private List<Initiator> nonNullInitiatorList(List<Initiator> initiatorList){
  if (initiatorList != null) {
    return initiatorList;
  }
  return new ArrayList<Initiator>();
}

private List < Initiator > nonNullInitiatorList ( List < Initiator > initiatorList ) { if ( initiatorList != null ) { return initiatorList ; } return new ArrayList < Initiator > ( ) ; }
will generate a default empty list < initiator > if the passed one is null . otherwise returns original list . used to reduce cyclomatic complexity .
