Patrick, like many younger sons of landed families, chose the law as his profession, probably following in the steps of his cousin Philip Bermingham, who was Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in the 1480s.
Norfolk praised Bermingham and Patrick Finglas, the Lord Chief Baron, as "the best willed and most diligent to do the King's Grace true and faithful service of all the learned men of this land".
[5] Bermingham was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, was made a member of the Privy Council, and as a mark of special favour was given a fresh patent as Lord Chief Justice under the Great Seal of England.
Despite Kildare's rather dubious loyalties, Bermingham was sensible enough to see that his great power and influence made it impossible to exclude him from a prominent share in the Irish Government, and that English rule in Ireland had been weakened by his four-year detention in England.
[6] Perhaps in part due to Bermingham's pleas, Kildare did return to Ireland, only to quarrel bitterly with Archbishop Alen and with Norfolk's successor as Lord Deputy, Sir William Skeffington.