Along with prosecuting antiterror cases, the U.S. attorney's office under Mr. Christie secured more than 130 convictions of elected and appointed public officials.

WSJ: Book Review: Chris Christie

In a nutshell: Jim Letten, the U.S. Attorney, is prosecuting a big case focused on Fred Heebe, a local waste disposal magnate. (For extensive background of that case, see this series).

FORBES: Federal Prosecutors Let It All Hang Out On The Internet

Mary Jo White, former U.S. attorney in Manhattan, has an extensive record of prosecuting white-collar crime, won convictions in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1998 terrorist attacks on two U.S. embassies in Africa, and put crime boss John Gotti away.

WSJ: Obama picks former prosecutor to head SEC

She was the first woman to serve as U.S. attorney in Manhattan, where she built an extensive record of prosecuting white-collar crime from 1993 through 2002.

WSJ: White promises "unrelenting" enforcement at SEC