function MyObject doSomething(someOject) {
boolean isDirty = false;
MyObject myobject = new MyObject();
 if (someOject.getProperty() != null) {
     isDirty = true
     myobject.setValueForProperty = someOject.getProperty().someValue;
 }
............similar if blocks for different properties........
if (isDirty)
return myobject;
else
return null;
}