learn it. yes you may be frowned upon for giving no bandwidth as a reason for not taking up work (no matter how absurd that is because you can't do good work if you don't have the bandwidth) but in the long run it will help as you will slowly build a reputation for taking on what you can and delivering it well (provided you do deliver a good work product that ends up saving the senior's time in review). I have suffered immensely and still continue to suffer as an SA2 because I just can't say no. But I do respect it when my juniors say no for geniune reasons like no bandwidth (even though there is nothing I can do about it at times because pressure is coming from the top)

However give a geniune estimate for your bandwidth and over the long run people will realise that you are geniune. As you grow you will know that it's easy to see who is having bandwidth and who isn't, so beyond a point you can't fool anyone. I have seen even the generally harsh partners who appreciate if you can give them geniune bandwidth estimate because it helps them staff matters better.

That said, the unfortunate reality is somebody who slogs takes on more work and always says yes may be looked upon like a "better" and "hard working" resource. So you'll need to manage your expectations in the short term.

However I can't see how this will not be beneficial in the long run.

1. Have them prioritize tasks citing that there's multiple things going on, and when going through the list, ask for the time you need on each task.

2. If there's more than one senior, have them talk to each other and decide priority - along with your delivery timeline.

3. Always inflate the time needed by 1 hour (for large tasks) and 20 minutes (for small tasks).