Private member initialization?

using System;

using System.Linq;

using IdeaBlade.EntityModel;

using IdeaBlade.Core;



namespace iCatalyst.DomainModel

{

    public partial class Contact : IdeaBlade.EntityModel.Entity

    {

        public static Contact Create()

        {

            return Create(DomainModelEntityManager.DefaultManager);

        }



        public static Contact Create(EntityManager manager)

        {

            Contact contact = manager.CreateEntity<Contact>();

            contact.ContactId = Guid.NewGuid();



            // At this point, contact._businessPhone is null.

            contact.EntityAspect.AddToManager();

            // After the call to AddToManager(), contact._businessPhone has a value.

            // However this *only* happens if the BusinessPhone property includes a comparison check for null against _businessPhone!

            // See BusinessPhone property code below.



            contact.Person = Person.Create();

            return contact;

        }



        private Phone _businessPhone;

        public Phone BusinessPhone

        {

            get

            {

                //if (_businessPhone.EntityAspect.IsNullEntity) // this throws a null reference exception since _businessPhone is null

                if (null == _businessPhone || _businessPhone.EntityAspect.IsNullEntity) // with just this change, _businessPhone is never null, and _businessPhone.EntityAspect.IsNullEntity is always false!

                {

                    _businessPhone = Phones.Where(p => p.PhoneType.Name == PhoneTypeEnum.StandardPhoneNames.Business).FirstOrDefault();



                    if (null == _businessPhone)

                    {

                        _businessPhone = Phone.Create(PhoneTypeEnum.StandardPhoneNames.Business);

                        Phones.Add(_businessPhone);

                    }

                }

                return _businessPhone;

            }

        }



    }



}