Option?

gistfile1.txt

// Normal null checking
Outer outer = new Outer();
if (outer != null && outer.nested != null && outer.nested.inner != null) {
    System.out.println(outer.nested.inner.foo);
}

// Safer
def resolve[A](x: A): Option[A] = Option(x)

Option(new Outer()).flatMap(x => resolve(x.nested)).flatMap(x => resolve(x.inner)).map(x => System.out.println(x))

// Using syntax sugar
for {
  a <- Option(new Outer())
  b <- resolve(a.nested)
  c <- resolve(b.inner)
} yield System.out.println(c)